Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a software component (1, 2, 3) for a distributed control system having application units (4, 5) which have one or more logic function nodes which each define an individual control system function in the application units and interact with one another, or can interact with one another, in order to achieve a desired functionality for the control system; having a function means for implementation of a logic function node; a negotiation means for receiving a connection instruction relating to a connection to be set up to at least one further function node and for agreeing upon possible usable connection parameters between the function node and the at least one further function node during a composition phase of the control system; and a connection means for setting the negotiated connection parameters between the function means and for data transmission between the connected function means during a runtime of the control system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a preprocessor (2) for a predetermined document type definition (DTD), comprising at least one predetermined interface for interchanging information with interfaces of application units (1, 6); and comprising a conversion means for converting application information from an application unit (1, 6) into calls to a markup language processor (3), with the calls satisfying the DTD, and for converting markup language information from the markup language processor (3) into return information for transmission to an application unit (1, 6), with the return information being interpretable by the application unit (1, 6). The invention is likewise based on an overall system having the preprocessor (2), and on a method for processing a markup language file (5).

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a software component (1, 2, 3) for a distributed control system having application units (4, 5) which have one or more logic function nodes which each define an individual control system function in the application units and interact with one another, or can interact with one another, in order to achieve a desired functionality for the control system; having a function means for implementation of a logic function node; a negotiation means for receiving a connection instruction relating to a connection to be set up to at least one further function node and for agreeing upon possible usable connection parameters between the function node and the at least one further function node during a composition phase of the control system; and a connection means for setting the negotiated connection parameters between the function means and for data transmission between the connected function means during a runtime of the control system.