The apparatus determines at least one type of component program connectable to a first component program associated with a first icon based on definition information defining a type of each component program and a type of component program connectable to each component program. It displays second icons corresponding to the at least one type of component program and selects one of the second icons in response to a user designation. It displays identifiers of component programs of the type corresponding to the selected second icon, as candidates to be connected to the first component program. It selects one of the identifiers in response to a user designation and sets a component program corresponding to the selected identifier as a second component program associated with the selected second icon. Finally, it generates a program by connecting the first component program and the second component program.