Controlling a GUI display for a plug-in

• US 20050223375A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wardrop, Patrick Ryan, Falola, Dolapo Martin, Duggan, Matthew Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,426,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for controlling a GUI display for a plug-in in an application supporting plug-ins. Embodiments include receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request to display a GUI object; responsive to the request, retrieving an XML representation of the GUI object; and displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the retrieved XML representation of the GUI object. Typical embodiments also include receiving from the plug-in a request to retrieve user input responsive to the GUI object; and returning to the plug-in responsive user input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a GUI display for a plug-in in an application supporting plug-ins, the method comprising:

receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request to display a GUI object, wherein the application has standards of appearance for the GUI display;

responsive to the request, retrieving an XML representation of the GUI object that complies with the application'"'"'s standards of appearance for the GUI display; and

displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the retrieved XML representation of the GUI object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising installing the plug-in in the application, including configuring the application with the location of at least one XML representation of at least one GUI object.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing through the application for the plug-in access to a subset of a set of GUI objects supported by a GUI environment.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing GUI functions for the plug-in through a GUI API in the application, wherein receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request for display of a GUI object further comprises receiving a GUI API call from the plug-in.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the plug-in a request to retrieve user input responsive to the GUI object; and

returning to the plug-in responsive user input.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising parsing the retrieved representation of the GUI object, wherein displaying the GUI object further comprises displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the parsed representation of the GUI object.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising publishing XML syntax for representing XML GUI objects operable by a plug-in through the application.

8. A system for controlling a GUI display for a plug-in in an application supporting plug-ins, the system comprising:

means for receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request to display a GUI object, wherein the application has standards of appearance for the GUI display;

means for retrieving an XML representation of the GUI object in response to the request that complies with the application'"'"'s standards of appearance for the GUI display; and

means for displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the retrieved XML representation of the GUI object.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for installing the plug-in in the application, including means for configuring the application with the location of at least one XML representation of at least one GUI object.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for providing through the application for the plug-in access to a subset of a set of GUI objects supported by a GUI environment.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for providing GUI functions for the plug-in through a GUI API in the application, wherein means for receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request for display of a GUI object further comprises means for receiving a GUI API call from the plug-in.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for receiving from the plug-in a request to retrieve user input responsive to the GUI object; and

means for returning to the plug-in responsive user input.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for parsing the retrieved representation of the GUI object, wherein means for displaying the GUI object further comprises means for displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the parsed representation of the GUI object.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for publishing XML syntax for representing XML GUI objects operable by a plug-in through the application.

15. A computer program product for controlling a GUI display for a plug-in in an application supporting plug-ins, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request to display a GUI object, wherein the application has standards of appearance for the GUI display;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving an XML representation of the GUI object in response to the request that complies with the application'"'"'s standards of appearance for the GUI display; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the retrieved XML representation of the GUI object.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for installing the plug-in in the application, including means, recorded on the recording medium, for configuring the application with the location of at least one XML representation of at least one GUI object.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for providing through the application for the plug-in access to a subset of a set of GUI objects supported by a GUI environment.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for providing GUI functions for the plug-in through a GUI API in the application, wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request for display of a GUI object further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving a GUI API call from the plug-in.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving from the plug-in a request to retrieve user input responsive to the GUI object; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for returning to the plug-in responsive user input.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for parsing the retrieved representation of the GUI object, wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying the GUI object further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the parsed representation of the GUI object.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for publishing XML syntax for representing XML GUI objects operable by a plug-in through the application.