Visually oriented computer implemented application development system utilizing standardized objects and multiple views

• US 20070089100A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert, Denton, Leet
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A computer implemented application development (authoring) system permits objects (such as VBX custom controls) to be graphically inserted into the program under development by dragging and dropping associated icons into one of four views. The properties associated with the object may then be assigned settings. Development of a complete application is accomplished by visually arranging, ordering, and interconnecting the objects without the necessity of writing any code. The four views of Output, Map, Multitrack, and Workform may be synchronized so that changes made to the program in one view are simultaneously reflected in all other views. The system generates as output a script listing the objects and their properties which is then executed by a separate run time program. The system permits use of objects written to a standard specification and the addition at any time of additional objects written to that. Integration of the objects into the system is achieved by wrapping each object in an “envelope” of system specific properties.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method employing objects and a runtime program for interpreting one or more application scripts from a remote information source comprising the steps of:

a) loading from a remote information source one or more application scripts that can be maintained separately from the runtime program;

b) loading from a remote information source, using locations specified by the one or more scripts, objects that can be maintained separately from the runtime program and the one or more scripts; and

c) utilizing properties values in the one or more scripts to modify the execution of the objects.

2. A computer implemented development and/or run time system employing a central processing unit with access to memory and storage;

and employing one or more objects that may or may not have internal events written to a known specification according to settings stored in a script, comprising;

a) means for utilizing separately maintained scripts;

b) means for utilizing separately maintained objects;

c) means for instantiating objects;

d) means for integrating objects;

e) means for sequencing objects; and

f) means for providing communication among objects

wherein the functionalities performed by the system during execution are determined by the objects used and the scripts.

3. A computer implemented software method that utilizes software objects in such a way that during the application development phase the developer can save to storage a record for the property and/or event settings of an individual object for later recall during the development of an application comprising the steps of

a) Selecting the object in the developer user interface

b) Saving the values found in the properties and/or events of that individual object to a file structure under a unique name

c) Providing the functionality to load those settings into that object, or a different instance of that same kind of object.

4. A computer implemented software method for developing and running applications in a windowed environment that can utilize scripts and objects residing in different locations without the need to any write computer code comprising the steps of

a) using a multi-view windowed user interface to design the output of the software

b) adding objects in that user interface and recording modifications to the settings of object properties and/or events in a script without any need to write computer code whereas the resulting script can be interpreted by a runtime program that uses the settings to control the objects in the delivery of a software application.