SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROGRAMMING A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090328000A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Nextair Corporation
• Inventors: Grenier, Steven R., Neil, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US12/116,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20090328000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for developing software for a computing device are provided. One method includes accessing input received from an input peripheral, accessing a definition file defining a plurality of tools for code development, providing a development assistance tool on an output peripheral based on conditions and instructions in the definition file that match the input. Another method includes receiving an engine definition file corresponding to a development assistance engine incorporated into the IDE, editing the engine definition file to include programming tools that correspond with the a computer language that is native to the computing device, and saving the edited engine define file for subsequent use by the IDE.

Claims

1. An apparatus for programming a computing device comprising:

at least one central processing unit, a volatile storage unit and non-volatile storage unit interconnected by a bus;

an input peripheral for receiving input from a user and connected to the at least one central processing unit;

an output peripheral for generating output for presentation to a user and connected to the at least one central processing unit;

the at least one processing unit configured to execute a plurality of programming instructions implementing a source code editor coupled with a code development engine;

the programming instructions further including an engine definition file readable by the code development engine;

the engine definition file defining a plurality of tools for code development within the source code editor that correspond to a programming language used for developing software for the computing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the programming instructions are implemented as part of an integrated development environment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tools include a code completion tool.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tools include a code correction tool.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tools include a context-sensitive help tool.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the engine definition file is based on the extended Markup Language. (“

XML”

)

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the programming language is Java and the engine definition file includes Java development tools.

8. A method of developing software for a computing device comprising:

accessing input received from an input peripheral;

accessing a definition file defining a plurality of tools for code development;

providing a development assistance tool on an output peripheral based on conditions and instructions in the definition file that match the input.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the input is received via an editor.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the accessing is performed by a development assistant engine.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the tool is a code completion tool.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the tool is a code correction tool.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the tool is a context-sensitive help tool.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the programming language is Java and the engine definition file includes Java development tools.

14. The method of 8 wherein the engine definition file is based on the extended Markup Language. (“

XML”

)

16. A method of modifying an integrated development engine (IDE) for programming a computing device comprising:

receiving an engine definition file corresponding to a development assistance engine incorporated into the IDE;

editing the engine definition file to include programming tools that correspond with a computer language that is native to the computing device;

saving the edited engine define file for subsequent use by the IDE.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the tool is a code completion tool.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the tool is a code correction tool.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the tool is a context-sensitive help tool.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the engine definition file is based on the extended Markup Language. (“

XML”

)

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the programming language is Java and the engine definition file includes Java development tools.