Method and system for customizing a user interface in an integrated environment

• US 5,220,675 A
• Filed: 02/20/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Padawer, Andrew D., Grove, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GECKIL, MEHMET B
• Application Number:
  US07/840,656
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/600, 395/100, 395/800, 395/156, 395/157, 395/155, 395/159, 395/160, 364/146
• US Class Current: 715/826
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A method for allowing a user of a computer program to customize a menu while the computer program is executing is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the computer program provides a customized menu facility. This facility allows a user to add a menu item to a menu and associate that menu item with an external computer program. The computer program in response to selection of the menu item by a user invokes the external computer program. Upon completion of the execution of the external computer program, execution of the computer program is resumed.

Claims

1. A computer system for allowing a user to customize a user interface of a first computer program for invoking a second computer program, the system comprising:

means for displaying a menu with menu items that are available for selection by the user of the first computer program;

means for storing an identification of the second computer program;

means for adding a new menu item to the menu;

handle means for linking the new menu item to the identification of the second computer program; and

means for selecting the new menu item, including means for saving a source file before executing the second computer program, and means for executing the second computer program on the source file.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for saving the source file after the second program has finished executing.

3. A method executed in a computer for customizing a user interface for a first computer program, the first computer program having a menu for displaying menu items, each menu item having an associated function, the computer having a memory, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting data from a user of the first computer program wherein the data relates to a second computer program and wherein the data includes text strings;

storing each text string in the memory of the computer;

generating a handle for each stored text string wherein each handle contains a reference to the text string stored in memory;

generating a menu item entry associated with the second computer program wherein the menu item entry contains a plurality of generated handles;

storing the menu item entry in the computer memory;

associating the menu item entry with the menu;

displaying the menu associated with the menu item entry wherein the generated handles in the stored menu item entry are retrieved and wherein the text strings are retrieved from the memory through the retrieved handles; and

selecting the menu item entry based on an indication by the user, including saving a source file before invoking the second computer program, and invoking the second computer program, to execute on the source file, based on a text string stored in the memory that is referenced by the handle in the menu item entry.

4. The method of claim 3, further including the step of saving the source file after the second program has finished executing.