Method of and system for demonstrating a computer program

• US 5,388,993 A
• Filed: 07/15/1992
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McKiel, Frank A., Catino, Robert J., Cavendish, Cathy J., Trowbridge, G. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US07/914,185
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/169, 434/185, 434/307, 434/308, 434/323, 434/362, 434/365, 434/307 R, 364/419, 364/419.2, 395/154, 395/152, 395/153, 395/927, 371/19, 371/24, 371/25.1, 371/26, 371/28.1, 371/67.1, 340/706, 340/709, 340/825.22, 345/163, 345/156
• US Class Current: 434/118
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/952 Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/956 Language driven animation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/927 Education or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/975 Pop-up dialog box for entry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/977 Dynamic icon, e.g. animated or live action

Abstract

A system and method are provided for building a help function in the form of a tutorial that physically demonstrates to an end user the function that the end user wants to understand. The invention includes a script language that includes tags or commands that the information developer can use in demonstrating the application program and providing tutorial information to the user. The system includes an interpreter that interprets the script language.

Claims

1. A method of demonstrating a computer system application program, which comprises the computer system implemented steps of:

running said application program;

providing tutorial information to a user; and

,

sending simulated user-input messages to said application program thereby to demonstrate the operation of said application program.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of providing tutorial information includes the steps of:

displaying tutorial text on a computer system display screen.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tutorial text is displayed in a window.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application program includes a graphical user interface and said step of sending simulated user-input messages includes the computer implemented steps of:

moving a graphical pointer to a preselected position on a computer system display screen; and

sending a simulated mouse button command to said computer system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application program includes a graphical user interface and said step of sending simulated user-input messages includes the computer implemented step of:

activating a preselected object of said application program.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said computer implemented steps further include the steps of:

moving a graphical pointer to said preselected object; and

sending a simulated mouse button command to said computer system.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of sending simulated user-input messages includes the computer implemented step of:

sending simulated keystroke commands to said application.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said application program includes a graphical user interface and said step of sending simulated user-input messages includes the computer implemented step of:

positioning a typing cursor in a text entry field of said application program.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of providing tutorial information includes the steps of:

displaying a representation of a human figure on a computer display screen;

displaying a speech bubble near said human figure; and

, displaying scrolling tutorial text in said speech bubble.

10. A method of demonstrating an application program in a multitasking computer system that includes a computer display screen and a user-input device, which comprises the computer implemented steps of:

running said application program on said computer system;

simultaneously running a demonstration program on said computer system; and

,

generating simulated user-input messages to said application program, under control of said demonstration program, thereby to simulate user interaction with said application program.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, including the step of:

providing tutorial information to a user, under control of said demonstration program.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of providing tutorial information includes the step of:

displaying tutorial text on said display screen.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of generating user-input messages includes the steps performed by said demonstration program of:

reading a line of a demonstration script;

and interpreting said line.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, including the computer implemented step of:

providing to said user, under control of said demonstration program, tutorial information about another feature of said application program after demonstrating said feature of said application program.

15. A method of demonstrating an application program in a multitasking computer system that includes a computer display screen and a user input device, which comprises the computer implemented steps of:

running said application program on said computer system;

simultaneously running a demonstration program on said computer system;

providing to a user, under control of said demonstration program, tutorial information about a feature of said application program;

prompting said user for a demonstration of said feature; and

,

generating, in response to a user response to prompting, simulated user-input messages, under control of said demonstration program, thereby demonstrating said feature of said application program.