Graphical user interface management system

• US 5,509,116 A
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lien, Yeong-chang, Hiraga, Rumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US08/328,973
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/156, 395/161, 345/115, 345/116
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/96 Object-relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An information handling system manages the interaction between a graphical user interface and a program application. Procedural modules which define operations to be executed by the program application to implement specific functions are stored in a relational data table. Graphical objects such as polygons, rectangles, squares, arrows and other objects are stored in the relational data table. A menu driven system allows a user to associate or link, specific graphical objects with procedural modules such that when the graphical object is selected by a user through a mouse click operation, or the like, the program applications executes operations corresponding to the procedural modules associated with graphical objects selected. In this manner, a user can manage an object oriented system by relating various graphical objects to desired procedural modules to be executed by the program application.

Claims

1. A method of managing the interaction between a graphical user interface and a program application running on an information handling system, comprising the steps of:

recording operations performed by a user interacting with said program application to automatically create at least one procedure module in response to said recording;

storing said at least one procedure module in a relational data table;

storing at least one graphical object, to be displayed on a screen, in said relational data table;

relating said procedure module to said graphical object, thereby forming a connected relation therebetween; and

executing, by said application, the procedure module to implement functions corresponding to said operations when the graphical object related to said procedure module is selected by said user.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of storing transitional data, in a relational data table, for relating said object to other procedures to be invoked for execution by said application.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of associating comprises linking said graphical object to said transitional data by adding a new tupple to said stored transitional data.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of providing a layout file for storing said connected graphical objects and procedural modules such that specific user interfaces can be saved.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising generating a graphical user interface, capable of invoking a procedure module in response to input from a user, based upon said saved specific user interfaces.

6. An information handling system for managing the interaction between a graphical user interface and a program application, comprising:

means for recording operations performed by a user interacting with said program application to automatically create at least one procedure module in response to said recording;

means for storing said at least one procedure module in a relational data table;

means for storing at least one graphical object, to be displayed on a screen, in said relational data table;

means for relating said procedure module to said graphical object, thereby forming a connected relation therebetween; and

means for executing, by said application, said procedure module to implement functions corresponding to said operations when the graphical object related to said procedure module is selected by said user.

7. A system according to claim 6 further comprising means for storing transitional data, in a relational data table, and for relating said object to other procedures to be invoked for execution by said application.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means for associating comprises means for linking said graphical object to said transitional data by adding a new tupple to said stored transitional data.

9. A system according to claim 8 further comprising a layout file for storing said connected graphical objects and procedural modules such that specific user interfaces can be saved.

10. A system according to claim 9 further comprising means for generating a graphical user interface, capable of invoking a procedure module in response to input from a user, based upon said saved specific user interfaces.

11. A system according to claim 6 further comprising:

means for translating messages input to said graphical objects into formats corresponding to the format of said relational data table;

means for performing predetermined queries on said relation data tables; and

means for performing invocations of said procedure modules as determined by said queries.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said graphical objects include configuration and attribute data.