Programming environment system for customizing a program application based upon user input

• US 5,600,780 A
• Filed: 03/04/1996
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Morishima, Hiroshi, Mima, Yoshiaki, Lien, Yeong-chang, Hiraga, Rumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, BA
• Application Number:
  US08/606,461
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/157, 395/159, 395/161, 395/600, 395/650, 395/700, 395/800
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A programming environment is provided in which an end user of one or more existing applications, e.g. integrated environment applications, can customize the applications with a unique user interface appearance. The environment consists of one application or a group of applications, a customization facility and a graphical editor. The customization facility records event streams from the user to the applications when they are run, and enables the user to compose a plurality of event streams into a story. The user generates a unique user interface appearance with graphical parts, e.g., boxes, arrows, icons, etc., using the graphical editor. The user then links the graphical parts, or objects of the user interface appearance to event streams or stories, and completes a programming mode. After programming, the user can make the customized application run by interaction with the new user interface appearance, for example picking the graphical objects on the appearance.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for creating a new application program from a plurality of existing application programs, said computer readable program code means comprising;

means for executing selected portions of said plurality of existing application programs;

means for recording, during said execution of said selected portions, a first data stream and a second data stream corresponding to a user'"'"'s interaction with said plurality of existing application programs;

means for combining said first data stream and said second data stream into a single combined data stream using control commands for specifying the flow of execution for said combined data stream;

means for assigning a first graphical object to said combined data stream; and

means for executing, in response to selecting said first graphical object, said selected portions according to the specified flow of said combined data stream.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said computer readable program code means further comprises:

means for recording, during said execution of said selected portions, a third data stream corresponding to a user'"'"'s interaction with said plurality of existing application programs.

3. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for creating a new application program from a plurality of existing application programs, said computer readable program code means comprising;

means for executing selected portions of said plurality of existing application programs;

means for recording, during said execution of said selected portions, a first, second, and third data stream corresponding to a user'"'"'s interaction with said plurality of existing application programs;

means for combining said first data stream and said second data stream into a single combined data stream using control commands for specifying the flow of execution for said combined data stream;

means for assigning a first graphical object to said combined data stream;

means for assigning a second graphical object to said third data stream;

means for graphically associating said second graphical object with said first graphical object so that the user is directed to select said first and second graphical objects in a predetermined order; and

means for executing, in response to selecting said first graphical object, said selected portions according to the specified flow of said combined data stream.