Graphical user interface having a shared menu bar for opened applications

• US 5,745,115 A
• Filed: 01/13/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Williamson, Leigh Allen, Purple, Lance Jeffery
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/587,181
• Time in Patent Office: 836 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326-358, 395/682, 345/326-358, 345/682
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A computer system and method of operation are disclosed that simplifies the menu bar for use by a group of active applications. The computer system typically uses a bus coupled to a central processing unit and further coupled via the bus to a computer system memory. The computer system further includes an X Window menu manager and an X Window menu bar, both of which are located within the computer system memory during operation. The X Window menu manager includes a shared menu library. The X Window menu manager implements simultaneously instantiation of a set of menu widgets from the shared menu library that are associated with a computer program selected from the several active computer programs when the program focus is shifted to one of the active programs. The X Window menu bar, which is controlled by the X Window menu manager and displayable by the computer system, is shared by the plurality of active programs so that only the computer program receiving the application focus has its associated set of menu widgets displayed after the focus shift. The method for providing the shared menu bar is accomplished as follows. Initially, the system establishes a part editor for each active application. Next, the system passes the focus to one of the active applications and then retrieves a copy of a base menu bar from a window state object in the X Window environment. Afterwards, the system selects the appropriate widgets for display on the computer system. Next, the base menu bar is displayed and then the part editor is notified of the selected widgets to be displayed in the shared menu bar. Lastly, the system displays the selected widgets in the base menu bar or X Window menu bar.

Claims

1. A method of providing a menu bar within a graphical user interface having a plurality of components, wherein said menu bar displays an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponded to each of said components currently focused, said method comprising the steps of:

adding a shared menu bar object, wherein said shared menu bar object includes a base menu bar and a plurality of component menu bars, wherein each of said component menu bars is associated with one of said components within said graphical user interface;

in response to a focus-selection of one of said components by a user, sending a copy of said base menu bar from said shared menu bar object to said focus-selected component;

applying component specific items to said copy of base menu bar to form a shared menu bar by said focus-selected component; and

displaying said shared menu bar which presents an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponded to said focus-selected component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said base menu bar comprises a Motif menu bar.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes a step of sending said shared menu bar to said shared menu bar object after said applying step.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said Motif menu bar is developed via a Motif widget library.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step further includes a step of passing OpenDoc API calls to an OpenDoc menu library.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said OpenDoc menu library performs the steps of:

sending Motif API calls to said Motif widget library; and

receiving Motif callbacks from a Motif widget library.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said Motif widget library performs the steps of:

sending Xt API calls to an Xt toolkit library; and

receiving Xt callbacks from said Xt toolkit library.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said Xt toolkit library performs the steps of:

sending X API calls to an Xlib graphics library; and

receiving X events from said Xlib graphics library.

9. A computer program product for providing a menu bar within a graphical user interface having a plurality of components, wherein said menu bar displays an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponding to each of said components currently focused, said computer program product comprising:

program code means for adding a shared menu bar object, wherein said shared menu bar object includes a base menu bar and a plurality of component menu bars, wherein each of said component menu bars is associated with one of said components within said graphical user interface;

program code means for sending a copy of said base menu bar from said shared menu bar object to said focus-selected component, in response to a focus-selection of one of said components by a user;

program code means for applying component specific items to said copy of base menu bar to form a shared menu bar by said focus-selected component; and

program code means for displaying said shared menu bar which presents an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponded to said focus-selected component.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein said menu bar comprises a Motif menu bar.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein said computer program product further includes a program code means for sending said shared menu bar to said shared menu bar object.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said Motif menu bar is developed via a Motif widget library.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program code means for applying further includes a program code means for passing OpenDoc API calls to an OpenDoc menu library.

14. A computer system capable of providing a menu bar within a graphical user interface having a plurality of components, wherein said menu bar displays an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponded to each of said components currently focused, said computer system comprising:

a shared menu bar object having a base menu bar and a plurality of component menu bars, wherein each of said component menu bars is associated with one of said components within said graphical user interface;

means for sending a copy of said base menu bar from said shared menu bar object to said focus-selected component, in response to a focus-selection of one of said components by a user;

means for applying component specific items to said copy of base menu bar to form a shared menu bar by said focus-selected component; and

means for displaying said shared menu bar which presents an appropriate set of menu bar items corresponded to said focus-selected component.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein said base menu bar comprises a Motif menu bar.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein said method further includes a step of sending said shared menu bar to said shared menu bar object after said applying step.

17. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said Motif menu bar is developed via a Motif widget library.

18. The computer system of claim 14 wherein said applying step further includes a step of passing OpenDoc API calls to an OpenDoc menu library.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein said OpenDoc menu library performs the steps of:

sending Motif API calls to said Motif widget library; and

receiving Motif callbacks from a Motif widget library.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said Motif widget library performs the steps of:

sending Xt API calls to an Xt toolkit library; and

receiving Xt callbacks from said Xt toolkit library.

21. The computer system of claim 20 wherein said Xt toolkit library performs the steps of:

sending X API calls to an Xlib graphics library; and

receiving X events from said Xlib graphics library.