Link manager for managing links integrating data between application programs

• US 5,778,385 A
• Filed: 07/10/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Kodak Limited (Eastman Kodak Company)
• Inventors: Pratt, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/891,240
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 395/616, 395/617, 395/618, 395/619, 395/620, 707/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A link manager for a computer system including data objects and application programs for performing operations on the data objects wherein container objects contain references to linked data residing in server objects and including a link mechanism for invoking a server application program for providing linked data to a presentation window. The link manager includes a reference selector selecting a single reference to linked data in a container object and a moniker generator to generate a moniker identifying a server object containing the linked data. The link mechanism responds to the moniker pointer by invoking a server application program to open the server object and provide the linked data to the presentation window. Each reference includes a file name and a path name and a search mechanism determines the server object directory path, which is used in generating the moniker. The link manager responds to a second reference by modifying the moniker to identify a second server object and the link mechanism reuses the link by closing the first application program and server object and invoking a second server application program to open the second server object and provide the linked data to the presentation window. A moniker manager allows the opening of plural links, each with a moniker, but directs the moniker generator to modify and reuse a previous moniker and link when at a preseleted limit.

Claims

1. In a computer system including a plurality of data objects for storing data and a plurality of applications programs for performing operations on the data objects, the data objects including container objects and server objects and the container objects containing references to linked data residing in the server objects, a memory and processor for storing and executing the application programs, and an integrated operating environment including a link mechanism responsive to a moniker corresponding to a linked data reference and identifying a corresponding server object containing the linked data for loading and invoking a server application program for performing operations on the corresponding server object, the server application program being responsive to the link server mechanism for providing the linked data to a presentation window, and a link manager including a reference selector responsive to a user input selecting a first single reference to linked data in the container object, and a moniker generator for storing a template of a moniker and responsive to the first selected reference to linked data for generating from the template and the selected reference a first moniker identifying a first server object containing the linked data identified by the first reference and providing to the link mechanism a moniker pointer identifying the moniker, the link mechanism being responsive to the moniker pointer for reading the moniker, identifying a first server application program corresponding to the first server object, and directing the first server application program for opening the first server object, opening a presentation window for presenting the linked data, and providing the linked data to the presentation window, the link manager including a search mechanism for locating unresolvable references, wherein each reference to linked data is comprised of a file name and a path name, comprising:

the search mechanism responsive to the file name of a reference to linked data for

determining when a file name cannot be located and, when and only when a file name cannot be located, determining a directory path to the server object corresponding to the file name by

searching only local directories of the system to locate the server object corresponding to the file name when the file name cannot be located,

determining the directory path to the server object corresponding to the file name, and

providing the directory path to the moniker generator, and

the moniker generator responsive to the directory path provided from the search mechanism for generating the moniker including the directory path identifying the location in the system of the server object containing the linked data.

2. In a computer system including a plurality of data objects for storing data and a plurality of applications programs for performing operations on the data objects, the data objects including container objects and server objects and the container objects containing references to linked data residing in the server objects, a memory and processor for storing and executing the application programs, and an integrated operating environment including a link mechanism responsive a moniker corresponding to a linked data reference and identifying a corresponding server object containing the linked data for loading and invoking a server application program for performing operations on the corresponding server object, the server application program being responsive to the link server mechanism for providing the linked data to a presentation window, wherein a method for managing linked data reference includes the steps of selecting a first single reference to linked data in the container object, and storing a template of a moniker and in response to the first selected reference, generating from the template and the selected reference a first moniker identifying a first server object containing the linked data identified by the first reference and providing to the link mechanism a moniker pointer identifying the moniker, and in the link mechanism, responding to the moniker pointer by reading the moniker, identifying a first server application program corresponding to the first server object, and directing the first server application program to open the first server object, open a presentation window for presenting the linked data, and provide the linked data to the presentation window, a method for locating unresolvable references, wherein each reference to linked data is comprised of a file name and a path name, comprising the steps of:

in response to a file name

determining when a file name cannot be located and when and only when a file name cannot be located, determining a directory path to the server object corresponding to the file name by

searching only local directories of the system to locate the server object corresponding to the file name when the file name cannot be located,

determining the directory path to the server object corresponding to the file name, and

responsive to the directory path, generating the moniker including the directory path identifying the location in the system of the server object containing the linked data.