Shell extensions for an operating system

• US 5,852,441 A
• Filed: 08/20/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Satoshi, Belfiore, Joseph D., Guzak, Christopher J., Pitt, George H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, BA
• Application Number:
  US08/915,475
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/335, 345/340, 345/341, 345/342, 345/348, 345/349, 345/350, 345/351, 345/352, 345/353, 707/103, 707/104, 707/200, 395/200.33, 395/500, 395/651, 395/652, 395/653, 395/674, 395/676, 395/677, 395/680
• US Class Current: 715/866
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

An operating system provides extensions through which application developers may extend the capabilities of a shell of the operating system. For example, application developers may add menu items to context menus for objects that are visible within an integrated system name space. In addition, developers may add property sheet pages for such objects. Application developers also have the option of providing per-instance icons for each instance of an object. Application developers may provide data object extension handlers for customizing data sources on a per-object class basis and may provide drop target extension handlers on a per-object class basis to customize drop target behavior. Developers may additionally provide copy-hook handlers to regulate file system operations on objects. Developers may also extend the functionality provided by the shell of the operating system by adding their own custom name spaces to the integrated system name space. The mechanism provided by the operating system to add such a name space is polymorphic and transparent to users.

Claims

1. In a data processing system having a video display, an object having an associated object identifier, the object belonging to an associated object class, the object class having an associated object class identifier which is different than the object identifier, the object class having an associated context menu that specifies operations that may be performed relative to objects of the object class, an operating system that includes a shell which specifies a predefined first set of menu items for the context menu associated with the object class, and an application program installed under the operating system, wherein the object and object class are associated with the application, a method comprising the steps of:

providing a database of entries holding configuration information associated with the context menu;

providing a context menu handler for adding to the context menu a second set of menu items not provided by the shell, said context menu handler and said second set of menu items provided by the application program and being independent of the operating system;

registering the second set of menu items in the database of configuration information in association with the object class identifier; and

when the object is accessed, running the context menu handler to display the second set of menu items.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding menu items that are registered in the database to the context menu of the object such that the context menu of the object includes both the predefined menu items and the added menu items that are registered.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of displaying the context menu on the video display.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection from the context menu by a user of one of the added menu items; and

calling the code identified in the entry in the database for the menu item that has been selected in order to execute the code.

5. In a data processing system having a video display, an object having an associated object identifier, the object belonging to an associated object class, the object class having an associated object class identifier which is different than the object identifier, the object class having an associated context menu that specifies operations that may be performed relative to objects of the object class, a database of entries holding configuration information, an operating system that includes a shell which specifies a predefined first set of menu items for the context menu associated with the object class, and an application program installed under the operating system, wherein the object and object class are associated with the application and have an associated object identifier and object class identifier, respectively, a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising the steps of:

providing a database of entries holding configuration information associated with the context menu;

providing a context menu handler for adding to the context menu a second set of menu items not provided by the shell, said context menu handler and said second set of menu items provided by the application program and being independent of the operating system;

registering the second set of menu items in the database of configuration information in association with the object class identifier; and

when the object is accessed, running the context menu handler to display the second set of menu items.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the method further comprises adding menu items that are registered in the database to the context menu of the object such that the context menu of the object includes both the predefined menu items and the added menu items that are registered.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 wherein the method further comprises displaying the context menu on the video display.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a selection from the context menu by a user of one of the added menu items; and

calling the code identified in the entry in the database for the menu item that has been selected in order to execute the code.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a memory means holding;

(i) an object having an associated object identifier, the object belonging to an associated object class, the object class having an associated object class identifier which is different than the object identifier;

(ii) an operating system, including a shell that provides a predefined first set of context menu items for a context menu of the object;

(iii) an application installed under the operating system, wherein the object and object class are associated with the application; and

(iv) a registry holding registration information, including at least one context menu handler for extending capabilities of the shell, the context menu handler being provided by the application for adding a second set of menu items not provided by the shell to the context menu of the object, the context menu handler being independent of the operating system;

a video display; and

a processing means for running the operating system and the context menu handler.

10. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the shell extension handler operates to provide additional menu items for a given instance of the object.

11. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the shell extension handler operates for a selected object class that includes the object to provide additional menu items.