Method and apparatus for editing a software component

• US 5,991,534 A
• Filed: 06/03/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Graham, Cable, Laurence P. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/868,038
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 395/701, 395/705, 395/682, 395/683, 395/710, 345/326, 345/333, 345/335, 345/339, 345/352-354, 345/433, 707/100, 707/102-104, 707/13
• US Class Current: 717/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Methods, software, and apparatus for customizing a component for use with an application builder tool are disclosed. A method for customizing a component which has at least one associated property with an associated data type involves obtaining the component, obtaining an editor that is arranged to modify the property, and adding the editor to a customizer that is associated with said component. Then, the property is modified using the editor. In one embodiment, the method further includes configuring the component by implementing the modified property. In another embodiment, the component is an instance of an associated component class, and obtaining the component involves obtaining the component class and creating the instance of the component class. In such an embodiment, each property associated with the component is identified.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component for use with an application builder tool, said computer-implemented method comprising:

(a) obtaining a component, said component being capable of having a plurality of associated properties, each of said properties having an associated data type;

(b) obtaining an editor for a new property;

(c) adding said editor to a property sheet, said property sheet being associated with said component, said editor being arranged to associate said new property with said component and said editor further being arranged to modify said new property; and

(d) modifying said new property using said editor.

2. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 further including:

(e) configuring said component, wherein configuring said component further includes implementing said modified property.

3. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 wherein steps (b) and (c) are repeated for each property associated with said component.

4. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 wherein said component is an instance of an associated component class, and obtaining said component includes obtaining said component class and creating said instance of said component class.

5. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 4 further includes identifying each property associated with said component.

6. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 wherein said new property has an associated new data type, and wherein said editor is a new editor that is added to said property sheet.

7. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 6 wherein obtaining said editor for said property involves creating said new editor for said new property, said new property being associated with said new data type.

8. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 wherein said property sheet includes a graphical user interface that is used to configure said component.

9. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 1 wherein said component is created using the Java programming language.

10. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 9 wherein said component is a Java Bean.

11. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component as recited in claim 9 wherein said data type is a Java data type.

12. A computer-implemented method for locating a first editor arranged to modify a first new property associated with a component that is to be used with an application builder tool, said first editor being instantiated from a first editor class and being associated with a first data type, said first data type being associated with said first new property, said first editor being arranged to receive input relevant to modifying said first new property, said method comprising:

searching a register, said register containing a listing of data types and editors which correspond to said data types, said register being arranged to map said data types with said editors; and

determining if said first editor is one of said editors contained in said register; and

,

adding said first editor to said register if said first editor is not one of said editors contained in said register.

13. A computer-implemented method for locating a first editor as recited in claim 12 wherein when it is determined that said first editor is not one of said editors contained in said register, said computer-implemented method further includes searching for said first editor using a name associated with said first editor class.

14. A computer-implemented method for locating a first editor as recited in claim 13 further including adding said first editor to a property sheet associated with said component when said search for said first editor yields said first editor.

15. A computer-implemented method for locating a first editor as recited in claim 13 wherein said first data type has a first data type name, said first data type name being at least partially included in said first editor class name, wherein searching for said editor using said first editor class includes searching for said first editor class name.

16. A computer-implemented method for locating a first editor as recited in claim 13 wherein said first editor class name is a standard editor class name.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to:

(a) run a software program on said computer, said software program being an application builder tool;

(b) obtain a software component to be used by said software program, said component being capable of having a plurality of associated properties, each of said properties having an associated data type;

(c) obtain an editor for a new property; and

(d) add said editor to a property sheet, said property sheet being associated with said component, said editor being arranged to be associate said new property with said component and said editor further being arranged to modify said new property.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17 further including computer-readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to:

modify said property using said editor; and

configure said component, wherein said component is configured through an implementation of said modified property.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18 wherein said new property has a new data type associated with it, and said editor is a new editor that is added to said property sheet, said computer-readable program code devices further including computer-readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to create said new editor for said new property, said new property being associated with said new data type.

20. A user interface for use in customizing a component that is to be used with an application builder tool on a computer system, said component having at least one newly associated property, said newly associated property being associated with a data type, said user interface comprising:

at least one property editor, said property editor being associated with said newly associated property; and

a customizer, said customizer being associated with said component, said customizer being arranged to enable said newly associated property with said component to be modified through the use of said property editor.

21. A user interface for use in customizing a component according to claim 20 wherein:

said data type is a new data type; and

said property editor is a new property editor, said new property editor being associated with said new data type.

22. A user interface for use in customizing a component according to claim 21 wherein said new property editor is added to said customizer.

23. A computer-implemented method of customizing a component for use with an application builder tool, said computer-implemented method comprising:

(a) obtaining a component, said component being capable of having a plurality of associated properties;

(b) identifying an editor for a new property, said editor being arranged to associate said new property with said component and said editor further being arranged to modify said new property;

(c) adding said editor to a property sheet, said property sheet being associated with said component;

(d) associating said new property to said component; and

(e) modifying said new property using said editor.