Client-server system with central application management allowing an administrator to configure user and group contexts during application configuration without relaunching the application

• US 6,237,092 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hayes, Kent Fillmore Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/072,871
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/222, 709/220, 709/203, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A system with a network interconnecting a server and a plurality of user stations. The system allows a system administrator to configure applications in the context of a user or a user group, and then to change the context and continue with configuration in the new context, all without requiring the administrator to terminate and relaunch the application to acquire the configuration information pertaining to the new context. A context change event listener is provided as part of the application being configured at the administrator'"'"'s station. The listener registers itself in the profile management system. When the administrator changes context by selecting a new user, user group, or terminal or terminal group, a profile manager senses the context change and alerts the listener. The listener then performs a load properties API call to get the preference data from the server for the new context, and causes the configuration application being executed to update variables to reflect the new preference information.

Claims

1. In a network system comprising a network interconnecting a server and a plurality of user stations, wherein the server stores configuration preferences for a plurality of end-user applications, a method of specifying the configuration preferences without requiring a relaunching of an end-user application in order to configure multiple contexts, the method comprising steps of:

selecting, by an administrator, a context to be configured for a selected end-user application, wherein the context comprises identification of a particular user or user group;

launching the selected end-user application in the selected context, wherein the launching further comprises loading first configuration preferences from the server which are associated with the selected context and the selected end-user application;

executing, by the administrator, one or more functions and displaying one or more graphical display elements of the launched end-user application;

modifying, by the administrator one or more of the first configuration preferences in the selected context, on behalf of the particular user or user group, relative to a location in the launched end-user application which has been reached by the executing and displaying;

storing the modified first configuration preferences for the selected context on the server;

selecting by the administrator a new context to be configured for the launched end-user application, wherein the new context comprises identification of a different user or user group; and

enabling, the administrator, to modify and store one or more of second configuration preferences on behalf of the different user or user group, wherein the second configuration preferences are associated with the new context and the launched end-user application, further comprising steps of;

providing a profile manager for the administrator to use in the selecting and launching steps;

providing an event listener function in the launched end-user application, wherein the event listener is adapted to listen for context change events;

registering the event listener function with the profile manager;

providing an event signaller function in the profile manager, which signals a context change event when the administrator selects the new context;

automatically retrieving the second configuration preferences from the server, responsive to receiving the signalled context change event by the event listener; and

loading the retrieved second configuration preferences.

2. For use in a network system comprising a network interconnecting a server and a plurality of user stations, wherein the server stores configuration preferences for a plurality of end-user applications, apparatus for specifying the configuration preferences without requiring a relaunching of an end-user application in order to configure multiple contexts, comprising:

means for selecting, by an administrator, a context to be configured for a selected end-user application, wherein the context comprises identification of a particular user or user group;

means for launching the selected end-user application in the selected context, wherein the means for launching further comprises means for loading first configuration preferences from the server which are associated with the selected context and the selected end-user application;

means for executing, by the administrator, one or more functions and displaying one or more graphical display elements of the launched end-user application;

means for modifying, by the administrator, one or more of the first configuration preferences in the selected context, on behalf of the particular user or user group, relative to a location in the launched end-user application which has been reached by the executing and displaying;

means for storing the modified first configuration preferences for the selected context on the server;

means for selecting, by the administrator, a new context to be configured for the launched end-user application, wherein the new context comprises identification of a different user or user group; and

means for enabling the administrator to modify and store one or more of second configuration preferences on behalf of the different user or user group, wherein the second configuration preferences are associated with the new context and the launched end-user application, further comprising;

a profile manager provided for the administrator to use in the means for selecting and for launching;

an event listener function provided in the launched end-user application, wherein the event listener is adapted to listen for context change events;

means for registering the event listener function with the profile manager;

an event signaller function provided in the profile manager, which signals a context change event when the administrator selects the new context;

means for receiving the signalled context change event by the event listener;

means for automatically retrieving the second configuration preferences from the server, responsive to the means for receiving; and

means for loading the retrieved second configuration preferences.

3. A computer program product for changing configuration preferences without requiring a relaunching of an end-user application in order to configure multiple contexts, the product comprising computer instruction code embodied on one or more computer-readable media and adapted for use in a network system comprising a network interconnecting a server and a plurality of user stations wherein the server stores configuration preferences for a plurality of end-user applications, the computer instruction code comprising:

computer-readable program code means for selecting, by an administrator, a context to be configured for a selected end-user application, wherein the context comprises identification of a particular user or user group;

computer-readable program code means for launching the selected end-user application in the selected context, wherein the computer-readable program code means for launching further comprises computer-readable program code means for loading first configuration preferences from the server which are associated with the selected context and the selected end-user application;

computer-readable program code means for executing, by the administrator, one or more functions and displaying one or more graphical display elements of the launched end-user application;

computer-readable program code means for modifying, by the administrator, one or more of the first configuration preferences in the selected context, on behalf of the particular user or user group, relative to a location in the launched end-user application which has been reached by the executing and displaying;

computer-readable program code means for storing the modified first configuration preferences for the selected context on the server;

computer-readable program code means for selecting, by the administrator, a new context to be configured for the launched end-user application, wherein the new context comprises identification of a different user or user group; and

computer-readable program code means for enabling the administrator to modify and store one or more of second configuration preferences on behalf of the different user or user group, wherein the second configuration preferences are associated with the new context and the launched end-user application, further comprising;

computer-readable program code means for providing a profile manager for the administrator to use in the computer-readable program code means for selecting and for launching;

computer-readable program code means for providing an event listener function in the launched end-user application, wherein the event listener is adapted to listen for context change events;

computer-readable program code means for providing an event signaller function in the profile manager, which signals a context change event when the administrator selects the new context;

computer-readable program code means for registering the event listener function with the profile manager;

computer-readable program code means for receiving the signalled context change event by the event listener;

computer-readable program code means for automatically retrieving the second configuration preferences from the server, responsive to the computer-readable program code means for receiving; and

computer-readable program code means for loading the retrieved second configuration preferences.

4. A computer signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal containing computer instruction code for controlling a server of a network system, wherein the server stores configuration preferences for a plurality of end-user applications, the computer instructions comprising:

computer-readable program code means for selecting, by an administrator, a context to be configured for a selected end-user application, wherein the context comprises identification of a particular user or user group;

computer-readable program code means for launching the selected end-user application in the selected context, wherein the computer-readable program code means for launching further comprises computer-readable program code means for loading first configuration preferences from the server which are associated with the selected context and the selected end-user application;

computer-readable program code means for executing, by the administrator, one or more functions and displaying one or more graphical display elements of the launched end-user application;

computer-readable program code means for modifying, by the administrator, one or more of the first configuration preferences in the selected context, on behalf of the particular user or user group, relative to a location in the launched end-user application which has been reached by the executing and displaying;

computer-readable program code means for storing the modified first configuration preferences for the selected context on the server;

computer-readable program code means for selecting, by the administrator, a new context to be configured for the launched end-user application, wherein the new context comprises identification of a different user or user group; and

computer-readable program code means for enabling the administrator to modify and store one or more of second configuration preferences on behalf of the different user or user group, wherein the second configuration preferences are associated with the new context and the launched end-user application, further comprising;

computer-readable program code means for providing a profile manager for the administrator to use in the computer-readable program code means for selecting and for launching;

computer-readable program code means for providing an event listener function in the launched end-user application, wherein the event listener is adapted to listen for context change events;

computer-readable program code means for registering the event listener function with the profile manager;

computer-readable program code means for providing an event signaller function in the profile manager, which signals a context change event when the administrator selects the new context;

computer-readable program code means for receiving the signalled context change event by the event listener;

computer-readable program code means for automatically retrieving the second configuration preferences from the server, responsive to the computer-readable program code means for receiving; and

computer-readable program code means for loading the retrieved second configuration preferences.