Method and system for script access to API functionality

• US 6,279,043 B1
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Swen, Steve, Calhoun, John Kennedy, Hayward, David
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/070,995
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 709/310-332, 382/167, 707/101
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Aspects for utilizing functionality of an application program interface (API) of a computer system through script access to the API are described. A method aspect includes receiving a script of one or more desired events for manipulating a file, the file having a format, identifying whether a compatible format for the file is known by the API and executing the script on the file by the API when a compatible format is known.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing functionality of an application program interface (API) of a computer system through script access to the API, the computer system including an operating system, the API beings within the operating system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a script of one or more desired events for manipulating a file, the file having a format;

(b) identifying whether a compatible format for the file is known by the API via a script interface which is within the API; and

(c) executing the script on the file by the API when a compatible format is known, wherein an application program is not required to access the API.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying (b) further comprises (b1) determining whether a format plug-in exists for the predetermined format.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the API comprises a color management API.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the file comprises an image file.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein when a compatible file format is not known, an error is returned.

6. A method for achieving end-user access to application programming interface (API) functionality of a computer system, the computer system including an operating system, the API being within the operating system, the method comprising:

forming a script of operations for execution on at least one file; and

achieving the script of operations with a system API via a script interface which is within the API when the at least one file is compatible with the system API, wherein access to the system API functionality occurs transparently to the end-user, and wherein an application program is not required to access to the API.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the system API comprises a color management API.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one file comprises an image file.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the script of operations further comprises a color matching operation for the image file.

10. A computer system providing end-user access to application programming interface (API) functionality, the computer system comprising:

a processor, the processor operating with an operating system, the operating system including at least one system API; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing at least one file and a script of operations for execution on the at least one file, wherein the processor achieves the script of operations with the at least one system API via a script interface which is within the API when the at least one file is compatible with the at least one system API, wherein access to the system API functionality occurs transparently to the end-user, and wherein an application program is not required to access to the API.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the system API comprises a color management API.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one file comprises an image file.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the script of operations further comprises a color matching operation for the image file.