Method, system and computer program product for controlling the graphical display of multi-field text string objects

• US 6,407,754 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1998
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Hetherington, David James, Yates, Stanford Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/211,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 345/780, 345/744, 345/355, 345/334, 345/335, 345/765, 345/848, 345/740, 345/746, 345/748, 345/778, 707/4, 707/536, 707/101, 707/540, 707/2, 707/10, 704/8
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

An interface to a multi-field text string object is provided to intercept display requests from a control utilizing a single field text string to the multi-field text string object. The interface passes contents of a current display field within the multi-field text string object to the legacy control in response to intercepted requests. The interface also intercepts change requests, such as Java setText( ) methods, from the legacy control to edit the contents of the multi-field text string object. The intercepted change requests are redirected by the interface to a specialized change control, which implements methods for changing the contents of any field within the multi-field text string object. The specialized change control performs the change requested by the legacy display control on a current display field of the multi-field text string objects. The interface thus precludes the necessity of implementing specialized display control merely for displaying the contents of the multi-field text string object, permitting legacy controls to display the contents of a current display field. The interface may also be coupled to a grouping class allowing multiple controls—either specialized or legacy controls—to be influenced as one monolithic unit.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a display of a multi-field text string objects, comprising:

providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control utilizing single-field text strings;

providing a connection in the interface to a grouping class for controls, wherein the grouping class implements option control methods concurrently configuring all member controls;

intercepting display requests from the control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the display requests request a string field contents of the multi-field text string object by a message sent to a controller; and

passing contents of a current display field for the multi-field text string object to the control utilizing the interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a specialized control for managing which field is the current display field of the multi-field text string object and for editing contents of a selected field within the multi-field text string object;

intercepting change requests from the control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the change requests request entry of a user-specified text string into the multi-field text string object; and

redirecting intercepted change requests to the specialized control.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

entering the user-specific text string in the current display field of the multi-field text string object utilizing the specialized control.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of intercepting change request form the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface further comprises:

intervening in calls to a setText( ) method within the legacy control.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

providing the interface to a single-valued text-based control.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

providing the interface to a JLabel or JTextField control.

7. A system for controlling a display of a multi-field text string objects, comprising:

means for providing an interface to a multi-field text string object from a legacy control;

means for providing a connection in the interface to a grouping class for controls, wherein the grouping class implements option control methods concurrently configuring all member controls;

means for intercepting display requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the display requests request the contents of the multi-field text string object for display; and

means for passing contents of a current display field for the multi-field text string object to the legacy control utilizing the interface.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for providing a specialized control for managing which field is the current display field of the multi-field text string object and for changing a contents of a selected field within the multi-field text string object;

means for intercepting change requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the change requests request entry of a user-specified text string into the multi-field text string object; and

means for redirecting intercepted change requests to the specialized control.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for entering the user-specific text string in the current display field of the multi-field text string object utilizing the specialized control.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for intercepting change requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface further comprises:

means for intervening in calls to a setText( ) method within the legacy control.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

means for providing the interface to a single-valued text-based control.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

means for providing the interface to a JLabel or JTextField control.

13. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for controlling a display of a multi-field text string objects, comprising:

instructions for providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control;

instructions for providing a connection in the interface to a grouping class for controls, wherein the grouping class implements option control methods concurrently configuring all member controls;

instructions for intercepting display requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the display requests request the contents of the multi-field text string object for display; and

instructions for passing contents of a current display field for the multi-field text string object to the legacy control utilizing the interface.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for providing a specialized control for managing which field is the current display field of the multi-field text string object and for changing a contents of a selected field within the multi-field text string object;

instructions for intercepting change requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface, wherein the change requests request entry of a user-specified text string into the multi-field text String object; and

instructions for redirecting intercepted change requests to the specialized control.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

instructions for entering the user-specific text string in the current display field of the multi-field text string object utilizing the specialized control.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions for intercepting change requests from the legacy control to the multi-field text string object at the interface further comprises:

instructions for intervening in calls to a setText( ) method within the legacy control.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions for providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

instructions for providing the interface to a single-valued text-based control.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for providing an interface to the multi-field text string object from a legacy control further comprises:

instructions for providing the interface to a JLabel or JTextField control.