System and method for editing a control

• US 6,542,166 B1
• Filed: 05/09/1996
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Austin, Paul F., Washington, Jeff D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/644,120
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 395/333, 395/334, 395/335, 395/346, 395/966, 395/967, 395/970, 395/975, 345/331, 345/333, 345/334, 345/340, 345/346, 345/966, 345/975, 345/751, 345/762, 345/765, 345/781, 345/804
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A container independent method for editing a control, wherein changes may be viewed and evaluated prior to applying the changes to the control. The method comprises a user dropping a control onto a form of a container, such as Visual Basic. When the user drops the control, the container constructs the control. The control comprises a standard interface, preferably Active X, compliant portion and internal control object portions. When the container constructs the control it constructs the standard interface compliant control. Upon being constructed, the standard interface compliant control constructs a first internal control object referenced by an original pointer. The first internal control object comprises the data for the control. The standard interface compliant control provides a means of redirecting methods invoked upon the control through the standard interface to the internal control object referenced by the original pointer. Thus the control selectively redirects method invocations upon internal control objects by modifying the original pointer. When the user selects the control for an editing transaction the standard interface compliant control creates a second internal control object which is a copy of the first internal control object, creates a property page dialog, creates a preview window and displays the second control object in the preview window. The user makes changes to the control, either via the property page dialog or via direct graphical interaction with the copy of the control displayed in the preview window. These changes are reflected in the control displayed in the preview window, but not in the form window. The user edits the control as desired in the preview window and apply the changes or cancels the changes. If the user applies the changes, the standard interface compliant control creates a third internal control object which is a copy of the second internal control object, that is which reflects the user changes, and assigns the original pointer to reference the third internal control object. The standard interface compliant control then discards the first internal control object. If the user cancels the changes, the second internal control object, the preview window and property page dialog are discarded.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for editing a control in a computer system, comprising:

selecting said control for an editing transaction, wherein said control comprises a standard interface compliant control and a first internal control object;

creating a second internal control object in response to said selecting said control for said editing transaction, wherein said second internal control object is a copy of said first internal control object;

displaying said second internal control object after said creating said second internal control object;

receiving first user input indicating a desired change to said control;

changing said second internal control object in response to said receiving said first user input, wherein said changing produces a changed second internal control object;

displaying said changed second internal control object;

determining if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object in response to second user input;

applying said change to said first internal control object if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object includes displaying said first internal control object with said change.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an original pointer which references said first internal control object;

wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object comprises;

creating a third internal control object, wherein said third internal control object is a copy of said changed second internal control object;

setting said original pointer to said third internal control object;

discarding said first internal control object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object further includes displaying said third internal control object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating and displaying a property page dialog in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said property page dialog.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating and displaying a preview window in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said displaying said second internal control object is performed in said preview window;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said preview window.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating and displaying a preview window in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said displaying said second internal control object is performed in said preview window;

wherein said displaying said changed second internal control object is performed in said preview window.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dropping said control in a container before said selecting said control for said editing transaction;

creating said standard interface compliant control in response to said dropping said control in said container;

creating said first internal control object in response to said creating said standard interface compliant control.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discarding said changed second internal control object if said change is not desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said control prior to said selecting control;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said second internal control object;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said changed second internal control object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said control comprises a reusable user interface component.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said control is an OLE control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an OLE interface compliant control.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said control is an ActiveX control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an ActiveX interface compliant control.

14. A computer-implemented method for editing a control in a computer system, comprising:

creating a standard interface compliant control, wherein said control comprises said standard interface compliant control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an original pointer referencing an internal control object and a plurality of methods which may be invoked on said standard interface compliant control;

wherein said internal control object comprises a plurality of methods corresponding to said standard interface compliant control plurality of methods;

wherein upon invocation of one of said standard interface compliant control plurality of methods, said standard interface compliant control invokes a corresponding one of said internal control object plurality of methods upon said internal control object referenced by said original pointer, thereby redirecting said invocation of said one of said plurality of methods from said standard interface compliant control to said internal control object referenced by said original pointer;

creating a first internal control object in response to said creating said standard interface compliant control, wherein said control further comprises said first internal control object;

setting said original pointer to reference said first internal control object;

selecting said control for an editing transaction;

creating a second internal control object in response to said selecting said control for said editing transaction, wherein said second internal control object is a copy of said first internal control object;

displaying said second internal control object after said creating said second internal control object;

receiving first user input indicating a desired change to said control;

changing said second internal control object in response to said receiving said first user input, wherein said changing produced a changed second internal control object;

displaying said changed second internal control object;

determining if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object in response to second user input;

creating a third internal control object if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object, wherein said third internal control object is a copy of said changed second internal control object;

setting said original pointer to said third internal control object;

discarding said first internal control object.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying said third internal control object.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating a property page dialog in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change is performed via said property page dialog.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating and displaying a preview window in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said displaying said second internal control object is performed in said preview window;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said preview window.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

discarding said changed second internal control object if said change is not desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying said control prior to said selecting control;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said second internal control object;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said changed second internal control object.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said control comprises a reusable user interface component.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said control is an OLE control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an OLE interface compliant control.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said control is an ActiveX control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an ActiveX interface compliant control.

23. A computer system for editing an control, comprising:

a CPU;

memory coupled to the CPU, wherein the memory stores said control, wherein said control comprises a standard interface compliant control and a first internal control object;

a display screen for displaying the control on said display screen;

an input device operable to receive user input selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein the memory stores a computer program executable by the CPU, wherein the computer program is executable to create a second internal control object in response to a user selecting said control for said editing transaction, wherein said second internal control object is a copy of said first internal control object;

wherein the computer program is executable to display said second internal control object on said display screen;

wherein the input device is operable to receive user input indicating a desired change to the control;

wherein the computer program is executable to change said second internal control object in response to said user input indicating a desired change to said control, thereby producing a changed second internal control object;

wherein the computer program is executable to display said changed second internal control object;

wherein the input device is operable to receive user input indicating said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object;

wherein the computer program is executable to apply said change to said first internal control object if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the computer program is executable to display said first internal control object with said change.

25. The computer system of claim 23,

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an original pointer which references said first internal control object;

wherein, in applying said change to said first internal control object, the computer program is executable to;

create a third internal control object, wherein said third internal control object is a copy of said changed second internal control object;

set said original pointer to said third internal control object;

discard said first internal control object.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein, in applying said change to said first internal control object, the computer program is further executable to display said third internal control object.

27. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further executable to create and display a property page dialog in response to said control being selected for an editing transaction;

wherein said user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said property page dialog.

28. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the computer program is further executable to create and display a preview window in response to said control being selected for an editing transaction;

wherein said second internal control object is displayed in said preview window;

wherein said user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said preview window.

29. The computer system of claim 23, wherein said control comprises a reusable user interface component.

30. A computer system for editing a control, comprising:

a display screen;

an input device;

means for selecting said control for an editing transaction in response to user input received by said input device, wherein said control comprises a standard interface compliant control and a first internal control object;

means for creating a second internal control object in response to a user selecting said control for said editing transaction, wherein said second internal control object is a copy of said first internal control object;

means for displaying said second internal control object on said display screen;

displaying said second internal control object after said creating said second internal control object;

means for receiving first user input indicating a desired change to said control;

means for changing said second internal control object in response to said first user input, thereby producing a changed second internal control object;

means for displaying said changed second internal control object;

means for determining if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object in response to second user input;

means for applying said change to said first internal control object if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

31. A computer readable storage media comprising program instructions for editing a control in a computer system, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

selecting said control for an editing transaction, wherein said control comprises a standard interface compliant control and a first internal control object;

creating a second internal control object in response to said selecting said control for said editing transaction, wherein said second internal control object is a copy of said first internal control object;

displaying said second internal control object after said creating said second internal control object;

receiving first user input indicating a desired change to said control;

changing said second internal control object in response to said receiving said first user input, wherein said changing produced a changed second internal control object;

displaying said changed second internal control object;

determining if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object in response to second user input;

applying said change to said first internal control object if said change is desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

32. The media of claim 31, wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object includes displaying said first internal control object with said change.

33. The media of claim 31, wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an original pointer which references said first internal control object;

wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object comprises;

creating a third internal control object, wherein said third internal control object is a copy of said changed second internal control object;

setting said original pointer to said third internal control object;

discarding said first internal control object.

34. The media of claim 33, wherein said applying said change to said first internal control object further includes displaying said third internal control object.

35. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

creating and displaying a property page dialog in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said property page dialog.

36. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

creating and displaying a preview window in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said displaying said second internal control object is performed in said preview window;

wherein said receiving said first user input indicating said desired change to said control is performed via said preview window.

37. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

creating and displaying a preview window in response to said selecting said control for an editing transaction;

wherein said displaying said second internal control object is performed in said preview window;

wherein said displaying said changed second internal control object is performed in said preview window.

38. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

dropping said control in a container before said selecting said control for said editing transaction;

creating said standard interface compliant control in response to said dropping said control in said container;

creating said first internal control object in response to said creating said standard interface compliant control.

39. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

discarding said changed second internal control object if said change is not desired to be applied to said first internal control object.

40. The media of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

displaying said control prior to said selecting control;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said second internal control object;

wherein said control is displayed during said displaying said changed second internal control object.

41. The media of claim 31, wherein said control comprises a reusable user interface component.

42. The media of claim 31, wherein said control is an OLE control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an OLE interface compliant control.

43. The media of claim 41, wherein said control is an ActiveX control;

wherein said standard interface compliant control comprises an ActiveX interface compliant control.