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Method and system for managing data while sharing application programs

  • US 6,574,674 B1
  • Filed: 11/04/1998
  • Issued: 06/03/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for maintaining a consistent z-ordering for objects displayed when sharing an application program among a plurality of computer systems, each computer system executing an instance of the application program, each computer system having a connection to each other computer system, having a unique identification, and having an object management system, the method comprising:

  • under control of the object management system at each computer system, when the instance of the application program requests that a new object be displayed, assigning a sequence number to the new object based on a last sequence number of an object that was last displayed at the computer system; and

    broadcasting to each other computer system an indication of the object, the assigned sequence number, and the unique identification of that computer system; and

    upon receiving the broadcast, under control of the object management system at each other computer system, when an object that has already been displayed has the same sequence number as the received sequence number, setting the z-order of the received object relative to the z-order of the displayed object with the same sequence number based on the received unique identification of the computer system that broadcast the received object; and

    when no object that has already been displayed has the same sequence number as the received sequence number, setting the z-order of the received object based on the received sequence number so that each computer system can maintain a consistent z-ordering.

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