Framework for objects having authorable behaviors and appearances
First Claim
1. A method of maintaining one or more properties of one or more software objects comprising:
- (a) binding a container object for each software object, wherein;
(i) the container object acts as an interface to one or more properties of the bound software object;
(ii) the container object controls and intercepts access to the one or more properties of the bound software object; and
(iii) the bound software object is a shape object in a computer drawing program, wherein the one or more properties of the shape object define a geometry;
(b) associating a software program of the container object with one of the properties of the bound software object, wherein the software program comprises an expression or formula that utilizes one or more variables to produce a value for the associated property; and
(c) upon interception access evaluating the software program to produce the value for the associated property.
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Abstract
A framework is described that serves as an expression evaluator and notification manager for software objects, and can traverse individual object models to use parts of one model to define another. An object model (data model) is a map of an object'"'"'s properties and methods, and the framework of the present invention binds to the properties and methods and intercepts access to the properties for storage and evaluation of variables within the definitions of the properties. Binding the framework to the object accesses and uses the type info for the object to determine the properties of the object. In addition, the framework provides a method for the object author to override and specialize the properties to describe extensions of the type information.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of maintaining one or more properties of one or more software objects comprising:
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(a) binding a container object for each software object, wherein;
(i) the container object acts as an interface to one or more properties of the bound software object;
(ii) the container object controls and intercepts access to the one or more properties of the bound software object; and
(iii) the bound software object is a shape object in a computer drawing program, wherein the one or more properties of the shape object define a geometry;
(b) associating a software program of the container object with one of the properties of the bound software object, wherein the software program comprises an expression or formula that utilizes one or more variables to produce a value for the associated property; and
(c) upon interception access evaluating the software program to produce the value for the associated property. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 18, 19, 20)
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7. A system for maintaining one or more properties of one or more software objects, the system comprising:
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(a) one or more software objects in a computer drawing program, wherein the one or more software objects comprise shape objects having one or more properties, wherein the one or more properties define a geometry;
(b) a container object bound to each software object, the container object comprising a software program associated with as least one of the properties of the bound software object, wherein the container object is configured to;
(i) act as an interface to the one or more properties of the bound software object;
(ii) control and intercept access to the one or more properties of the bound software object; and
(iii) evaluate the software program upon intercepting access, to produce a value for the associated property, wherein the software program comprises an expression or formula that utilizes one or more variables to produce the value. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23)
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13. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium reachable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for maintaining one or more properties of one or more software objects in a computer system, the method comprising:
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(a) binding a container object for each software object, wherein;
(i) the container object acts as an interface to one or more properties of the bound software object;
(ii) the container object control access to the one or more properties of the bound software object, and (iii) the bound software object is a shape object in a computer drawing program, wherein the one or more properties of the shape object define a geometry;
(b) associating a software program of the container object with one of the properties of the bound software object; and
(c) upon intercepting access, evaluating the software program to produce a value for the associated property, wherein the software program comprises an expression or formula that utilizes one or more variables to produce the value. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification