Shell extensions for an operating system
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for generating a property sheet having a shell supported property sheet page and an application supported property sheet page in a data processing system having a video display and a processor running an operating system that includes a shell, the computer-readable components comprising:
- a shell property component for providing shell defined property sheet pages corresponding to at least one object associated with an application installed under the operating system and belonging to an object class, the shell supported property sheet page component presenting a shell supported property in association with the object class;
an application property component for presenting an application supported property sheet page corresponding to the object and defined by the application;
a processing component for integrating shell supported property sheet pages and application supported property sheet pages into a property sheet; and
a display component for obtaining a request to display one or more property sheet pages associated with the object and to provide access to the shell supported property sheet pages and the application supported property sheet pages via the property sheet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An operating system provides extensions through which application developers may extend the capabilities of a shell of the operating system. For example, application developers may add menu items to context menus for objects that are visible within an integrated system name space. In addition, developers may add property sheet pages for such objects. Application developers also have the option of providing per-instance icons for each instance of an object. Application developers may provide data object extension handlers for customizing data sources on a per-object class basis and may provide drop target extension handlers on a per-object class basis to customize drop target behavior. Developers may additionally provide copy-hook handlers to regulate file system operations on objects. Developers may also extend the functionality provided by the shell of the operating system by adding their own custom name spaces to the integrated system name space. The mechanism provided by the operating system to add such a name space is polymorphic and transparent to users.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for generating a property sheet having a shell supported property sheet page and an application supported property sheet page in a data processing system having a video display and a processor running an operating system that includes a shell, the computer-readable components comprising:
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a shell property component for providing shell defined property sheet pages corresponding to at least one object associated with an application installed under the operating system and belonging to an object class, the shell supported property sheet page component presenting a shell supported property in association with the object class; an application property component for presenting an application supported property sheet page corresponding to the object and defined by the application; a processing component for integrating shell supported property sheet pages and application supported property sheet pages into a property sheet; and a display component for obtaining a request to display one or more property sheet pages associated with the object and to provide access to the shell supported property sheet pages and the application supported property sheet pages via the property sheet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a computer system having a video display and a processor running an operating system that includes a shell, a method for generating a property sheet having at least one application supported property sheet page and a shell supported property sheet page, the method comprising:
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obtaining at least one object associated with an application installed under the operating system, each object defined by an object class; obtaining at least one application supported property sheet page defined by the application in association with the object, the application supported property sheet page presenting at least one application supported property; obtaining a shell supported property sheet page defined by the shell in association with the object class, the shell supported property sheet page presenting a shell supported property; obtaining a request to display one or more properties associated with the object; generating a property sheet display presenting at least one shell supported property and at least one application supported property; and displaying the property sheet page on the video display. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for generating property sheets having a shell supported property sheet page and an application supported property sheet page in an operating system having a shell, the system comprising:
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means for obtaining at least one object associated with an application installed under the operating system, each object belonging to an object class; means for obtaining a shell supported property sheet page defined by the shell in association with the object class, the shell supported property sheet page presenting a shell supported property; means for obtaining at least one application supported property sheet page defined by the application in association with the object, the application supported property sheet page presenting at least one application supported property; processing means for incorporating the application supported property sheet page and the shell supported property sheet page into an object property sheet; and display means for providing access to the shell supported property sheet page and the application property sheet page through the object property sheet in response to a request to display one or more properties associated with the object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification