System and method for managing messages and annotations presented in a user interface

• US 7,712,030 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Merks, Eduardus A. T., Blau, Andrew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong; Truc T
• Application Number:
  US09/687,092
• Time in Patent Office: 3,491 Days
• Field of Search: 345/636, 345/709, 345/753, 345/781, 345/751, 345/833, 345/854, 716/17, 715/705, 715710-716, 715/762
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display

Abstract

A user may select an error message presented in a graphic user interface and bring up a word processor by which text describing the error and its solution may be entered. This is saved, and the next time the error is encountered, the saved annotation is available for presentation to and further editing by the user. In this manner, the developer may continually improve the quality and usefulness of the error messages.

Claims

1. A method for managing compiler error messages, comprising the steps of:

displaying a compiler error message having a separate empty error file to a user;

accepting from said user an annotation to said compiler error message;

associating said annotation with said compiler error message using a unique key;

storing said annotation in said separate empty error file; and

thereafter selectively displaying said annotation with said compiler error message;

selecting a compiler error message having a first key from a first file of compiler error messages for display to said user;

associating in a second file said annotation to said selected compiler error using a second key message in said first file;

upon presenting a compiler error message from said first file, determining the presence of a corresponding annotation in said second file using said second key;

responsive to the presence of said corresponding annotation, displaying with said compiler error message indicia representing the existence of said annotation;

selectively receiving from said user a request to display said annotation; and

responsive to receiving the request from said user, displaying said annotation with said compiler error message using said second key.

2. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer memory executable by a processor having computer readable program code means embodied therein for managing compiler error messages, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect displaying a compiler error message to a user having a separate empty error file;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect accepting from said user an annotation to said compiler error message;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect associating said annotation with said compiler error message and storing said annotation in said separate empty error file using a unique key;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect thereafter selectively displaying said annotation with said compiler error message;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect selecting a compiler error message from a first file of compiler error message for display to said user;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect associating in a second file said annotation to a corresponding compiler error message in said first file;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, upon presenting a compiler error message from said first file, determining the presence of a corresponding annotation in said second file;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, responsive to the presence of said corresponding annotation, displaying with said compiler error message indicia representing the existence of said annotation;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect selectively receiving from said user a request to display said annotation; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect responsive to receiving the request from said user, displaying said annotation with said compiler error message.