System and method for interactive tutorials

• US 9,569,287 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dell Software, Inc. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Seigel, Jake
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US13/804,476
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes initializing a software application operable to switch between a standard mode and a tutorial mode. The software application includes a standard function set, a tutorial function set, and a user interface operable to supply events. The method further includes, in the standard mode, routing the events to the standard function set. In addition, the method includes, in the tutorial mode, diverting the events to the tutorial function set.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

on at least one information handling system, initializing a software application operable to switch between a standard mode and a tutorial mode;

wherein the software application comprises a standard function set, a tutorial function set, and a user interface operable to supply events;

in the standard mode, the at least one information handling system routing the events to the standard function set;

in the tutorial mode, the at least one information handling system diverting the events to the tutorial function set;

wherein the standard function set comprises standard application functionality;

wherein the tutorial function set comprises simulated application functionality;

wherein objects of the simulated application functionality extend from objects of the standard application functionality, wherein methods defined by the objects of the standard application functionality are overridden by methods defined by the objects of the simulated application functionality, wherein the overriding comprises storing new data in temporary memory thereby avoiding modification to data maintained by the standard application functionality; and

wherein the switch between operation of the at least one information handling system in the standard mode and operation of the at least one information handling system in the tutorial mode is performed by the software application upon detecting at least one mode-switch event and without manual interaction by a user.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising operating the software application in the standard mode.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

receiving a first mode-switch event;

saving an application context;

initializing the tutorial mode; and

operating the software application in the tutorial mode.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

receiving a second mode-switch event;

acquiring the application context;

restoring the application context; and

operating the software application in the standard mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application is a native application executing on the at least one information handling system.

6. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

wherein the software application is a distributed application comprising a client-side segment and a server-side segment; and

wherein the at least one information handling system comprises a client information handling system and a backend information handling system, the client information handling system operable to execute the client-side segment and the backend information handling system operable to execute the server-side segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard function set further comprises a standard event handler.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tutorial function set further comprises instructional functionality and a tutorial event handler.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application comprises an adapter operable to communicate between the user interface and each of the standard function set and the tutorial function set.

10. An information handling system comprising:

at least one processing unit, wherein the processing unit is operable to perform a method comprising;

initializing a software application operable to switch between a standard mode and a tutorial mode;

wherein the software application comprises a standard function set, a tutorial function set, and a user interface operable to supply events;

in the standard mode, routing the events to the standard function set; and

in the tutorial mode, diverting the events to the tutorial function set;

wherein the standard function set comprises standard application functionality;

wherein the tutorial function set comprises simulated application functionality;

wherein objects of the simulated application functionality extend from objects of the standard application functionality, wherein methods defined by the objects of the standard application functionality are overridden by methods defined by the objects of the simulated application functionality, wherein the overriding comprises storing new data in temporary memory thereby avoiding modification to data maintained by the standard application functionality; and

wherein the switch between operation of the at least one information handling system in the standard mode and operation of the at least one information handling system in the tutorial mode is performed by the software application upon detecting at least one mode-switch event and without manual interaction by a user.

11. The information handling system of claim 10, the method comprising operating the software application in the standard mode.

12. The information handling system of claim 11, the method comprising:

receiving a first mode-switch event;

saving an application context;

initializing the tutorial mode; and

operating the software application in the tutorial mode.

13. The information handling system of claim 12, the method comprising:

receiving a second mode-switch event;

acquiring the application context;

restoring the application context; and

operating the software application in the standard mode.

14. The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the software application is a native application executing on the information handling system.

15. The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the software application is a distributed application comprising a client-side segment and a server-side segment.

16. The information handling system of claim 10, comprising:

wherein the standard function set further comprises a standard event handler; and

wherein the tutorial function set further comprises instructional functionality and a tutorial event handler.

17. The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the software application comprises an adapter operable to communicate between the user interface and each of the standard function set and the tutorial function set.

18. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:

initializing a software application operable to switch between a standard mode and a tutorial mode;

wherein the software application comprises a standard function set, a tutorial function set, and a user interface operable to supply events;

in the standard mode, routing the events to a standard function set; and

in the tutorial mode, diverting the events to a tutorial function set;

wherein the standard function set comprises standard application functionality;

wherein the tutorial function set comprises simulated application functionality;

wherein objects of the simulated application functionality extend from objects of the standard application functionality, wherein methods defined by the objects of the standard application functionality are overridden by methods defined by the objects of the simulated application functionality, wherein the overriding comprises storing new data in temporary memory thereby avoiding modification to data maintained by the standard application functionality; and

wherein the switch between operation of the at least one information handling system in the standard mode and operation of the at least one information handling system in the tutorial mode is performed by the software application upon detecting at least one mode-switch event and without manual interaction by a user.