Development system with methods for visual inheritance and improved object reusability
First Claim
1. In a computer system, a method for creating an application program, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a set of screen objects, each object having a set of properties and built-in methods for responding to user events, said set of objects including some objects which may be contained within other objects of the set;
(b) displaying a blank form for placement of objects;
(c) placing desired ones of said objects at desired locations on the form, each object having a visual boundary on screen;
(d) positioning first and second objects so that said first object is positioned inside the visual boundary of said second object; and
(e) in response to said positioning step, establishing an object hierarchy specifying a container relationship between said first and second objects, said container relationship specifying that user events occurring at said first object are passed to said built-in methods of said second object for processing after processing by said built-in methods of said first object.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Relational database management system (RDBMS) with an object-based, interactive visual-programming language provides programming by "visual inheritance." A user places screen objects (e.g., boxes, screen buttons, table objects, and the like) on an on-screen window or "form," visually attaches selected "properties" and "methods" to the screen objects, and then establishes an containership-based event model that dictates how and when these properties and methods will be invoked. An object inherits or derives properties and methods from other (parent) objects via its visual containership. The creation and maintenance of application programs is greatly simplified.
167 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. In a computer system, a method for creating an application program, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a set of screen objects, each object having a set of properties and built-in methods for responding to user events, said set of objects including some objects which may be contained within other objects of the set; (b) displaying a blank form for placement of objects; (c) placing desired ones of said objects at desired locations on the form, each object having a visual boundary on screen; (d) positioning first and second objects so that said first object is positioned inside the visual boundary of said second object; and (e) in response to said positioning step, establishing an object hierarchy specifying a container relationship between said first and second objects, said container relationship specifying that user events occurring at said first object are passed to said built-in methods of said second object for processing after processing by said built-in methods of said first object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. In a computer system, a method for creating an application program, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a set of objects, each of said objects including a set of properties and methods; (b) modifying at least one method of a particular object for creating a custom object; (c) selecting said particular object from a screen device with an input device; (d) copying said particular object with its set of properties and methods to a region of memory; (e) selecting a destination location on the screen device; and (f) placing an identical copy of said particular object with its set of properties and methods at the selected destination. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A visual development system for creating an application program, the system comprising:
-
a computer system having a processor and a memory; means for displaying a set of screen objects, each object having a visual boundary and having a set of properties and built-in methods for responding to user events, said set of objects including some objects which may be contained within other objects of the set; means for displaying a blank form for placement of objects; input means for placing desired ones of said objects at desired locations on the form and for positioning certain objects within the boundaries of other objects; and means for specifying a container relationship between first and second objects when said first object is positioned within the visual boundary of said second object, said container relationship specifying that said first object has access to methods and properties of of said second object for processing of events occurring at said first object. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. In a graphical user interface, an improved method for cutting and pasting objects, the method comprising:
-
providing said objects with user-specified properties and methods operative on said objects; establishing a shared memory protocol for copying objects, said protocol specifying a format for copying properties and methods of objects; receiving a request from a user for copying an object; copying to the shared memory information defining the object and its user-specified properties and methods operative on the object; receiving a request from a user for copying the object to a new screen location; and based on said information defining the object, creating a new object, said new object having properties and methods identical to the copied object. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification