Graphical resource editor for software customization
First Claim
1. In combination with a data processing system the data processing system having a data processing unit, a video display terminal, a keyboard, a cursor control system including means for generating a screen cursor and a user actuatable cursor positioner for providing control inputs to the data processing system, a data storage device, and a graphical user interface system through which software applications running on the data processing system generate one or more graphical window objects on the video display terminal to provide user interaction functionality for the software applications, the appearance and behavior of the graphical window objects being partially determined by resources, a graphical resource editor for modifying selected resource values, comprising:
- main window means for generating in the video display terminal a main interface window, said main window providing a graphical user interface object for interaction with the graphical resource editor;
resource category selection means for generating in said main window a resource category selection object including a list of selectable resource category objects containing resource category descriptors corresponding to categories of editable resources, said resource category selection object providing a user activatable interface for selecting from said list of resource category objects an editable resource category;
resource display means responsive to user activation of said resource category selection object for generating in said main window a list of resource descriptors corresponding to a selected category of editable resources;
resource value display means for generating in said main window a plurality of resource value display fields containing resource values representing the status of said resource descriptors corresponding to said selected category of editable resources; and
resource value selection means for generating in said main window a set of resource value selection objects, said resource value selection objects providing user activatable interfaces for setting editable resource values.
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Abstract
A graphical resource editor for selectively modifying graphical resources in software applications provides a main window graphical user interface object for interaction with the graphical resource editor. The main window contains a resource category selection object including a list of selectable resource category objects. These objects contain resource category descriptors corresponding to categories of editable resources. The resource category selection object provides a user activatable interface for selecting among the list of resource category objects an editable resource category. The graphical resource editor further includes a system responsive to user activation of the resource category selection object for generating in the main window a list of resource descriptors corresponding to the selected category of editable resources. A plurality of resource value display fields are provided in the main window for displaying resource values representing the status of the selected category of editable resources. Also provided in the main window is a set of resource value selection objects providing user activatable interfaces for setting editable resource values. Customization of software applications may performed statically by saving resource edits to an application resource file, or dynamically by applying resource edits on-the-fly to an application running concurrently with the graphical resource editor.
248 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In combination with a data processing system the data processing system having a data processing unit, a video display terminal, a keyboard, a cursor control system including means for generating a screen cursor and a user actuatable cursor positioner for providing control inputs to the data processing system, a data storage device, and a graphical user interface system through which software applications running on the data processing system generate one or more graphical window objects on the video display terminal to provide user interaction functionality for the software applications, the appearance and behavior of the graphical window objects being partially determined by resources, a graphical resource editor for modifying selected resource values, comprising:
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main window means for generating in the video display terminal a main interface window, said main window providing a graphical user interface object for interaction with the graphical resource editor; resource category selection means for generating in said main window a resource category selection object including a list of selectable resource category objects containing resource category descriptors corresponding to categories of editable resources, said resource category selection object providing a user activatable interface for selecting from said list of resource category objects an editable resource category; resource display means responsive to user activation of said resource category selection object for generating in said main window a list of resource descriptors corresponding to a selected category of editable resources; resource value display means for generating in said main window a plurality of resource value display fields containing resource values representing the status of said resource descriptors corresponding to said selected category of editable resources; and resource value selection means for generating in said main window a set of resource value selection objects, said resource value selection objects providing user activatable interfaces for setting editable resource values.
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2. A graphical resource editor for use in a data processing system, the data processing system having a data processing unit, a video display terminal, a keyboard, a cursor control system including means for generating a screen cursor and a user actuatable cursor positioner for providing control inputs to the data processing system, a data storage device, and a graphical user interface system through which software applications running on the data processing system generate one or more graphical window objects on the video display terminal to provide user interaction functionality for the software applications, the appearance and behavior of the graphical window objects being partially determined by resources, said graphical resource editor being configured for selectively customizing a plurality of said software applications by modifying selected application-specific resource values of the graphical window objects generated by said software applications, and comprising:
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application selection means for generating in said video display terminal an application selection window providing means for selecting one of said software applications to be customized; main window means for generating in the video display terminal a main interface window, said main window providing a graphical user interface object for interaction with the graphical resource editor; resource category selection means for generating in said main window a resource category selection object including a list of selectable resource category objects containing resource category descriptors corresponding to categories of editable resources of an application selected for customization, said resource category selection object providing a user activatable interface for selecting from said list of resource category objects an editable resource category; resource display means responsive to user activation of said resource category selection object for generating in said main window a list of resource descriptors corresponding to a selected category of editable resources; resource value display means for generating in said main window a plurality of resource value display fields containing resource values representing the status of said resource descriptors corresponding to said selected category of editable resources; and resource value selection means for generating in said main window a set of resource value selection objects, said resource value selection objects providing user activatable interfaces for setting editable resource values. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An application program resource editor for selectively customizing a plurality of software applications running in a data processing system, comprising:
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means for generating an application selection window, said window providing means for selecting one of said software applications to be customized; means for generating a custom resource panel for displaying a set of resources available to an application selected for customization and a set of editable attributes corresponding to each resource; means for generating a set of resource editor panels, corresponding to some of said editable attributes, for graphically editing said resources; means for generating a selection feedback field provided in each resource editor panel, for graphically displaying resource editing results; means for generating a completion indicator field provided in each resource editor panel, for signalling completion of editing a resource; and means, responsive to signalling in said completion indicator field, for applying said resource editing results to said application.
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Specification