System for interconnecting software components in an object oriented programming environment using a separate editor object for each run-time object instantiated for each selected component
First Claim
1. A method in a computer system for composing a visual program, the method comprising the steps of:
- when selecting each of a plurality of components to be included in the visual program, instantiating a run-time object to implement the behavior of each selected component and instantiating an editor object for each selected component; and
under control of the instantiated editor object for a component,displaying a list of available ports for the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component, each available port corresponding to an event associated with the component;
selecting a displayed port; and
directing the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component to establish a connection between the selected port and a target object, whereby during execution of the visual program the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component sends an indication of the event to each target object connected to the port upon occurrence of the event.
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Abstract
A method and system for interconnecting software components. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention instantiates an event object. The event object includes message information describing the message and a dispatching member function for invoking a member function of a target object passing the message information. A message is passed by invoking the dispatching member function of the event object passing an identifier to a target object and an identifier of a member function of the target object. The dispatching member function invokes the identified member function of the identified target object passing the event information as an actual parameter. The event object is preferably of a derived class that inherits a base class. The base class provides common event behavior, while the derived class provides behavior specific to a type of message.
159 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method in a computer system for composing a visual program, the method comprising the steps of:
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when selecting each of a plurality of components to be included in the visual program, instantiating a run-time object to implement the behavior of each selected component and instantiating an editor object for each selected component; and under control of the instantiated editor object for a component, displaying a list of available ports for the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component, each available port corresponding to an event associated with the component; selecting a displayed port; and directing the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component to establish a connection between the selected port and a target object, whereby during execution of the visual program the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component sends an indication of the event to each target object connected to the port upon occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for composing a visual program by:
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when selecting each of a plurality of components to be included in the visual program, instantiating a run-time object to implement the behavior of each selected component and instantiating an editor object for each selected component; under control of the instantiated editor object for a component, displaying a list of available ports for the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component, each available port corresponding to an event associated with the component; selecting a displayed port; and directing the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component to establish a connection between the selected port and a target object, whereby during execution of the visual program the instantiated run-time object that implements the behavior of the component sends an indication of the event to each target object connected to the port upon occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification