Apparatus and method for performing actions on object-oriented software objects in a directory services system

• US 6,173,289 B1
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Sonderegger, Kelly E., Brooks, Matthew G., Gaisford, Calvin, Janis, Damon
• Primary Examiner(s): HOMERE, JEAN RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US08/818,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/9, 707/10, 707/102, 345/339, 345/356
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A system and method of providing associations between resources and actions in a network includes the steps of providing, in a database schema an action object class defining the structure and attributes of actions available in the network. During operation, action objects are created and stored in a database. When a user enters the system, an internal list is created at that user, identifying the resources available to that user and the action objects capable of being performed on those resources. When a user selects an resource object, the action objects associated with that resource object are displayed, the user selects the action, and the action is performed at the resource. In one example the selection of an action objects cause an associated application to be launched. Each action object represents a string of executable code. The executable code may either be hardcoded in the network software, such that action objects are created at network startup, or alternatively may be linked to the network via an external code module.

Claims

1. A method for performing actions on resources in a global directory computer system, the resources being represented by object-oriented software objects, and the computer system having a number of users, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, in a data structure, at least one action object representing at least one action capable of being performed on a resource of the computer system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of storing said at least one action object further comprises the step of:

providing a schema for defining classes and attributes of objects representing available resources of in said computer system;

modifying said schema to include a class of objects representing actions available in said computer system; and

generating, for each of a set of executable codes, a corresponding action object representing an action performed by said executable code.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying to a user, upon selection of a resource object by said user, said at least one action object representing said action capable of being performed on said resource object.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said displaying step further comprises the step of:

displaying, responsive to said selection of said resource object, a menu, said menu comprising a plurality of action objects associated with said selected resource object.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

invoking one of said action objects responsive to said one of said action objects being selected from said displayed menu.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of invoking further comprises the steps of:

storing, in a temporary file, a plurality of attributes of said selected object and said selected action object; and

launching an application associated with said action object, including the step of forwarding said temporary file to said application.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said temporary file further comprises:

an indication as to a location of the resource object to be acted upon; and

information as to how to invoke said action object.

8. The method according to claim 7, where said indication as to a location of the resource object to be acted upon further comprises:

a name of said resource object; and

a class of said resource object.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said temporary file further comprises display information.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said display information further comprises:

a plurality of screen coordinates of a user interface window of said user; and

a plurality of screen coordinates of a representation of said resource object.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying an icon for each selected resource object.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said icon is a static icon.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said icon comprises a dynamic picture.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of removing, from said list, actions not capable of being executed at said user.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of attributes comprises identification attributes and operation attributes.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of operation attributes further comprises an action attribute, for identifying at least one action to be performed by said action object.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said attributes further comprise a plurality of display attributes.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said display attributes further comprise:

an icon attribute for providing a bitmapped representation of said action object; and

a dynamic picture attribute for providing an updatable bitmap representation of said action object.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of attributes further comprises a display picture type attribute for indicating whether said dynamic picture is available for use.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of generating said list of associations further comprises the steps of:

determining a context of operation of said user, said context of operation of said user associated with a container of a plurality of objects capable of being operated on by said user.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of changing said context of operation of said user.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said context is changed responsive to said user selecting a different container.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said action of changing said context of operation is provided as an action object and associated with a resource object representing said context.

24. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of coupled users;

an address space for handling transactions occurring in said computer system, said address space accessible to each of said plurality of users, wherein said address space stores a plurality of object-oriented software objects available to said users, said objects including action objects and resource objects, said action objects for identifying actions that are capable of being performed on said resource objects in said address space;

means for forming associations between said resource objects and at least one of said action objects;

a schema database defining classes and attributes of obiect-oriented software objects representing globally available resources of in said computer system,

means for modifying said schema to include an action object class for defining the attributes of actions available in said computer system, and

means for generating, for each of a set of executable codes, a corresponding action object representing an action performed by said executable code wherein said action object is a data structure comprising identification information and operation information wherein said identification information of said action object further comprises;

a name of said action object, and

a class attribute. for identifying a class of objects on which said action object may act.

25. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein said operation information further comprises an action attribute, for identifying at least one action to be performed by said action object.

26. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein said action object further includes display information.

27. The computer system according to claim 26, wherein said display information comprises:

an icon attribute for providing a visual representation of said action object; and

a dynamic picture attribute for providing an updatable representation of said action object.

28. The computer system according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of attributes further comprises a display picture type attribute for determining whether said dynamic picture attribute is available for use.

29. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein said means for forming associations further comprises at each user:

a context directory for identifying a number of resource objects available to said user;

an action list for identifying a plurality of action objects that are capable of being executed by said resource objects; and

an association list, generated in response to said context directory and said action list, for providing, for each of said resource objects, at least one action object capable of being performed by said resource object.

30. The computer system according to claim 29, further comprising:

means, at each user, for selecting one of said resource objects to be used by said user; and

means, responsive to said step of selecting, for displaying said at least one associated action object.

31. The computer system according to claim 30 further comprising a plurality of icons, corresponding to said plurality of action objects in said action list.

32. The computer system according to claim 30, further comprising means, responsive to a selection of one of said displayed action objects, for executing said action object.

33. The computer system according to claim 32, wherein said means for executing firther comprises:

at least one application object, associated with said action object to be executed; and

means for launching said application object responsive to an input received from said means for executing said action object.

34. The computer system according to claim 33, wherein said input is a temporary file comprising:

a pointer to said resource object to be acted on; and

an action to be performed on said resource object.

35. The computer system according to claim 34, wherein said temporary file further comprises object identification information.

36. The computer system according to claim 35, wherein said resource object identification information further comprises:

a name of said resource object; and

a class of said resource object.

37. The computer system according to claim 34, wherein said temporary file further comprises display information.

38. The computer system according to claim 37, wherein said display information further comprises:

a plurality of screen coordinates of a user interface window of said user; and

a plurality of screen coordinates of a representation of said resource object.

39. The computer system according to claim 29, further comprising means for changing said context directory.

40. The computer system according to claim 39, wherein said means for changing said context directory comprises an plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of contexts, and wherein selection of said icon changes an operating context of said user to a context associated with said selected icon.

41. The computer system according to claim 39, wherein said means for changing said context directory comprises for each object a context switching action object, said context switching action object displayed as an option when said resource object is selected, and wherein selection of said context switching action object changes an operating context of said user to a context associated with said selected context switching action.

42. The computer system according to claim 42, wherein said means for modifying said schema further comprises a code module comprising a data store and a set of routines, said data store for storing information regarding said at least one action object.

43. The computer system according to claim 42, wherein said means for generating said at least one action object further comprises a set of routines in said code module for creating action objects based on data in said modified schema and a set of executables stored in said data store of said code module.