Using a menu slideshow framework for generating a custom menu-driven slideshow containing definable content

• US 8,438,539 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hertenstein, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US12/101,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A computer program product that includes a project object. The project object can be configured for linearly organizing a series of custom self-contained content. The project object can be a compliable object that includes at least one menu framework object and a set of project data objects. The menu framework object can define a menu. The menu framework object conforms to a standardized menu slideshow framework. The standardized menu slideshow framework can be a reusable templated framework. Each of the project data objects can include a self-contained content object. Each self-contained content object can be programmatically linked to the menu framework object without modifying source code of the self-contained content object. The menu framework object can define a linear ordering of the set of project data objects.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

at least one non-transitory storage medium;

at least one code object written in an object oriented language and digitally encoded in the at least one non-transitory storage medium, said at least one code object defining at least one class define reusable menuing functionality for menus configured to interactively navigate among a plurality of linearly ordered self-contained software objects, wherein said classes are configured to be imported into a source file, where said source file is configured to be placed in a project file that also includes a plurality of custom linearly ordered self-contained software objects, which are bound to interactive menus having functionality provided by the at least one class, wherein each of the said self-contained software objects is programmatically linked to said at least code object without modifying source code of the self-contained software object, wherein said at least one code object defines a linear ordering of the self-contained software objects.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one class is an actionscript class, wherein each self-contained software object is a FLASH content object, and wherein the project file is a compilable software object for a slideshow configured to utilize the menuing functionality.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class is configured to accept calls with passed arguments, wherein values of arguments conveyed in the calls of the source code define content loading and unloading, menu labels, a menu color scheme, and menu placement for said menus.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class comprises a DemoSlideShow class, a SSNav class, a NavMenu class, and a Menu Format class.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class comprises a DemoSlideShow class, wherein said DemoSlideShow class comprises at least two methods selected from a group of methods consisting of a loadContent method, an executeSlide method, a goNextSlide method, and a goPreviousSlide method.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class comprises a SSNav class, wherein said SSNav class comprises at least three methods selected from a group of methods consisting of a setLeftNav method, a SetRightNav method, a setListener method, a hideNavBar method, a ShowNavBar method, a checkSlide method, and an updateNavBar method.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class comprises a NavMenu class, wherein said NavMenu class comprises at least three methods selected from a group of methods consisting of an addChapter method, a getSlideArray method, a getChapterArray method, an initMenu method, a createChapterText method, a createSectionText method, a createSectionButton method, and a createChapterButton method.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said at least one class comprises a MenuFormat class, wherein said MenuFormat class comprises at least three methods selected from a group of methods consisting of a drawMenuBack method, a drawSectionBack method, a setSectionWidths method, a setMenuWidths method, an executeChapterRollOver method, an executeChapterRollOut method, an executeSectionRollOver method, and an executeSection Rollout method.