Method for enabling interaction with external computer programs from an editor environment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorMICHAEL MORRIS GOLDING
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for enabling interaction with one or more external computer programs from within an editor environment. The method involves passing editor input to the external program, wherein the external program evaluates the input, produces corresponding output, and transmits the output back to the editor. When the editor receives the output, it stores the output in a file and displays it on a computer monitor. By using this method, a user can not only interact with the external program from within the editor environment, but can also create an editor file that stores a listing of the input and output provided to the external program.
Claims30
A method for interacting with an external program from within another program executed by a computer, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first command from a user into a first program and initiating execution of a second program in the computer in response to the first command, wherein the first program communicates with the second program in a bi-directional manner;
- receiving a second command from a user into the first program and storing data in a retrieval buffer within the first program in response to the second command;
- receiving a third command from a user into the first program, retrieving the data stored in the retrieval buffer, and passing the retrieved data from the first program to the second program in response to the third command, wherein the second program interprets the passed data, performs one or more functions in response to the interpretation of the passed data, and returns output to the first program as a result of the performed functions.
A computerized apparatus for interacting with an external program from within another program executed by a computer, comprising:
- a computer having a memory;
- means, performed by the computer, for receiving a first command from a user into a first program and initiating execution of a second program in the computer in response to the first command, wherein the first program communicates with the second program in a bi-directional manner;
- means, performed by the computer, for receiving a second command from a user into the first program and storing data in a retrieval buffer within the first program in response to the second command;
- means, performed by the computer, for receiving a third command from a user into the first program, retrieving the data stored in the retrieval buffer, and passing the retrieved data from the first program to the second program in response to the third command, wherein the second program interprets the passed data, performs one or more functions in response to the interpretation of the passed data, and returns output to the first program as a result of the performed functions.
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer having a memory, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for interacting with an external program from within another program executed by a computer, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first command from a user into a first program and initiating execution of a second program in the computer in response to the first command, wherein the first program communicates with the second program in a bi-directional manner;
- receiving a second command from a user into the first program and storing data in a retrieval buffer within the first program in response to the second command;
- receiving a third command from a user into the first program, retrieving the data stored in the retrieval buffer, and passing the retrieved data from the first program to the second program in response to the third command, wherein the second program interprets the passed data, performs one or more functions in response to the interpretation of the passed data, and returns output to the first program as a result of the performed functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.