System and method for manipulating data using a control

A system having a control for manipulating data within an operating environment, comprising:

• a command received at said control;
• a pointer array within said control that indicates another control to be accessed in response to said command;
• and
• a display for said operating environment, wherein said control executes a method in response to said command using said another control to enable an event on said display.

A computing device having an operating environment for executing a software program, wherein said computing device includes a processor coupled to a memory storing instructions for said software program, comprising:

• a first control having a first type string and a first pointer array, wherein said first type string identifies said first control to said operating environment;
• a second control having a second type string, wherein said second type string identifies said second control to said operating environment;
• and
• a first pointer within said first pointer array that identifies said second control to said first control such that said first control accesses said second control.

A method for accessing a second control from a first control within an operating environment, wherein said operating environment includes a software program utilizing said first and second controls, comprising:

• determining whether said second control is listed within a support members string of said first control;
• identifying a pointer within a pointer array in said first control according to said support members string;
• and
• accessing said second control according to said pointer.

A method for manipulating data stored within a memory coupled to an operating environment having a plurality of controls, comprising:

• determining whether a first control is compatible with a second control;
• identifying a pointer within said first control that correlates to said second control;
• accessing said second control from said first control;
• and
• retrieving data from said memory according to said first control.

A method for constructing a control to access another control within an operating environment, comprising:

• receiving a modified type string at said control from said operating environment for said another control;
• placing said modified type string in a support members string within said control;
• and
• assigning a pointer within said control to access said another control according to said modified type string.