Dynamic properties for software objects

A computer-implemented system for displaying per-instance dynamic properties of an object comprising:

• (a) an object instance having a dynamic property that is supplied at runtime for the object instance on a per-instance bases and is not stored with the object;
• (b) a property source instance associated with the object, wherein the property source maintains knowledge of the dynamic property;
• and
• (c) a host configured to:
• (i) retrieve a reference to the object instance;
• (ii) retrieve a reference to the property source;
• and
• (iii) provide the reference to the object instance and the reference to the property source to a control, wherein the control is configured to:
• (1) retrieve the dynamic property from the property source instance;
• and
• (2) display the dynamic property in a user interface.

A computer-implemented method for providing a custom graphical user interface for editing a property of an object, comprising:

• receiving a first object having a first property, wherein the first object provides a custom ActiveX control that defines a first user interface for displaying and editing the first property;
• creating a list of one or more object properties to be displayed, wherein the list includes the first property;
• instantiating the custom ActiveX control;
• and
• displaying the object properties in the list, wherein the display of the first property comprises the first user interface defined by the instantiated custom ActiveX control, wherein the property may be edited through the first user interface.

A system for providing a custom graphical user interface for editing a property of an object comprising:

• (a) one or more objects, wherein each object has one or more object properties;
• (b) a property inspector configured to:
• (i) interrogate the one or more objects to discover one or more object properties to be displayed;
• (ii) create a list of the one or more object properties to be displayed;
• and
• (iii) instantiate and host one or more property editors;
• (c) one or more property editors, wherein:
• (i) one of the property editors comprises a custom ActiveX control specified by one of the objects;
• and
• (ii) the custom ActiveX control defines a custom graphical user interface for displaying and editing one of the object properties.