Extensible object model
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsJoseph Fernando, Christopher Fraley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extensible object model enables extending the standard methods and/or properties of an extensible object for an application through an extension object proffered at run time by an extension package Information about the extension package is registered in a database when the package is installed, and the database is used to resolve references to the extended methods and/or properties upon execution of the application. In one aspect of the invention, the extension object is cached when first referenced and subsequent references to the extension while the application is executing are resolved to the cache.
Claims20
A computerized method for providing extended functionality to an extensible object in an object model comprising:
- locating a package for the extended functionality;
- obtaining an extension object for the extended functionality from the package;
- and
- directing to the extension object references to the extended functionality.
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon an entry for an extension in extension data structure comprising:
- an extension identifier field containing data representing an identifier for the extension;
- an extension name field containing data representing an external name for the extension identified by the extension identifier field;
- and
- a extension object identifier field containing data representing an extension package for the extension identified by the extension identifier field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.