Object-oriented menuing system using command objects of an object-oriented operation system
AssigneeTaligent, Inc.
InventorsJohn R. Matheny, Christopher White, David R. Anderson, Arnold Schaeffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for an object based notification system. The notification system is designed in a flexible manner to support change notification in an object based operating system.
Claims16
In a computer operating under control of an object-oriented operating system and having a display, a menu system for displaying on said display, a menu control having at least one user-selectable menu item, said system comprising:
- (a) memory means for storing a command object with said object-oriented operating system, said command object having status information indicative of an operational state of said command object and having logic for setting said status information;
- (b) object processing means for creating a menu control object having at least one menu item, said at least one menu item having a data structure containing said command object and data variables controlling a visual appearance of said at least one menu item;
- (c) object processing means for initializing said menu item data variables by obtaining said status information of said command object and using said status information to set said data variables;
- (d) display means for displaying said menu item in accordance with said data variables;
- and wherein
- (e) said command object includes:
- 1) means for determining a system state of said operating system;
- 2) means, responsive to said system state, for updating said operational state and said status information of said command object when said menu control object is displayed by invoking said logic.
A method of enabling a computer having a display and operating under control of an object-oriented operating framework, including a command object, to display a menu control having a user-selectable menu item on said display, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) encapsulating status information and logic in said command object for, said status information storing an operational state of said command object in said object-oriented operating system framework;
- (b) creating a menu control object having said menu item, said menu item having a data structure containing said command object and data variables controlling a visual appearance of said menu item;
- (c) initializing said menu item data variables by obtaining said status information of said command object and using said status information to set said data variables;
- (d) displaying said menu item in accordance with said data variables;
- (e) determining a system state of said operating system framework;
- and
- (f) updating, in response to said system state, said status information to update said operational state, when said menu item is displayed by said object-oriented operating framework.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.