Object-oriented intra-process messaging arrangement for windows environments
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsDavid G. Breggin, David V. Rukstales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intra-process communication arrangement (FIG. 2) that is implemented through standard Windows.TM. operating system facilities and that facilitates object-oriented programming by enabling program modules (210-212) of a single application program (106) to communicate with each other without having explicit knowledge of each other. The arrangement uses a Windows custom control (105) that is configured to support the object-oriented programming concept of classes. The custom control registers modules and indications of their class in an object-instances list (200) and allows messages to be implicitly addressed by class to one or more modules that are members of that class.
Claims19
A method of intra-process communicating between a plurality of program modules of a single process each belonging to at least one of a plurality of different classes of modules, comprising the steps of:
- in response to an executing one of the modules of the single process that is executing under control of a Windows operating system issuing one of a plurality of commands each of which is accompanied by a message and a class identifier, executing the one command's corresponding executable from among a plurality of executables each corresponding to a different one of the commands;
- by execution of the one command's corresponding executable, selecting by class, in a manner specified by the one command's corresponding executable from among a plurality of different manners each specified by a corresponding executable of a different one of the plurality of commands, at least one of the modules which belongs to the identified class from an object-instances list of characterizations of the modules, each of which module's characterizations indicates the class of the corresponding module, and
- further by the execution of the one command's corresponding executable, sending the message to the selected at least one of the modules of the single process thereby to effect intra-process messaging between the modules of the single process.
A computer comprising:
- a memory for storing an application program comprising a plurality of program modules each belonging to at least one of a plurality of different classes of modules;
- the memory further storing a control arrangement that defines a plurality of executables each corresponding to a different one of a plurality of commands, and an object-instances list of characterizations of the modules, each of which characterizations indicates the class of the corresponding module;
- and
- a processor connected to the memory and operating under control of a Windows operating system for executing a single process comprising the plurality of the program modules and further for executing the executables, the processor being responsive to an executing one of the modules issuing one of the commands each of which is accompanied by a message and a class identifier, for executing the one command's corresponding executable and thereby selecting from the object-instances list by class, in a manner specified by the one command's corresponding executable from among a plurality of different manners each specified by a corresponding executable of a different one of the plurality of commands, at least one of the modules which belongs to the identified class, and sending the message to the selected at least one of the modules thereby to effect intra-process messaging between the modules of the single process.
A computer-usable program storage device having embodied therein means for effecting intra-process communications between a plurality of program modules of a single process each belonging to at least one of a plurality of different classes of modules, said means being computer-readable program code means for causing the computer to perform the functions of:
- in response to an executing one of the modules of the single process that is executing under control of a Windows operating system issuing one of a plurality of commands each of which is accompanied by a message and a class identifier, executing the one command's corresponding executable from among a plurality of executables each corresponding to a different one of the commands;
- by execution of the one command's corresponding executable, selecting by class, in a manner specified by the one command's corresponding executable from among a plurality of different manners each specified by a corresponding executable of a different one of the plurality of commands, at least one of the modules which belongs to the identified class from an object-instances list of characterizations of the modules, each of which module's characterizations indicates the class of the corresponding module;
- and
- further by the execution of the one command's corresponding executable, sending the message to the selected at least one of the modules of the single process thereby to effect intra-process messaging between the modules of the single process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.