Message protocol for controlling a user interface from an inactive application program

In a computer system comprising a processor, a display, a memory, a user input device, a first process operative in the computer system, a second process operative in the computer system as a foreground process and a user interface on said computer system display under the control of the second process, a method for the first process to perform operations for the second process and control a content of the user interface on said computer system display, said content under control of the foreground second process operative in said computer system, said first process controlling the content to display information regarding the operations performed by the first process for the second process, said method comprising the following steps:

• a. installing an event handling process as part of said second process, said event handling process when said second process is operative in said computer system, servicing events generated by the first process for controlling said user interface display under control of said second process;
• b. said second process initiating said first process to perform operations for said second process, said second process operative in the foreground and said first process operative in the background;
• d. said first process generating events for controlling said user interface display while the second process remains as a foreground process and the first process is a background process, said events providing information regarding the operations performed by said first process for the second process;
• and
• e. said event handling process receiving events generated by said first process, said event handling process updating said user interface on said computer system display according to said events generated by said first process, while said first process remains in the background, and received by said event handling process.