Development system with methods for type-safe delegation of object events to event handlers of other objects

In a computer system, a method for binding first and second objects together, the method comprising:

• storing in the first object a method pointer for delegating handling of events occurring at the first object to a particular method of the second object, said method pointer comprising:
• (i) first information stored in the first object providing access to the particular method of the second object, which is to handle a particular type of event which occurs at the first object;
• (ii) second information stored at the first object serving as a “this” points providing access to local data members of the second object, so that said particular method of the second object can be invoked within a particular context of said second object;
• and
• upon occurrence of the event at said first object, using said first stored information for invoking said particular method of said second object, the particular method using said second stored information to access the local data members of the second object.

A visual development system comprising:

• a computer having a processor and a memory;
• a visual interface for positioning objects on a form displayed on screen, each object responding to events with a certain behavior;
• and
• means for changing behavior of a first object by delegating the object's responsibility for responding to a particular event to a handler of a second object, said means including means for storing in the first object a pointer storing an address for the handler of the second object together with a “this” pointer storing an address for said second object for providing a particular context of said second object, so that occurrence of the particular event at the first object results in invocation of the handler with the context of said second object.