Visual composition tool for constructing application programs using distributed objects on a distributed object network

A computer-implemented method for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the method comprising:

• providing a catalog facility which contains references to pre-existing object implementations provided on a distributed object system;
• providing an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• selecting a reference for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility;
• making said reference to said pre-existing object available to said application construction environment;
• linking said reference to at least one other reference in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship between said references such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• and
• wherein said pre-existing object includes an interface, editing said interface to define thereby a new interface;
• and editing the source code of said pre-existing object to define thereby a new object implementation.

A computer-implemented method for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the method comprising:

• providing a catalog facility which contains components that provide references to pre-existing objects provided on a distributed object system;
• selecting a component for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility and deriving a part from said component;
• making said part available to an application construction environment in which said part can be linked to at least one other part referencing a pre-existing object in said distributed object system to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said parts;
• and
• linking said part to at least one other part in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship among said parts such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• and
• wherein said each of said parts each comprises plugs and sockets and said linking comprises defining a connection between a plug on a first part and a socket on a second part.

A computer-implemented method for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the method comprising:

• providing a catalog facility which contains components that provide references to pre-existing objects provided on a distributed object system;
• selecting a component for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility and deriving a part from said component;
• making said part available to an application construction environment in which said part can be linked to at least one other part referencing a pre-existing object in said distributed object system to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said parts;
• and
• linking said part to at least one other part in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship among said parts such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• and
• wherein said part includes a reference to the interface of the pre-existing object referred to by said part, and editing said interface to define thereby a new interface;
• and editing the source code of said pre-existing object to define thereby a new object implementation.

A computer system for constructing under computer control object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the system comprising:

• a component service which includes a catalog of references to pre-existing objects installed on said distributed object system;
• said component service being coupled with
• a composition builder for generating compositions using said references, which composition builder provides an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• said composition builder being coupled with
• a code generation unit for generating and compiling source code from said compositions to generate thereby program source files;
• said code generation unit being coupled with
• an object development facility which said processes program source files generated by said code generation unit to produce software objects for installation on said distributed object system, and
• wherein said catalog of references comprises components, said components being effective to define properties of the object being referenced, said properties including the type of object being referenced by the component, the services provided by said object being referenced by said component, the implementation of said object being referenced by said component, and a name by which said implementation can be accessed on said distributed object system.

A computer system for constructing under computer control object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the system comprising:

• a component service which includes a catalog of references to pre-exisitng objects installed on said distributed object system;
• said component service being coupled with
• a composition builder for generating compositions using said references, which composition builder provides an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• said composition builder being coupled with
• a code generation unit for generating and compiling source code from said compositions to generate thereby program source files;
• said code generation unit being coupled with
• an object development facility which said processes program source files generated by said code generation unit to produce software objects for installation on said distributed object system, and
• wherein said composition builder comprises a composition workspace in which parts can be selected and linked, an interface editor for editing computer code defining the interface of a pre-existing object, a browser for selecting files to bc edited, and a summary table for defining information about the object being referenced by the part.

A computer system for constructing under computer control object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the system comprising:

• a component service which includes a catalog of references to pre-existing objects installed on said distributed object system;
• said component service being coupled with
• a composition builder for generating compositions using said references, which composition builder provides an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• said composition builder being coupled with
• a code generation unit for generating and compiling source code from said compositions to generate thereby program source files;
• said code generation unit being coupled with
• an object development facility which said processes program source files generated by said code generation unit to produce software objects for installation on said distributed object system, and
• a repository of program templates coupled with said code generator, said code generator being coupled further with said component service, and wherein said code generator is configured to combine generated code with said source templates to produce said program source files.

A computer program product for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code devices for:

• providing a catalog facility which contains references to pre-existing objects provided on a distributed object system;
• providing an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• selecting a reference for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility;
• making said reference to said pre-existing object available to said application construction environment;
• linking said reference to at least one other reference in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship between said references such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• wherein said references to said pre-existing objects comprise icons, said catalog facility and said application construction environment comprise graphical user interfaces, said program codes devices for selecting comprise program code devices for making a selection action on one of said icons, said program code devices for making said reference to said pre-existing object available to said application construction environment comprise program code devices for dragging said reference to from said catalog facility to said application construction facility, and
• wherein said reference is a component and including program code devices for generating a part from said component when said component is dragged from said catalog into said application construction environment, said program code devices for linking comprise program code devices for defining at least one connection between a first part and a second part or a reference to an interface.

A computer program product for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code devices for:

• providing a catalog facility which contains references to pre-existing objects provided on a distributed object system;
• providing an application construction environment in which said references can be linked to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said references;
• selecting a reference for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility;
• making said reference to said pre-existing object available to said application construction environment;
• linking said reference to at least one other reference in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship between said references such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• and
• wherein said pre-existing object includes an interface and further including program code devices for editing said interface to define thereby a new interface;
• and program code devices for editing the source code of said pre-existing object to define thereby a new object implementation.

A computer program product for constructing object-oriented application software to be installed on a distributed object system, which object-oriented application software includes an application program interface and at least one pre-existing object or derivative of a pre-existing object, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code devices for:

• providing a catalog facility which contains components that provide references to pre-existing objects provided on a distributed object system;
• selecting a component for inclusion in said application software from said catalog facility and deriving a part from said component;
• making said part available to an application construction environment in which said part can be linked to at least one other part referencing a pre-existing object in said distributed object system to define relationships thereamong to provide thereby computer code for said object-oriented application software, said application construction environment including facilities for selecting and defining links among said parts;
• linking said part to at least one other part in said application construction environment to define thereby a relationship among said parts such that computer code effective to implement said relationship is generated when said application program is run;
• and
• wherein said part includes a reference to the interface of the pre-existing object referred to by said part, and further including computer readable program code devices for editing said interface to define thereby a new interface;
• and editing the source code of said pre-existing object to define thereby a new object implementation.