Methods and apparatus for customizing user-interface control in existing application
AssigneeInernational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLawrence D. Bergman, Vittorio Castelli, Tessa A. Lau, Daniel A. Oblinger
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Abstract
Techniques for altering application user-interface controls are provided. More particularly the customization of a new or existing user-interface control in an application user-interface is provided. In one aspect of the invention, a method for customizing user-interface controls of an existing application comprises the recording of a procedure description performed by a user in the application user-interface. A new or modified application user-interface control relating to the procedure description is then installed in the existing application.
Claims8
A method for customizing a control of a user-interface of an existing application comprising the steps of:
- recording a procedure description comprising a series of actions performed by a user in the existing application user-interface;
- and
- in response to the recording step, customizing the control of the user-interface of the existing application by installing a user-interface control specific to the procedure description in the existing application for automatic execution of the procedure description and generation of the series of actions performed by the user when the user-interface control is activated;
- wherein the recording and customizing steps are implemented via one or more software components that are loaded from a memory and executed by a processor device;
- wherein the step of installing the control relating to the procedure description in the existing application comprises the steps of:
- sending a request to an operating system from a control installer to install the control;
- creating and installing the control in the existing application user-interface through the operating system;
- and
- registering a callback at the operating system using a location supplied by the control installer.
Apparatus for customizing a control of a user-interface of an existing application comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- at least one processor, coupled to the memory operative to:
- (i) record a procedure description comprising a series of actions performed by a user in the existing application user-interface;
- and (ii) in response to the recording operation, customizing the control of the user-interface of the existing application by installing a user-interface control specific to the procedure description in the existing application for automatic execution of the procedure description and generation of the series of actions performed by the user when the user-interface control is activated;
- wherein the operation of installing the control relating to the procedure description in the existing application comprises the steps of:
- sending a request to an operating system from a control installer to install the control;
- creating and installing the control in the existing application user-interface through the operating system;
- and
- registering a callback at the operating system using a location supplied by the control installer.
An article of manufacture, stored in one or more memory devices, for customizing a control of a user-interface of an existing application comprising computer executable instructions to perform the steps of:
- recording a procedure description comprising a series of actions performed by a user in the existing application user-interface;
- and
- in response to the recording step, customizing the control of the user-interface of the existing application by installing a user-interface control specific to the procedure description in the existing application for automatic execution of the procedure description and generation of the series of actions performed by the user when the user-interface control is activated;
- wherein the step of installing the control relating to the procedure description in the existing application comprises the steps of:
- sending a request to an operating system from a control installer to install the control;
- creating and installing the control in the existing application user-interface through the operating system;
- and
- registering a callback at the operating system using a location supplied by the control installer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.