Method and system for associating parameters of containers and contained objects

#This invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for creating associations between parameters of a container application program and corresponding parameter of a contained object.

#The operation of a computer system is controlled by a computer program or group of programs called the operating system (“OS”). In early operating systems, a computer user input text commands to the OS using a command line interface. Later, more advanced operating systems were developed which utilized a graphical user interface (“GUI”) in combination with an input device such as a mouse. In GUIs, the input device controls a display cursor to allow for the selection of data and resources for application program operations. A user selects an operation by highlighting an item or field and pressing a graphical input device button.

#Many GUI programs are implemented in object-oriented programming languages, such as the C++ programming language. The display icons that represent data or resources are typically representations of data structures called objects, which encapsulate attributes and behaviors. Objects are specified by definitions, called classes, that specify the attributes and behaviors of the particular objects, which are termed “instantiations” of the class definitions. The reference Budd, T., “An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming”, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc. 1991, provides an introduction to object-oriented concepts and terminology.

#In the accompanying drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in which the present invention may be implemented.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of a dialog box for a bound object which has been instantiated in a container application in accordance with the present invention.

#The present invention provides a generalized method for creating associations between parameters of programming objects, such as ActiveX controls, and associated parameters of a container application. That is, properties and events of ActiveX controls are respectively bound to data variables (i.e., “tags”) and scripts of the container application. The container application could comprise, for example, industrial automation and control software having tags representative of the state of various sensors or industrial processes. Scripts of the container application include a sequence of script commands for invoking functionality of the container application, thereby allowing a user to specify how the application operates.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system 100 in which, the present invention may be implemented. The computer system 100 includes a user station 102 that communicates with a system storage unit over network 106. The system storage unit 104 comprises a direct access storage device, such as magnetic disk storage, in which data files are stored. The user station 102 includes a central processing unit (“CPU”) 108, a display 110, and a main memory 112. The CPU operates in response to user commands, which it receives via a keyboard 114 or graphical user input device 116. The user station 102 can communicate with one or more other user stations or a network server unit over the network 106.

#The main memory 112 contains a variety of data structures and information, including an operating system, application programs, program objects, and user data. The main memory is represented as a single entity, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the main memory can comprise a combination of random access memory (“RAM”), hard disk drives, optical disk drives, and other storage devices containing logically segmented storage locations. The main memory includes a computer program containing a sequence of program instructions whose execution implements the present invention.