Supervisory process control and manufacturing information system application having an extensible component model

A template-based supervisory process control and manufacturing information system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory device coupled to the processor;
• an object template library storing a set of previously defined object templates;
• and
• an integrated development environment (IDE) stored in the memory device and executed by the processor, said IDE comprising:
• instructions enabling a user to create new object templates from the previously defined object templates and to import the new object templates into the object template library;
• instructions enabling the user to configure the object templates in the object template library;
• instructions enabling the user to instantiate objects from the object templates in the object template library;
• and
• instructions enabling the user to interact with an instantiated object through multiple distinct interfaces;
• wherein at least one of the new object templates is a child object template that has been derived from a parent object template;
• wherein the child object template inherits a component from the parent object template;
• and
• wherein the inherited component can only be changed at the parent object template level, and when it is changed, the change is propagated to the child object template.