EP0520924A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Container object management system

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp

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Filing: 1992-06-03

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Granted: —

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Expires: 2012-06-03

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Abstract

Abstract The method and apparatus of the present invention includes a method for providing a non-container object with the appearance of container object attributes in a graphic user interface operating environment. This method and apparatus includes creating a container manager and associating the container manager with the non-container object. A container pane is created and associated with the container manager. This container pane is in communication with the container manager and a list control in the graphic user interface operating environment. The container pane in the container manager both interact to provide the non-container object with the appearance of the container object attributes. If an item is present in the non-container object when the non-container object is started, a contained object is created for the item to be displayed within the non-container object. Next, if an item is added to the non-container object, a contained object is created for the item to be displayed within the non-container object. When an item is removed from the non-container object, the contained object for the item is deleted. When a contained object is present, the container manager is provided control over the display manipulation of the contained object while that contained object is within the non-container object. Moreover, the container pane graphically displays an icon that represents the contained object in a window. The container pane also relays input by a user to the container manager.

Inventors

👤 Patrice R. Miller
👤 Wade A. Miller
👤 John K. Rayborn

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction EP

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 19:53

CPC Classifications

G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4488; G06F9/451

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9

Claim 1

Independent Claim 227 words

A method in an object-oriented system for providing a non-container object with the appearance of container object attributes in a graphic user interface operating environment comprising: creating a container manager and associating said container manager with said non-container object; creating a container pane and associating said container pane with said container manager, said container pane in communication with said container manager and a list control in said graphic user interface operating environment, and said container pane and said container manager providing the appearance of container object attributes to said non-container object; if an item is present in said non-container object, creating a contained object for said item to be displayed within said non-container object; if an item is added to said non-container object, creating a contained object for said item to be displayed within said non-container object; if an item is removed from said non-container object, deleting said contained object for said item; if a contained object is present, providing said container manager control over display and manipulation of said contained object while said contained object is within said non-container object; and if a contained object is present in said non-container object, displaying within said non-container object an icon representing said contained object, said container pane displaying said icon within in said non-container object in a window and relaying input by a user to said container manager.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of Claim 1, wherein the presence of an item is initially determined when said application is started by querying a list of items associated with said application.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of Claim 1, further if said application is being closed, querying said container manager for a list of contained objects and storing said list for use next time said application is started.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of Claim 1, wherein said input comprises selecting said contained object for repositioning in a container.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of Claim 1, wherein said input comprises selecting and opening said contained object.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 102 words

A data processing system using a graphic user interface operating environment for providing a non-container object with the appearance of a container object comprising: a container manager, said container manager associated with said non-container object; and a container pane, said container pane associated with said container manager, in communication with said container manager and a list control in said graphic user interface operating environment, and displaying within said non-container object an area with container object attributes and relaying user input to said container manager, said container pane and said container manager providing said non-container object with the appearance of said container object.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of Claim 6, wherein said container pane controls said display through an interface with a list control.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of Claim 7, wherein said interface includes application program interface calls specific to said graphic user interface operating environment.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of Claim 8, wherein said system is implemented as a tool kit component for use in developing object-oriented applications for use with said graphic user interface operating environment.

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