Encapsulation of applications for inclusion within an object management facility environment

Abstract

A computing system having an object management facility is presented. The object management facility manages a plurality of objects. Each object references an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The computing system also includes an encapsulation system which facilitates the inclusion in the computing system of a first application not designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation facility includes an encapsulation shell and a shell filter. The encapsulation shell is referenced by objects as if the encapsulation shell was an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation shell also acts as an interface between the object management facility and the first application. The shell filter interacts with the encapsulation shell and upon instruction from the encapsulation shell is able to intercept commands from a user to the first application. The shell filter also forwards to the first application commands generated by the encapsulated shell.

Claims

We claim:

1. In a computing system, a computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing, by a file management facility, a user interface environment on a computing screen, wherein a plurality of application processes are adapted to run in conjunction with the user interface environment, each application process in the plurality of application processes presenting a common set of menus to a user of the computing system, every application process in the plurality of application processes executing user originated instructions generated by a user interacting with the common set of menus;

(b) superimposing menus over a display generated by a first application process which is running on the computing system and which does not have the capability of presenting the common set of menus to the user of the computing system;

(c) forwarding the user originated instructions directly to the first application process when the user originated instructions are not generated using the menus superimposed over the display generated by the first application process;

(d) intercepting the user originated instructions forwarded to the first application process when the user originated instructions are generated using the menus superimposed over the display generated by the first application process;

(e) modifying the user originated instructions intercepted in step (d) to produce modified instructions executable by the first application process; and

(f) forwarding the modified instructions produced in step (e) to the first application process.

2. A computer implemented method as in claim 1 additionally comprising the following step:

(g) monitoring input devices in order to recognize the user originated instructions from a user to be forwarded to the first application process in step (c) and to be intercepted in step (d).

3. In a computing system, a computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing, by a file management facility, a user interface environment on a computing screen, wherein a plurality of application processes are adapted to run in conjunction with the user interface environment, each application process in the plurality of application processes executing user originated instructions from its own user originated instruction set and in addition, every application process in the plurality of application processes executing user originated instructions from a common user originated instruction set, the common user originated instruction set containing user originated instructions which are executable by every application process from the plurality of application processes; and,

(b) filtering user originated instructions forwarded to a first application process which is not adapted to executing the user originated instructions from the common user originated instruction set, including the following substeps:

(b.1) forwarding the user originated instructions directly to the first application process when the user originated instructions are within an user originated instruction set for the first application process,

(b.2) intercepting the user originated instructions forwarded to the first application process when the user originated instructions are within the common user originated instruction set,

(b.3) modifying the user originated instructions intercepted in substep (b.2) to produce modified instructions within the user originated instruction set for the first application process, and

(b.4) forwarding the modified instructions produced in substep (b.3) to the first application process.

4. A computer implemented method as in claim 3 additionally comprising the following step:

(c) monitoring input devices in order to recognize the user originated instructions from a user to be forwarded to the first application process.

5. A computer implemented method as in claim 4 wherein step (b) includes monitoring messages sent to the first application process in order to recognize when the user originated instructions are sent to the first application process.

6. A computer implemented method as in claim 4 wherein in step (c) the user originated instructions from the user are generated by user interactions with menus superimposed over a display generated by the first application process, the menus appearing to a user to be integrated into the first application process.

7. A computer implemented method as in claim 3 additionally comprising the step of:

(c) superimposing menus over a display generated by the first application process, the menus appearing to a user to be integrated into the first application process;

wherein in substep (b.2) the user originated instructions in the common user originated instruction set are generated by the user interactions with the menus superimposed over the display generated by the first application process.

8. A computing system comprising:

a plurality of application processes which operate within the computing system, each application process in the plurality of application processes for receiving user originated instructions including user originated instructions from a first user originated instruction set, and for processing the received user originated instructions;

a first application process, which operates within the computing system, for receiving and processing user originated instructions from a second user originated instruction set, the first application process not being adapted to processing the user originated instructions from the first user originated instruction set;

a user interface means for interpreting data from a user of the computing system and for generating the user originated instructions, the user originated instructions generated by the user interface being sent to at least one of a first group of application processes, the first group of application processes including the first application process and the plurality of application processes;

encapsulation shell means, which operates within the computing system, for receiving and processing the user originated instructions from the first user originated instruction set to generate modified instructions from the second user originated instruction set; and,

a shell filter means, coupled to the user interface means, the first application process and the encapsulation shell, for forwarding to the first application process the user originated instructions from the second user originated instruction set sent by the user interface means to the first application process, for intercepting the user originated instructions from the first user originated instruction set sent by the user interface means to the first application process, and for sending the intercepted user originated instructions to the encapsulation shell means;

wherein the modified instructions from the second user originated instruction set generated by the encapsulation shell means are forwarded to the first application process.

9. A computing system as in claim 8 additionally comprising:

information about the first application process, stored within the computing system, wherein the encapsulation shell means accesses the information about the first application process in order to generate the second modified instruction set.

10. A computing system as in claim 9 additionally comprising a menu/macro definitions file, read by the encapsulation shell means, which includes definitions for additional user originated instructions generated by the user interface means, and which are received and processed by the encapsulation shell means.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to the encapsulation of applications to be run on an object management facility.

One problem that has made computer use difficult is inefficient file management systems. For instance, in a directory, there cannot exist two files with the same name.

Further, there is data incompatibility between data files which are originated by different computer applications. Typically, each computer application operates independently from other computer applications. It is extremely rare that data from one computer application may be effectively incorporated into data from another application. If data is incorporated, it is difficult if not impossible to modify. Furthermore, once data has been transferred from a first application to a second application, it is usually impossible to return the data back to the first application to be modified.

Once an environment has been presented which allows the effective transfer of data between applications, there remains the problem of upward compatibility for applications which were not originally designed to function in the environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention a computing system having an object management facility is presented. The object management facility manages a plurality of objects. Each object references an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The computing system also includes an encapsulation system which facilitates the inclusion in the computing system of a first application not designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation facility includes an encapsulation shell and a shell filter. The encapsulation shell is referenced by objects as if the encapsulation shell was an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation shell also acts as an interface between the object management facility and the first application. The shell filter interacts with the encapsulation shell and upon instruction from the encapsulation shell is able to intercept commands from a user to the first application. The shell filter also forwards to the first application commands generated by the encapsulated shell.

The encapsulated shell may be used for a variety of applications. In order that the encapsulated shell may know particular information about a particular application, each application to be encapsulated by the encapsulated shell has associated with it configuration properties. Likewise, a menu/macro definitions file may be associated with an encapsulated application and accessed by the encapsulated shell in order to define macros and menus made available to the user by the encapsulation shell and the shell filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagrams which illustrates the relationship between objects, applications and data files in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram shows class properties associated with an Application and object properties associated with objects in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a plurality of objects linked in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a series of objects serving as folders, as parents of objects containing data, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the screen display which results from linking of various objects in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the linking of objects in order to create the screen display shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows how three objects may be linked together in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate how an object may be copied in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 illustrate the copying of a public object in accordance to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 12 a graphic display of a "NewWave Office" desktop is shown, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram which shows how objects are linked.

FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 show progress of an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 17 shows a block diagram of linked objects.

FIG. 18 illustrates an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 18A is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIG. 18.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show progress of an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIGS. 19 and 20.

FIGS. 22, 23 and 24 show progress of an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIGS. 22, 23 and 24.

FIG. 26 illustrates an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 26A is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIG. 18.

FIGS. 27 and 28 show progress of an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 28A is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIGS. 27 and 28.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing linked objects.

FIGS. 30, 31, 32 and 33 show progress of an operation within a graphic display of the "NewWave Office" desktop.

FIG. 34 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operation illustrated by FIGS. 30, 31, 32 and 33.

FIGS. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 show progress of various operations on a graphic display.

FIG. 43 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operations illustrated by FIGS. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42.

FIGS. 44, 45, 46 and 47 show progress of various operations on a graphic display.

FIG. 48 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operations illustrated by FIGS. 44, 45, 46 and 47.

FIGS. 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 show progress of various operations on a graphic display.

FIG. 56 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operations illustrated by FIGS. 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55.

FIGS. 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 show progress of various operations on a graphic display.

FIG. 66 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operations illustrated by FIGS. 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65.

FIGS. 67, 68, 69 and 70 show progress of various operations on a graphic display.

FIG. 71 is a block diagram showing linked objects resulting from the operations illustrated by FIGS. 67, 68, 69 and 70.

FIG. 72 is a block diagram of an Object Management Facility (OMF) in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 73 shows a block diagram of the organization of HPOMF.CAT, a system file included in the OMF shown in FIG. 72.

FIG. 74 shows the relation between a global parent and global objects in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 75 is a block diagram which shows how system files within the OMF shown in FIG. 72 accesses data files and applications from a memory shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 76 is a block diagram of the organization of the memory shown in FIG. 75.

FIG. 77 and FIG. 78 show objects and links in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 79 is a block diagram of the organization of HPOMF.XRF, a system file included in the OMF shown in FIG. 72.

FIG. 80 shows a view specification record in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 81 shows the use of a snapshot in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 82 shows the data path of a view when there is no snapshot, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 83 shows the data path of a view when there is a snapshot, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 84 shows an encapsulation shell interacting with the OMF shown in FIG. 72 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 84A shows a file structure for the computer shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 84B shows the anatomy of a File Specification for programs which function on the MS-DOS operating system.

FIG. 85 shows the NewWave office with a number of icons some of which represent objects which are encapsulated applications.

FIG. 85A shows a cursor being used to select "Create a New . . . " from a pull down menu.

FIG. 86 shows appearance of a dialog box.

FIG. 87 shows another dialog box.

FIG. 88 shows the name "sample" having been typed into a region.

FIG. 89 shows an object "Sample" appearing in the window for "NewWave Office."

FIG. 90 shows display of the directory location of the data file "SAMPLE.WRI."

FIG. 91 shows the directory location no longer being shown

FIG. 92 shows an open window for the application "Write."

FIG. 93 shows result of data entry by a keyboard.

FIG. 94 shows selection of "Exit" in a pull down menu.

FIG. 95 shows part of the exiting procedure "Write."

FIG. 96 shows "SAMPLE" being closed.

FIG. 97 shows a new folder entitled "Important Docs" having been created and opened.

FIG. 98 shows a cursor moving the object "SAMPLE" to an opened window.

FIG. 99 shows the object "SAMPLE" within a window.

FIG. 100 shows a cursor placed over the name "SAMPLE."

FIG. 101 shows the object "SAMPLE" having been selected.

FIG. 102 object "SAMPLE" having been "cut" from folder "Important Docs."

FIG. 103 shows the object "SAMPLE having been moved from folder "Important Docs" to "NewWave Office."

FIG. 104 shows the object "SAMPLE" highlighted and thus selected.

FIG. 105 shows the command "Paste" in a pull down menu being selected.

FIG. 106 shows the object "SAMPLE" being shared, and appearing in both the window "NewWave Office" and in another window.

FIG. 107 shows the object "SAMPLE" in "NewWave Office" being highlighted and thus selected.

FIG. 108 shows a cursor used to select command "Copy" in a pull down menu.

FIG. 109 shows the file "Copy of: SAMPLE" appearing in "NewWave Office".

FIG. 110 shows an object "Copy of: Sample" being opened, by placing a cursor over "Copy of:SAMPLE" and twice clicking a button on a mouse.

FIG. 111 shows an encapsulation shell prompting a user for a new name by causing a dialog box to appear.

FIG. 112 shows results of a user entering via the keyboard the new name "MYDOC2" for object "Copy of: Sample."

FIG. 113 shows the contents of "MYDOC2" being a copy of data from object "SAMPLE."

FIG. 114 shows an icon for "MYDOC2" in "NewWave Office."

FIG. 115 shows a cursor placed over the name "MYDOC2" and clicking resulting in the full name "C:.backslash.HPNWDOS.backslash.MSWRITE.backslash.MYDOC2" appearing.

FIG. 116 illustrates a shorthand way of copying "MYDOC2."

FIG. 117 shows the appearance of "Copy of: MYDOC2" on "NewWave Office."

FIG. 118 shows object "MYDOC2" and "Copy of: MYDOC2" having been selected in preparation to be removed from the system by selecting command "Throw Away" in a pull down menu.

FIG. 119 shows a cursor used to select the command "Destroy All Items" in a pull down menu.

FIG. 120 shows results of the deletion of objects "MYDOC2" and "Copy of: MYDOC2."

FIG. 121A, FIG. 121B and FIG 122 show a flowchart which describe the steps taken by the encapsulation shell when a program is closed.

FIG. 123 shows an object "SAMPLE" having been opened and the application "Write" running, displaying data from file "C:.backslash.HPNWDOS.backslash.MSWRITE.backslash.SAMPLE.WRI" in a window.

FIG. 124 shows a file name within the default directory having typed into a region of a dialog box.

FIG. 125 shows a new file having been made but no new object appearing.

FIG. 126 shows an icon bearing the name "NEWDOC" appearing on "NewWave Office."

FIG. 127 shows an object "SAMPLE" having been opened in a window.

FIG. 128 shows a new object of the class for "MSWORD" having created and an icon named "SAMPLE" being displayed in the window for "NewWave Office."

FIG. 129 shows the command "Create a New" in a pull down menu being selected using a cursor.

FIG. 130 shows the name "DEMODOC1" typed into a region in a window, and the icon "AdvanceWrite" having been highlighted.

FIG. 131 shows the creation of an object "DEMODOC1."

FIG. 132 shows that "DEMODOC1" appears in directory "C:.backslash.HPNWDOS.backslash.ADVWRITE."

FIG. 133 shows selection of "DEMODOC1" for opening.

FIG. 134 shows a display for the application "AdvanceWrite."

FIG. 135 shows text having been added to the screen shown in FIG. 134.

FIG. 136 shows a selection using a pull down menu.

FIG. 137 illustrates copy of "DEMODOC1".

FIG. 138 illustrates that clicking on the title of the copy of "DEMODOC1" reveals that there is no directory listed.

FIG. 139 shows the name of an object having been changed to "NW Demo Document.

FIG. 140 shows the name bar of object "NW Demo Document" having been closed.

FIG. 141 contains a flowchart which discloses the process performed by the encapsulation shell shown in FIG. 84 when an object for an encapsulated application is opened in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 142 contains a flowchart which discloses the process performed by the encapsulation shell shown in FIG. 84 when a file is activated.

FIG. 143 contains a flowchart which discloses the process performed by the encapsulation shell shown in FIG. 84 when an object for an encapsulated application is created in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 144 shows the types of records within the file HPOMF.DOS in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 145 shows the logical structure of records within the file HPOMF.DOS in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a computer 18 having a monitor 14, a keyboard 19 and a mouse 20. A portion of computer main memory 17 is shown by an arrow 9 to be within computer 18. Within computer main memory 17 is shown an object management facility (OMF) 100, an application 101, an application 102, an application 103, an application 104, an application 105 and an application 106.

Each of applications 101 to 106 store data using objects. For instance, in FIG. 2, application 101 is shown to have stored data using an object 202, an object 203, an object 204 and an object 205. Similarly, application 106 is shown to have stored data in an object 207, an object 208, an object 209 and an object 210. OMF 100 stores information indicating which objects go with which application. Objects which are associated with a single application are considered to be objects of the same type, or the same class. For instance, object 202, 203, 204 and 205 are of the same class because each is associated with application 101. Similarly objects 207, 208, 209 and 210 are of the same class because each is associated with application 106. All objects of the same class use the same application. When an application is being run by computer 18, OMF 100 informs the application which object the application should access for data. That object is then considered to be active. An object is inactive when the application the object is associated with is not being run by computer 18, or when the application the object is associated with is being run, but is not being run with the data of that object.

Active objects can communicate with each other using messages. For example if two instances of application 101 are being run by computer 18, one with the data of object 202 and the other with the data of object 203, object 202 and object 203 are both active. Therefore object 202 may send a message 211 to object 203. Similarly, if computer 18 is running application 101 with the data of object 202, and is running application 106 with the data of object 207, object 202 and object 207 are both active. Therefore, object 202 may send a message 212 to object 207.

Messages, such as message 211 and 212 may be formatted to be sent and received by all types of objects. This allows for free communication between all active objects. This also allows new object types to be defined and added to the system without requiring that the existing object types be updated to use the new type.

Each object has associated with a set of data files. For instance, object 210 is shown to have associated with it a data file 221, a data file 222 and a data file 223. Data in data files 221, 222 and 223 are in a format which can be interpreted by application 106.

Each object has associated with it a list of properties. Each property has a name and a value which may be accessed by specifying the name. In addition, each class of objects has associated with it a list of properties that are common to all objects of that class. For instance, in FIG. 2A, object 205 and application 101 are shown. Object 205 has associated with it a property 231, a property 232, and a property 233. Application 101 has associated with it a property 131, a property 132 and a property 133.

Property 131 includes a name 1131 and a value 2131. Property 132 includes a name 1132 and a value 2132. Property 133 includes a name 1133 and a value 2133. Property 231 includes a name 1231 and a value 2231. Property 232 includes a name 1232 and a value 2232. Property 233 includes a name 1233 and a value 2233.

Property lists can contain any number of properties. Each property value can be from zero to 3,2762 bytes in length. Properties are used to store descriptive information about objects and classes, such as names, comments and so on.

Objects may have references to other objects. These references are called links. Links are directional: one object is called the parent, the other the child. Each link has a reference name which is a number that is assigned by the parent object to identify each of its children. All of an object's children, its children's children, and so on are collectively called that object's descendants. Similarly, an object's parents, its parents' parents, and so on, are collectively called that object's ancestors. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an object which may be manipulated by a user, can have zero or more children and one or more parents. An object is not allowed to become its own descendant.

In FIG. 3 is shown an object 301, an object 302, an object 303, an object 304, an object 305, an object 306, an object 307, an object 308 and an object 309. Objects 301-309 have links with reference names which are numbers shown in parenthesis by each link. Object 301 has a link 310, with reference name "1", to object 302. Object 301 has a link 311, with reference name "2", to object 303. Object 302 has a link 312, with reference name "7", to object 304. Object 302 has a link 313, with reference name "8", to object 305. Object 303 has a link 314, with reference name "1", to object 306. Object 303 has a link 315, with reference name "4", to object 307. Object 304 has a link 316, with reference name "1", to object 308. Object 305 has a link 317, with reference name "7", to object 308. Object 306 has a link 318, with reference name "8", to object 309. Object 307 has a link 319, with reference name "9", to object 306. Object 307 has a link 320, with reference name "13", to object 309. Object 308 has a link 321, with reference name "1", to object 309. Object 308 has a link 322, with reference name "3", to object 303.

Object 301 is a parent of 302 and 303. Object 303 is a child of object 301 and of object 308. Each of objects 302-309 are descendants of object 301. Descendants of object 303 are objects 306, 307 and 309. Object 309 has for ancestors all of objects 301-308. Object 303 has for ancestors objects 301, 302, 304, 305 and 308. And so on.

Active objects can dynamically make and delete links to other objects. When a link to an object is deleted, OMF 100 checks if the object has any other parents. If not, OMF 100 destroys the object by deleting the data files of the object and reclaiming other storage space associated with the object.

Object links may be used for various purposes. For example, folders may be in the form of objects. The children of objects used as folders may be objects containing data for use with various applications, or the objects may be other folders. FIG. 4 shows an example of the use of objects as folders. An object 401 (also called folder 401), an object 402 (also called folder 402), an object 403 (also called folder 403) and an object 404 (also called folder 404) are used as folders. Folder 401 contains an object 405, used to contain data, an object 406, used to contain data, an object 407, used to contain data, and folder 402. Folder 402 contains an object 408, used to contain data, folder 403 and folder 404. Folder 403 contains an object 409, used to contain data, and an object 410, used to contain data. Folder 404 contains an object 411, used to contain data, an object 412, used to contain data and an object 413, used to contain data.

A more sophisticated use of links is to construct compound objects. For instance in FIG. 5, a document 510 contains lines of text 511, lines of text 512, a graphics FIG. 513, a graphics FIG. 514 and spreadsheet data 515. As shown in FIG. 6, text and formatting data is stored in an object 611, graphics data for graphics FIG. 513 is stored in an object 612, graphics data for graphics FIG. 514 is stored in an object 613 and spreadsheet data 515 is stored in object 614. Links that are used to build compound objects always have some kind of data transfer associated with the link and hence are called data links. In FIG. 6 is shown a data link 615, a data link 616 and a data link 617. In document 510, data from object 612, object 613 and object 614 are merely displayed, therefore data link 614, data link 615 and data link 616 are visual data links. In a visual data link, the parent will send requests to its child to display data within the parent's window.

In FIG. 7, an object 701, which contains data for a first spreadsheet, is linked through data link 704 to an object 702, which contains data for a second spreadsheet, and is linked through data link 705 to an object 703, which contains data for a third spreadsheet. The first spreadsheet uses data from the second spreadsheet and from the third spreadsheet. Since the first spreadsheet does more than merely display data from the second and the third spreadsheets, data link 704 and data link 705 are called data-passing data links.

OMF 100 does the "bookkeeping" when objects are copied or mailed. When an object is copied, OMF 100 makes copies of data files associated with the object. If the object being copied has children, OMF 100 also makes copies of the object's descendants, and builds links between the new objects to give the new compound object the same structure as the original.

For instance, FIG. 8 shows object 308, from FIG. 3, and the descendants of object 308. When OMF makes a copy of object 308, OMF copies each of object 308's descendants and the links shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 shows a copy of object 308. Object 308a is a copy of object 308. Object 303a is a copy of object 303. Object 306a is a copy of object 306. Object 307a is a copy of object 307. Object 309a is a copy of object 309. Link 321a is a copy of link 321. Link 322a is a copy of link 322. Link 314a is a copy of link 314. Link 315a is a copy of link 315. Link 318a is a copy of link 318. Link 319a is a copy of link 319. Link 320a is a copy of link 320.

In the preferred embodiment, the default behavior results in the copy of a parent's children when the parent is copied. However, when a child is designated as "public" it is not copied. Rather, a copy of the parent includes a link to the child. For instance, in FIG. 10, a parent object 161 is to be copied. Parent object 161 is linked to a child object 162 through a link 163. Child object 162 is a public object. As shown in FIG. 11, copying of parent object 161 results in new object 161a being linked to object 162 through a new link 163a. Object 161a is a copy of object 161. Link 163a is a copy of link 163.

In FIG. 12 through FIG. 71, it is shown how objects are displayed to a user on monitor 14. In FIG. 12 a "NewWave Office" desktop is shown to include icons labelled as "File Drawer", "Waste Basket", "Diagnostic", "Printers", "Star" and "My Folder". A user (not shown) has manipulated a cursor 781, using keyboard 19 or mouse 20, to select "My Folder".

FIG. 13 shows how the objects displayed on monitor 14 are linked. NewWave Office (shown as an object 700) is the parent of "File Drawer" (shown as an object 701) through a link 711, of "Waste Basket" (shown as an object 702) through a link 712, of "Diagnostic" (shown as an object 703) through a link 713, of "Printers" (shown as an object 704) through a link 714, of "My Folder" (shown as an object 705) through a link 715 and of "Star" (shown as an object 706) through a link 716.

In FIG. 14, the user, using cursor 781, has selected "Create a New . . . " in a pull down menu 782. As a result of this selection a dialog box 779 appears as shown in FIG. 15. Using cursor 781, the user has highlighted the icon "Layout" and using keyboard 19 has typed in the name "Paste Up" as a name for a new object to be created. Cursor 781 now points to a region labelled "OK". Once this region is selected, a new object titled "Paste Up" is created, as is shown in FIG. 16.

In FIG. 17, "Paste Up" is shown as an object 707 linked as a child of NewWave Office through a link 717.

The basic clipboard operations are Cut, Copy, and Paste. The user must select the data that is to be moved or copied, and then give either the Cut command or the Copy command. Cut moves the selected data to the clipboard (deleting it from its original location). Copy makes a copy of the selected data on the clipboard. The user must then select the location where he wants the data to be moved or copied to, and give the Paste command. This command copies the contents of the clipboard to the selected location.

In FIG. 18 a user is shown to have selected "Paste Up". The selection is represented by the icon for "Paste Up" being displayed using inverse video. With cursor 781, the user selects "Copy" from a pull down menu 783. In FIG. 18A a Clipboard object 720 is shown to be a parent of an object 708 through a link 721. Object 708, is a copy of object 707 ("Paste Up").

As shown in FIG. 19, next the user selects "Paste" from pull down men 783. The result, shown in FIG. 20, is the addition of an object 708, pointed to by cursor 781, which is a copy of the original "Paste Up" object 707.

In FIG. 21, the new object is shown as object 708 linked as a child of NewWave Office through a link 718.

In FIG. 22, "My Folder", has been opened by double clicking the icon for "My Folder" using cursor 781. The result is a new window 785 representing "My Folder".

In FIG. 23, using cursor 781, "Paste Up" (object 708) is shown being dragged to window 785. In FIG. 24, the process is complete and "Paste Up" (object 708) is now in window "My Folder". In FIG. 25, "Paste Up", shown as object 708, is now a child of "My Folder" through link 728.

The user sets up multiple links by using the Share command. This command is an extension of the clipboard metaphor common in software packages today for moving and copying data around the system. The clipboard is a special buffer that the system uses to hold data that is in transit.

In one way, the Share command operates similarly to the Cut or Copy command described above. That is, using Share, Cut, or Copy, the user selects some data first and then gives the Share command, which results in something being put on the clipboard. In the case of the Share command, however, what is put on the clipboard is neither the actual data nor a copy of the actual data. Instead, it is a link to the selected data. When this link is pasted, a permanent connection is made between the original data and the location of the Paste. Through use of OMF 100, this link is used by the involved applications to provide easy access to the original data (in its full application) and automatic updating when the original data is modified.

In FIG. 26, the NewWave Office window has been activated. "Paste Up" (object 707) has been selected, as evidenced by "Paste Up" (object 707) being in inverse video. Using cursor 781, "Share" from menu 783 is selected. In FIG. 720, Clipboard object 720 is shown to be a parent of "Paste Up" object 707 through a link 722.

In FIG. 27, window 785 has been activated. From a menu 787, "Paste" is selected. The result, shown in FIG. 28, is an icon 707a appearing in window 785, which indicates that "Paste Up" (object 707) is shared by window 785 and the NewWave Office window. In FIG. 28A, as a result of the paste, "Paste Up" is now shown to be both a child of Clipboard 720 through link 722 and a child of "My Folder" 705 through a link 727. In FIG. 29, showing just the interconnection of objects visible to the user, "Paste Up" (object 707) is shown to be a child of "My Folder" 705 through link 727. Since "Paste Up" (object 707) is shared, not copied, "Paste Up" (object 707) remains a child of NewWave Office through link 717.

One key feature of data links is automated data transfer. When a child object is open and the user changes a part of it which is "shared out", then it makes a call to OMF 100. OMF 100 checks if any of the object's parents "care" about this particular change. If they care and if they are also open, OMF 100 sends to the parents a message informing them that new data is available. The parent can then send messages to the child to produce or display the data. This feature allows the user to establish compound objects with complex data dependencies, and then have changes made to any sub-part be automatically reflected in other parts. For example, changing a number in a spreadsheet could cause a graph to be re-drawn, and updated as a figure in a document. And since an object can have many parents, a single object can be used as "boiler plate" for any number of other objects. A change in the boiler plate will be reflected in all the objects which have links to it. Automated data transfer is illustrated in the following discussion.

In FIG. 30, window 785 for "My Folder" has been closed. In FIG. 31, cursor 781 is used to select "Create a New . . . " from pull down menu 782. As a result of this selection dialog box 779 appears as shown in FIG. 32. Using cursor 781, the icon HPText has been highlighted and using keyboard 19 the name "Sample Text" has been typed in as the name for a new object to be created. Cursor 781 now points to a region labelled "OK". Once this region is selected, a new object titled "Sample Text" is created, as is shown in FIG. 33.

In FIG. 34, "Sample Text" (object 709) is shown to be a child of NewWave Office through a link 719. In FIG. 34, since "My Folder" has been closed, "Paste Up" (object 708), link 728 and link 727 are not shown. However, these still exist, but are not currently visible to a user.

In FIG. 35, placing cursor 781 on the icon "Sample Text" and double clicking a button on mouse 20 results in "Sample Text" being opened. In FIG. 36, an open window 789 for "Sample Text" is shown.

In FIG. 37 a window 791 for "Paste Up" (object 707) has been opened by double clicking on the icon for "Paste Up". In FIG. 38, using Cursor 781, controlled by mouse 20, a portion 790 of the text of "Sample Text" has been selected. The portion in inverse video stating "New Wave Office environment" is portion 790.

In FIG. 39, cursor 781 is used to select the selection "Share" in a pull down menu 792. In FIG. 40, an area 793 in window 791 is selected using cursor 781. In FIG. 41, a selection "Paste" is selected from a pull down menu 794 using cursor 781. In FIG. 42, "Sample Text" is linked to "Paste Up" (object 707) and displayed text 790 is displayed in "Paste Up" window 791. In FIG. 43 "Sample Text" (object 709) is shown to be a child of "Paste Up" (object 707) through a link 729. In FIG. 42, displayed text 790 is shown in gray because "Star" window 789 is open. In FIG. 44, "Star" window 789 is closed so displayed text 790 is clearly displayed.

In FIG. 45, a region 795 of window 791 is selected using cursor 781. FIG. 46 shows cursor 781 dragging the icon "Star" into region 795 of window 791.

In FIG. 47, data from "Star" (object 706) is now displayed in region 795 of window 791. As may be seen in FIG. 48, "Star" (object 706) is now a child of "Paste Up" (object 707) through a link 726.

In FIG. 49, a user has placed cursor 781 over region 795 of window 791 and double clicked a button on mouse 20. The result is the opening and display of "Star" (object 706) in a window 796. FIG. 40 shows the use of cursor 781 to select selection "Ellipse" in a menu window 797 which results in the data within "Star" (object 706) being changed from a star to an ellipse. As shown in FIG. 51, the result is a change both in data displayed in window 796 and data displayed in region 795 of window 791.

In FIG. 52, cursor 781 is used to define a region 797 in window 791. In FIG. 53, cursor 781 is used to select a selection "Create a New . . . " in pull down menu 798. As a result of this selection dialog box 799 appears in FIG. 54. Dialog box 799 contains icons for the two classes of objects available which are able to display data in region 797 of window 791. Using cursor 781, the icon "HP Shape" has been highlighted. Using keyboard 19 the name "New Shape" has been typed in as the name for a new object to be created. Cursor 781 now points to a regions labelled "OK". Once this region is selected, a new object titled "New Shape" is created. Data for "New Shape" is displayed in region 797 of window 791 as is shown in FIG. 55. In FIG. 56, "New Shape", (object 750) is shown to be a child of "Paste Up" (object 707) through a link 760.

In FIG. 57 a window 800 for "New Shape" was opened by placing cursor 781 over region 797 of window 791 and clicking twice on a button on mouse 20. In FIG. 58, cursor 781 is used to select the selection "Triangle" from a pull down menu 801. The result, as shown in FIG. 59, is that a triangle is now displayed both in window 800 and in region 797 of window 791.

In FIG. 60, window 800 has been closed. In FIG. 61, "New Shape" is selected by placing cursor 781 over region 797 of window 796, and clicking a button on mouse 20. In FIG. 62, cursor 781 is used to select selection "Share" from pull down menu 794. In FIG. 63, cursor 781 is used to select a region 802 of window 791. In FIG. 64, cursor 781 is used to select selection "Paste" from pull down menu 794. The result, as shown in FIG. 65, is the sharing of "New Shape" with data from "New Shape" being displayed in region 797 and in region 802 of window 791. In FIG. 66, "New Shape" (object 750) is shown to have an additional link 770, from its parent "Paste Up" (object 707).

In FIG. 67, region 797 has been selected using cursor 781. Cursor 781 is then used to select selection "Cut" from pull down menu 794. The result, as seen in FIG. 68, is that region 781 has been removed from window 791. In FIG. 69, cursor 781 is used to select selection "Paste" from pull down menu 783. The result, shown in FIG. 70, is an icon for "New Shape", pointed to by cursor 781. In FIG. 71, "New Shape (object 750) is shown to now be a child of NewWave Office (object 100), through a link 780.

In FIG. 72, OMF 100 is shown to contain seven system files: system file 601, system file 602, system file 603, system file 604, system file 605, system file 606 and system file 607. OMF interface 599 serves as interface of OMF to other programs running on computer 18. System files 601-607 serve as a data base that provides various information. They provide information about object properties such as what class each object is what is the name of each object. System files 601-607 provide information about classes of objects such as what application is associated with each class of objects, what icon represents objects of a particular class and lists of what messages (such as those shown in FIG. 2) can be processed by objects of a particular class. System files 601-607 also contain information about links between parent and child objects including a list of parents and reference names of each link from a parent for each object; a list of children and reference names of each link to a child for each object; and additional information to manage data exchange across data links. Additionally, system files 601-607 contain general information such as what files are installed in the operating system for each class that is installed, and what objects have requested automatic restart when the OMF 100 is restarted.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention system file 601 is referred to as HPOMF.CAT, system file 602 is referred to as HPOMF.CLS, system file 603 is referred to as HPOMF.XRF, system file 604 is referred to as HPOMF.PRP, system file 605 is referred to as HPOMF.INS, system file 606 is referred to as HPOMF.SDF and system file 607 is referred to as HPOMFICO.NWE. A description of each system file is now given.

System file 601, HPOMF.CAT, is also referred to as SYSCAT. HPOMF.CAT is a catalog of all the existing objects in the system. In FIG. 73, HPOMF.CAT is shown to be record oriented. HPOMF.CAT has a plurality of file records. In FIG. 73, file record 0 through file record 8 are shown, although HPOMF.CAT may contain many more file records than are shown in FIG. 73. File record 0 is a header which contains various signatures and is used to manage a list of free file records. A signature is some known value which if present indicates that the file is not corrupted. File record 1 through file record 8 and additional file records (not shown) either define an existing object, or are free. In the preferred embodiment HPOMF.CAT can grow dynamically, as more file records are needed, but cannot shrink.

File record 1 defines a special object called the global parent. The global parent has a form different than every other object, and may be regarded as a "pseudo" object. FIG. 74 shows the global parent to be the parent of global object 250 through link 260, global object 251 through link 261, global object 252 through link 262, global object 253 through link 263, global object 254 through link 264 and global object 255 through link 265, as shown. Global objects 250-255 are also within HPOMF.CAT. Each global object 250-255 may be a parent of one or more objects in HPOMF.CAT. Each object in HPOMF.CAT which is not a global object, is a descendant of a global object. Although FIG. 74 shows only six global objects, the number of global objects operating on a system is a matter of system configuration. Any object in the system can refer to a global object by using the reference name of the link to that global object from the global parent.

As may be seen from FIG. 73, file records in HPOMF.CAT are numbered consecutively. These numbers serve as tags, which identify each object.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each record is 128 bytes in length. The fields for file record 0 are listed in Table 1 below:

                  TABLE 1
    ______________________________________
    1FirstFreeEntry Contains the record number of the
                    first free record in HPOMF.CAT,
                    or "0" if there are no free
                    records.
    FileId          Contains the null terminated
                    string "HPOMF.CAT". This serves
                    as a signature.
    Version         Contains the file format version
                    nunber, which also serves as a
                    signature.
    1MaxRecordNumber
                    Contains the number of the
                    highest record ever allocated
                    from within HPOMF.CAT (this
                    highest record may or may not be
                    free).
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 2
    ______________________________________
    1FirstFreeEntry Is "-1" if this record defines an
                    object, otherwise this record is
                    free and this field is the record
                    number of the next free record,
                    or "0" if there are no more free
                    records. If the record is free,
                    none of the other fields in the
                    record is meaningful.
    TypeInclass     Specifies the class of this
                    object. This is the number of
                    the record in HPOMF.CLS that
                    indicates to which class the
                    object belongs (see discussion of
                    class above).
    SysCatFlags     Specifies if the object is global
                    if the bit masked by the number
                    20 (hexadecimal) is set in this
                    byte. In the preferred
                    embodiment all other bit
                    positions must contain "0" and
                    are not used.
    properties      Specifies the number of
                    properties, the length of the
                    property names and the location
                    in HPOMF.PRP of the object's
                    properties. See the description
                    of HPOMF.PRP below for further
                    definition of the structure of
                    this field.
    fastprops       Certain object properties, such
                    as name, are so heavily accessed
                    that they are stored directly in
                    this field, rather than
                    indirectly in the properties
                    file. Properties stored in this
                    field are called "fast
                    properties."
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 3
    ______________________________________
    1FirstFreeEntry Contains the record number of the
                    first free record in HPOMF.CLS,
                    or "0" if there are no free
                    records.
    FileId          Contains the null terminated
                    string "HPOMF.CLS"
    Version         Contains the file format version
                    number.
    1MaxRecordNumber
                    Contains the number of the
                    highest record ever allocated
                    from within HPOMF.CLS (this
                    highest record may or may not be
                    free).
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 4
    ______________________________________
    1FirstFreeEntry Is "-1" if this record defines an
                    installed class, otherwise this
                    record is free and this field is
                    the record number of the next
                    free record, or "0" if there are
                    no more free records. If the
                    record is free, none of the other
                    fields in the record is
                    meaningful.
    ModuleFileName  Specifies the name of the
                    application associated with
                    objects of this class as a null -
                    terminated string.
    properties      Specifies the number of
                    properties, the length of the
                    property names and the location
                    in HPOMF.PRP of the object's
                    properties. See the description
                    of HPOMF.PRP below for further
                    definition of the structure of
                    this field.
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 5
    ______________________________________
    ParentTag      Contains the tag (HPOMF.CAT
                   record number) of the parent
                   object of this link. If this
                   field is 0, then this record does
                   not define a link and is free.
    ChildTag       Contains the tag of the child
                   object of this link. If
                   ParentTag in this record is 0,
                   and this field is also 0, then no
                   record beyond this record in
                   HPOMF.XRF defines a link.
    RefName        Contains the reference name that
                   the parent has assigned to the
                   link. This field is meaningless
                   if ParentTag or ChildTag is zero.
                   0therwise, if the top three bits
                   of this value are 110, the next
                   record in the file is a view
                   specification.
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 5A
    ______________________________________
    DataId            Contains the value that the child
                      has assigned to identify the part
                      of itself that is being viewed
                      through the link.
    Snapshot          Contains the tag (HPOMF.CAT
                      record number) of the object
                      which is the view's snapshot, or
                      if zero, the view has no
                      snapshot. For further discussion
                      of snapshots, see below.
    Misc              Composed of several bit fields
                      described below:
    VS.sub.-- NEWDATASET
                      Set if child has told OMF
                      that new data is available,
                      but has not been announced
                      to the parent. The
                      hexadecimal number 8000 0000
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- NEWDATAANNOUNCED
                      Set if child has told OMF to
                      announce new data to parent,
                      but parent was inactive and
                      was not notified. The
                      hexadecimal number 4000 0000
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- SNAPSHOTOLD
                      Set if child has told OMF
                      that the view's snapshot is
                      out-of-date. The
                      hexadecimal number 2000 0000
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- WANTMESSAGES
                      Set if chi1d has told OMF
                      that it wants to process
                      view messages when snapshot
                      is out-of-date. The
                      hexadecimal number 1000 0000
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- TEXTDISKLOC
                      File position in HPOMF.PRP
                      where a view's 32 character
                      textual data ID is located.
                      This contains zero if no
                      textual data ID has been
                      defined by the child. The
                      low order five bits of the
                      file position are always
                      zero and are thus not stored
                      in the Misc field. The
                      hexadecimal number 0FFF FFE0
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- INITIALIZED
                      Set if the view
                      specification has been
                      initialized. If clear, all
                      information in the view
                      specification is zero. The
                      hexadecimal number 0000 0010
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    VS.sub.-- RESERVED
                      Reserved for future
                      expansion. The hexadecimal
                      number 0000 0008 is a mask
                      which indicates which bits
                      are used for this bit field.
    VS.sub.-- VIEWCLASS
                      Specifies the view class the
                      child assigned to the view.
                      The view class defines what
                      view methods are available
                      to the parent. The
                      hexadecimal number 0000 0007
                      is a mask which indicates
                      which bits are used for this
                      bit field.
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 6
    ______________________________________
    DirDiskLoc     Contains the position (byte
                   offset) within HPOMF.PRP of the
                   property list directory.
    nProps         Contains the number of properties
                   in the property list. This is
                   the number of entries in the
                   directory entry array described
                   below.
    PoolSize       Contains the conbined length of
                   al1 the names of the properties
                   in the property list, including a
                   null-terminating byte for each
                   name. This is the size of the
                   directory name pool described
                   below.
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7
    ______________________________________
    ValueLen        Specifies the length in bytes of
                    the associated ptop.erty. This
                    can be zero.
    ValueDiskLoc    Contains the position within
                    HPOMF.PRP of the value of the
                    associated property. If ValueLen
                    is zero, this is also zero, and
                    there is no value stored
                    anywhere.
    CacheOffset     This field is only used at run
                    time and is not meaningful in the
                    file.
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 8
    ______________________________________
    offset  content     comments
    ______________________________________
    0       CD AB 01 01 File header/version check
    4       0C 00       Length of AB record (12
                        decimal)
    6       41 42 00    "AB" + Null
    9       04          Length of length byte "*Z" +
                        Null
    A       2A 5A 00    "*Z" + Null
    D       05          Length of length byte + "+YY" +
                        Null
    E       2B 59 59 00 "+YY" + Null
    12      0A 00       Length of CDE record (10
                        decimal)
    14      43 44 45 00 "CDE" + Null
    18      06          Length of length byte + "*XXX" +
                        Null
    19      2A 58 58 58 00
                        "*XXX" + Null
    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 9
    ______________________________________
    offset    content   comments
    ______________________________________
    0         00 00     Indicates no crash recovery needed
    2         02 00     Tag of first object to restart
    4         00        Unused and reserved
    5         07 00     Tag of second object to restart
    7         00        Unused and reserved
    ______________________________________