Application-external help system for a windowing user interface

Details Application-external help system for a windowing user interface Application-external help system for a windowing user interface

1994-08-09

1996-12-03

Powell, Mark R.

395340, 395326, G06F 314

Patent

active

055816843

ABSTRACT:
Context sensitive help is provided by an application-external help system for a windowing environment. The help system is application-external in that it operates without the cooperation of an application or the help system supplied as part of the application. An object about which help is desired is selected by a user during the course of operation of an application program, and the help system uniquely identifies the object so that the help system can take appropriate action. Objects are uniquely identified by storing characteristics of each object, such as title, class, ID, style, number of child objects, number of parent objects, etc. An agent list contains, for each agent on the list, an event, an object string (including characteristics for each object) and an action. The help system also allows generalized functionality to be added to existing application programs by using script files that specify events to be performed on objects, by having a controller intercept communications to or from application programs and monitoring events. When certain events are detected, the help system inhibits and controls functions in the host application program to achieve added functionality.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5179654 (1993-01-01), Richards et al.
patent: 5339392 (1994-08-01), Risberg et al.
patent: 5349657 (1994-09-01), Lee
patent: 5371851 (1994-12-01), Pieper et al.
patent: 5421004 (1995-05-01), Carpenter et al.

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