Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-08-14
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275226
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to system and method for supporting development of application windows and more particularly, to development supporting system and method which utilize a client/server system for an application constructed of the application windows using graphical user interface GUI controls. The invention also relates to a storage medium for support of application window development.
VisualBasic, Visual C++ of Microsoft Corp. and APPGALLERY of Hitachi Ltd. have been available as development supporting tools used when the application windows using GUI controls are developed, the application windows using GUI controls can be prepared interactively. For setting of properties of the GUI controls used in the application windows, a method has been used in which the properties are set by using GUI control property setting dialogues in respect of individual GUI controls as shown in “Preparation of Windows by a Form Editor” (APPGALLERY user's guide (3020-7-425), pp. 18-19).
Also available as a relevant technique is a method of changing the property of a GUI control used for an application window in dependence upon the property of a form corresponding to the window, as shown in JP-A-9-114621.
In conventional techniques, however, any method cannot be found in which properties common to GUI controls utilized in an application are controlled collectively and information about the common properties is set to the property of a GUI control utilized during application window development independently of other properties. Any method cannot be found, either, which can collectively change properties in respect of individual GUI controls.
In development of an application constructed of a plurality of application windows each using GUI controls, if application windows are prepared by a plurality of persons without settling properties common to the GUI controls used in the application, resulting properties of the GUI controls will differ from each other in conformity with preference of each person to make the application windows inconsistent. When the properties common to the GUI controls used in the application are settled to make outwards of the individual application windows consistent, a more consistent and easy-to-operate application can be prepared.
For the sake of making outwards of application windows consistent, a method is available in which application window specifications are designed before developing the application windows, values of properties owned by GUI controls used in the application windows are prescribed with respect of individual types of GUI controls, and the properties of GUI controls are set by making reference to the application window specifications with respect of the individual GUI controls used during development of the application windows.
Default values are settled for properties of GUI controls with respect of individual types of GUI controls pursuant to application window development tools used and when a GUI control is newly added to an application window, the default value is always set in the property of the GUI control, with the result that there occurs necessarily the work of re-setting properties of GUI controls by consulting the specifications. In this case, a user must independently set a plurality of properties in the GUI controls used, raising a problem that inconsistency with the specifications is liable to occur owing to human errors.
In addition, the change of properties common to GUI controls used in common to individual application windows may often take place during application development. In that case, the user must carry out the work of finding out of the individual application windows all GUI controls which are required to be changed in properties concomitantly with the change of common properties so as to re-set properties with respect of the individual GUI controls, thus raising a problem that each time that properties of the GUI controls used in common are changed, the user must repetitively apply a plurality of operations to the individual controls which consume much time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In development of an application program constructed of a plurality of application windows utilizing GUI controls, the present invention has an object to improve the efficiency of development of application windows so as to improve the efficiency of development of the application program by simplifying the operation of setting properties with respect of individual GUI controls through the use of GUI control property defining information according to which properties of GUI controls used in the individual application windows are defined on a server and when the GUI control property defining information on the server is redefined, by simplifying the work of re-setting the properties of the GUI controls through collective change of properties of the GUI controls utilizing the GUI control property definition.
To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, the function is provided to define properties of a plurality of GUI controls as one set on a server and control a plurality of pieces of defining information to reflect selected GUI control property defining information as the property of a GUI control newly utilized by an application window editor adapted to develop an application window on the side of a client and the function is provided to collectively reflect the latest GUI control property defining information upon properties of all GUI controls utilizing the GUI control property defining information.
Namely, in a system for support of development of application windows utilizing GUI controls having a server for collectively controlling resources utilized in application program development and clients for performing development by utilizing the resources, the server includes storage means for storing properties common to GUI controls used in application windows and each of the clients includes a GUI control property defining information definer for defining the common properties of GUI controls to be stored in the storage means, an application window editor for developing an application window by using the GUI controls in combination, and control means for reflecting the common properties of GUI controls stored in the storage means upon the property of a GUI control to be newly added to the application window editor. There are also provided retrieval means for retrieving a GUI control using the common properties of GUI controls which prevail before changing when the common properties of GUI controls are changed by the GUI control property defining information definer and change means for changing the property of the retrieved GUI control to common properties which prevail after changing.
According to the present invention, a system of supporting development of application windows utilizing GUI controls comprises a GUI control property defining information definer for defining properties common to GUI controls, first selection means for selecting a GUI control which synchronizes with the common properties of GUI controls defined by the GUI control property defining information definer, and change means for changing the property of the GUI control selected by the first selection means to the common properties defined by the GUI control property defining information definer. Second selection means is also provided for selecting the property which synchronizes with the selected GUI control from the common properties of GUI controls defined by the GUI control property defining information definer. The GUI control property defining information definer defines the common properties of GUI controls in respect of individual types of GUI controls.
According to the present invention, a method of supporting development of application windows utilizing GUI controls comprises the steps of defining properties common to GUI controls, selecting a GUI control which synchronizes with the common properties, retrieving the GUI control which synchronizes with the common properties, and
Hyodo Keiji
Inoue Keitaro
Itaya Takashi
Kifuji Kazuya
Shimazaki Koichi
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Bayerl Raymond J.
Hailu Tadesse
Hitachi Ltd
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