System for managing external applications and files

Details System for managing external applications and files System for managing external applications and files

1994-08-19

1999-07-13

Banankhah, Majid A.

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput

Computer-to-computer data routing

Least weight routing

707205, G06F 946

Patent

active

059220546

ABSTRACT:
A computer-implemented system for managing an external application in response to a user's selection of an item in a compound document which is displayed by a client application. The managing system includes an application manager and a file manager which are simple in construction because there is no need for them to communicate directly with the external application; rather, they simply monitor the external application. In response to user selection of an item in the compound document, the client application copies the selected item to an external temporary file and sends the temporary file name to the application manager. Based on the file name, the application manager associates an external application to the file, launches the external application, issues polling requests for activity of the external application, and outputs the file name to the file manager. In response to outputting of the file name from the application manager, the file manager commences monitoring activities of the external file to determine whether it has been modified, and, in addition, returns a pointer for the external file to the application manager. The application manager returns the pointer for the external file to the client application, and in addition returns a pointer for the external application. Upon receipt of these pointers, the client application instructs a windowing operating system to display a window for the external application. By virtue of this arrangement, a full-featured compound document capability is provided in which it is possible to perform all conventional windowing tasks such as close down or re-focus of external applications, and close down or iconization of the client application, all without any specialized communication to the external application or the external file.

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