Embarcadero Technologies, Inc.

Borland Software Corporation

Allen Bauer

Michael L Swindell

John Edward Churchill

In a method for displaying a user interface at a device, a software application is received at the device, wherein the software application includes multiple classes of user interfaces pertaining to different versions of the software application executing on different device platforms having at least a same form factor or a same operating system, wherein the software application includes a master view and a plurality of subordinate views, wherein each of the subordinate views pertain to one of the multiple classes of user interfaces. The software application is executed at the device. An appropriate user interface of the multiple classes of user interfaces is determined for device based on at least a form factor of the device. The appropriate user interface is displayed at the device by displaying the master view and the subordinate view for the appropriate user interface.

Development of multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application

In a method for displaying a user interface at a device, a software application i received at the device, wherein the software application includes multiple classes of user interfaces pertaining to different versions of the software application executing on different device platforms having at least a same form factor or a same operating system, wherein the software application includes a master view and a plurality of subordinate views, wherein each of the subordinate views pertain to one of the multiple classes of user interfaces. The software application is executed at the device. An appropriate user interface of the multiple classes of user interfaces is determined for device based on at least a form factor of the device. The appropriate user interface is displayed at the device by displaying the master view and the subordinate view for the appropriate user interface.

Methods and systems for developing an object for connecting multiple platforms to a universal framework are disclosed. A selection of a developer tool for a universal framework from a plurality of developer tools is received at an interface for developing an object at a computer system, wherein the developer tool makes use of data by the object. The object is compiled with the developer tool such that the object will execute at a target device and make use of the data from a plurality of devices using the plurality of different protocols in the universal framework.

Universal framework for connectivity of devices and development tools

In a method for automatic reference counting, source code with automatic reference counting is executed, such that the source code executes an object destructor on demand irrespective of whether there are live references to an object, wherein the object destructor marks the object as disposed without freeing a portion of memory associated with the object and without impacting validity of a reference to the object. The object destructor is executed during execution of the source code, wherein the object destructor is for use in an explicit disposal process of a reference associated with the source code, wherein the object destructor collects a reference, removes the reference from being a live reference, and marks the object as disposed of.

Automatic reference counting

Methods and systems for connecting multiple platforms to a universal framework are disclosed. Data is received from a network device at an engine via a first protocol, wherein the data includes metadata. The metadata is converted from the first protocol to a plurality of protocols at the engine. The universal framework is provided at the engine to make the metadata available to external devices via the plurality of protocols.

Methods and systems for developing an object for connecting multiple platforms to a universal framework are disclosed. An interface for developing an object at a computer system is provided. A plurality of developer tools for a universal framework at the interface for use in designing the object is provided, where the tools automatically make use of data by the object, and where the data is generated by a plurality of devices using a plurality of different protocols. A selection of a developer tool from the plurality of developer tools is received at the interface. The object is compiled with the developer tool such that the object will execute at a target device and make use of the data from said plurality of devices using the plurality of different protocols in the universal framework.

Methods and systems for a universal framework for connectivity of devices and developer tools are disclosed. A network device is detected at an engine. Data is received from the network device at the engine via a first protocol wherein the data comprises metadata. The metadata is converted from the first protocol to a plurality of protocols at the engine. A universal framework is provided at the engine to make the metadata available via the plurality of protocols. The metadata is sent from the universal framework to an external device via a specified protocol requested by the external device. In one embodiment, developer tools are provided for developing objects using said universal framework.

Methods and systems for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application are disclosed. A master view of a software application is displayed, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for the software application wherein each of the multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute the software application. Subordinate views are created, at the computer system, wherein each of the subordinate views pertain to one of the multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter the master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on the master view combined with a first group of the deltas for the first subordinate view. A change is propagated to the master view to each of the subordinate views, at the computer system.

In a method for enabling automatic reference counting, a segment of source code is replaced with an automatic reference counting implementation such that the source code executes an object destructor on demand irrespective of whether there are live references to an object, where a reference associates the object with a portion of memory, and where the object destructor marks the object as disposed without freeing the portion of memory associated with the object and without impacting validity of the reference to the object. The source code is executed with the automatic reference counting implementation, where the automatic reference counting collects a reference and removes the reference from being a live reference, and where marking of the object as disposed by the object destructor is executed on demand based on the source code irrespective of whether there are live references to the object and without impacting validity of the reference to the object.

Methods for enabling automatic reference counting are disclosed. A source code is searched for a particular pattern via a compiler associated with a computer system, wherein the source code is written in an existing language and wherein the particular pattern is for a reference associating an object with a portion of memory. The particular pattern is recognized at the computer system. The particular pattern is replaced with an automatic reference counting implementation at the computer system. The source code is executed with the automatic reference counting implementation.

A system and methodology for design-time dynamic class type construction is described. In one embodiment, for example, in a form-based development system, a method is described for dynamically constructing a form under an object framework during development of an application by a user, the method comprises steps of: providing an ancestor class under an object framework, the ancestor class for representing a form in the development system; in response to user input, creating a descendant class inheriting from the ancestor class for representing a particular form to be included in the application; generating instructions for creating methods of the descendant class under the object framework; creating a type delegator for the descendant class, thereby enabling the descendant class to track changes made to the particular form during development of the application; creating an instance of the descendant class; and constructing the particular form in the development system based on the instance of the descendant class.

Growing community of inventors

Scotts Valley, CA, United States of America

Allen Bauer