Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Oracle America, Inc.

Hans E Muller

Brad G Fowlow

Gregory B Nuyens

Scott Ronald Violet

Rene W Schmidt

Hideya Kawahara

Curtis Jyun Sasaki

Chet Haase

Jonathan I Schwartz

Robert B Jervis

Greg B Nuyens

George Allyn Polk

Rance J DeLong

Vladimir G Ivanovic

Daniel J Baigent

Nikhyl Singhal

Qiang A Zhao

Brian D Nitz

Carl I Gadener

John S Kern

Methods for rendering effects of graphical components of a graphical user interface are provided. One method includes defining a screen display having one or more components. The method also includes defining a start state for at least one of the one or more components and defining an end state for at least one of the one or more components. An operation of determining if a component identified for transition includes a defined start state and a defined end state is also provided. The method determines a transition type for the component that that has the defined start state and the defined end state and identifies an effect type based on the determined transition type. To render, the method includes (a) altering a graphics state at a time interval and (b) painting the component for the identified graphics state at the time interval. The method repeats (a)-(b) until the graphics state matches the defined end state. The component is then rendered at the defined end state using a particular defined transition effect.

Effects framework for GUI components

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates displaying multiple two-dimensional (2D) windows with related content within a three-dimensional (3D) display model. The system starts by receiving a command to display a first window within the 3D display model. In response to the command, the system displays the content of the first window on a first surface of a 3D object. Next, the system receives a command to display a second window within the 3D display model, wherein content of the second window is related to content of the first window. The system then displays content of the second window on a second surface of the 3D object.

Method and apparatus for displaying related two-dimensional windows in a three-dimensional display model

A browser-independent and automatic apparatus and method for receiving, installing, and launching applications from a browser is described. According to one embodiment, a helper application is registered with a browser for a specified file type. When the browser encounters a link to a metafile of the specified file type, the file is downloaded to the requesting system and the helper application is invoked to process the downloaded file. In the context of a Java&trade; implementation, the downloaded metafile comprises a short launch file specification for a Java&trade; application, and specifies a classpath as a set of Universal Resource Identifiers (&ldquo;URIs&rdquo;), a Java&trade; Runtime Environment (&ldquo;JRE&rdquo;) version, security considerations, and other relevant information concerning the Java&trade; application to be executed. According to aspects of the present invention, automatic installation of Java&trade; archive files (&ldquo;JAR files&rdquo;) and class files based on the URIs from which they are downloaded is implemented, automatic updates and versioning are supported without any central administration, and automatic installation of multiple JREs is facilitated. Embodiments of the present invention may also be used to facilitate other applications, such as launching Java&trade; applications directly from a browser without having to execute them within the browser, and to tie web contents to the appropriate corresponding viewer application.

Browser-independent and automatic apparatus and method for receiving, installing and launching applications from a browser on a client computer

According to aspects of the present invention, an original archive file having one or more entries is created, where each entry in the original archive file is itself a file, and where each entry in the archive file may comprise any file type, including an archive file. The original archive file is transmitted to a client computer. Subsequently, a target archive file is created, wherein one or more of the entries in the target archive file are typically expected to be identical to one or more entries in the original archive file. Given the original archive file and the target archive file, a difference archive file is created. The difference archive file comprises an index file describing the changes between the original archive file and the target archive file, and also comprises a set of entries corresponding to the entries in the target archive file that are not contained in the original archive file. The difference archive file is transmitted to the client computer, instead of requiring that the entire target archive file be transmitted. At the client computer, the difference archive file is applied to the original archive file to produce a synthesized archive file, wherein the synthesized archive file is functionally identical to the target archive file, and wherein each entry in the synthesized archive file is identical to a corresponding entry in the target archive file.

Apparatus and method for incremental updating of archive files

A distributed object application builder apparatus filters an object definition to determine the information needed (plugs) and provided (sockets) by an object. Each part (a run-time instance of an object) in the builder has plugs and sockets that are interconnected to other parts to define a distributed object application. At run time, actual instances of objects are substituted for the parts. A method of determining the plugs of an identified part begins by retrieving the interface (object definition) that corresponds to the part. Once retrieved, the plugs of the part are identified by determining the object-valued attributes of the retrieved interface, determining the operations from the retrieved interface that require one object-valued argument, and retrieving the factory argument list from the factory method for the object. These attributes and arguments constitute the plugs of the part. Sockets of a part are determined similarly. The plugs of a part are determined based upon their matching with a previously chosen socket. Similarly, if a plug is chosen first from a part, this chosen plug is matched with a socket of another part. A distributed object application program is constructed by choosing a first part, filtering its interface to determine its plugs and sockets, and then choosing and filtering the interface of a second part. Once plugs and sockets are determined, they are connected to at least partially define a distributed object application program. The filtering takes place within a visual application builder using a graphical user interface to select and connect parts.

Filtering an object interface definition to determine services needed

A distributed object application builder apparatus filters an object definition to determine both information needed (plugs) and provided (sockets) by an object. Each part (a run-time instance of an object) in the builder has plugs and sockets interconnected to other parts to define a distributed object application program. At run time, actual instances of objects are substituted for the parts. A method of determining the plugs of an identified part retrieves the interface (object definition) corresponding to the part. Once retrieved, the plugs of the part are identified by determining the object-valued attributes of the retrieved interface, by determining the operations from the retrieved interface that require one object-valued argument, and by retrieving the factory argument list from the factory method for the object. These attributes and arguments constitute the plugs of the part. Sockets of a part are determined similarly. The plugs of a part are determined based upon their matching with a previously chosen socket. Similarly, if a plug is chosen first from a part, this chosen plug is matched with a socket of another part. A distributed object application program is constructed by choosing a first part, filtering its interface to determine its plugs and sockets, and then choosing and filtering the interface of a second part. Once plugs and sockets have been determined, they are connected to at least partially define a distributed object application program. The filtering takes place within a visual application builder using a graphical user interface to select and connect parts.

A technique for automating the assembly of networked, language independent objects into a network application for use in a distributed object computing system uses program templates and a symbol table. A schematic representation of the network application is formed within a visual application builder. The schematic representation defines connections among representations of previously defined distributed objects. These connections are formed among parts, plugs and sockets that are associated with representations of distributed objects termed components. The schematic representation of the network application is loaded into a symbol table and portions of the schematic representation are stored as a number of entries in the symbol table. These entries include identifier-value pairs; that is, identifiers are mapped to values. The program source files to be generated are determined and the program templates for use in generating the program source file are also determined. The program templates include identifiers that correspond to the entries in the symbol table. The program templates are combined with the symbol table to generate at least one program source file. Identifiers in the templates are replaced with the corresponding values from the symbol table. The program source file is suitable for being compiled and linked to form a portion of the network application.

Code generator for applications in distributed object systems

An improved technique for monitoring computer processes and their attributes using a three-dimensional graphical image. The three dimensional graphical image is formed by displaying the graphical objects associated with the computer processes and their attributes. The physical relationship between the various graphical objects within the graphical image preferably model the actual relationships between the processes and their attributes. The computers which run or activate the processes may also be represented by a graphical object within the graphical image. As the attributes of the computer processes change, the characteristics of the graphical objects are quickly adjusted and the three-dimensional graphical image is updated to reflect the changes to the attributes of the computer processes being monitored. By varying the characteristics of the graphical objects, a user is able to visually notice the changes that occur to the graphical objects of the three-dimensional graphical image as an indication of the changes taking place to the attributes of the processes being monitored.

Three-dimensional real-time monitoring of attributes of computer

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides an improved method and system for testing a graphical user interface program. The preferred embodiment provides improved performance over prior methods because it decouples the testing of an program's engine component from the testing of its GUI component. The preferred method begins the testing process by invoking test functions that send data to the program's engine component. The data simulates user action on the graphical user interface of the program. In response to receiving the data, the engine component processes the simulated user action as if it had been sent from the graphical user interface component. The preferred method captures the results of this processing and uses the results to determine whether the engine component is performing properly. By testing the engine component without invoking the graphical user interface component, the preferred embodiment reduces the overall time spent testing the GUI program and allows the testing of the program to begin at an earlier point in the development process than had earlier been possible.

Growing community of inventors

Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Hans E Muller