3com Corporation

Paul B Greizerstein

William Joseph Nelson

John Cook

Kathryn De Graaf

Shay Leshkowitz

One or more form descriptions are expressed in the form description language (FDL) and are entered into an FDL file. The FDL file is then registered with a dynamic forms software module using a dynamic forms API. Upon registration, the file is parsed and software 'specification' objects containing a data from the file or added to the internal catalogue of compiled form descriptions. When the application requests a form to be displayed, the dynamic form software finds the entry for the form in the catalogue, constructs the form using the information from the specification objects, and displays the information to the user. The form construction process includes the selection of widgets, the binding of each widget to a data source, the layout and alignment of all widgets, and the construction of rule objects that respond to the users interaction with the form and validate the users input.

Dynamic configuration forms in network management software

Data between two stations is often transmitted in the form of a parameter and the name or identifier of the parameter. The present invention divides the identifier into a prefix, an attribute, and a suffix. The actual parameters having a particular prefix or suffix are then transmitted along with the attributes. Then parameters having a different suffix but the same prefix are transmitted along with the respective attributes. This is repeated until all suffixes of the first prefix have been used. The process is then repeated for a different prefix. Indicators are used to indicate the start of a particular group having a particular suffix and a particular prefix. In this way the entire identifier for each parameter does not need to be transmitted each time a parameter is transmitted.

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Hopkinton, MA, United States of America

Paul B Greizerstein