Eda Systems, Inc.

Stephen P Tomas

John H Wright

A method and related system for use with an interactive computer for invocation of a computer tool. A tool template and a tool encapsulator are provided for the tool. A tool template is a predetermined representation of processes and data employed to convey program status information to the user and to allow the user to control the program as it executes. In a specific embodiment, a tool template has a plurality of graphical constituents allowing a user to specify data and parameters, to invoke a program, to control execution of the program and to observe execution of the computer program. A tool template is to be used in connection with an encapsulator to allow a user graphical access to data through a display screen. Data is stored in an elementary unit called an object, each object being assigned a 'data kind' to indicate the type of data that is contained within the object. Each object is graphically represented on a display by an icon which is determined by the object's data kind. Objects can be inserted by graphical interaction into a constituent of a tool template called a 'slot'. A slot represents a logical input or output of an underlying tool represented by its tool template.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Stephen P Tomas