Netiq Corporation

Thomas Richard Kemp

Ching-Fa Hwang

Prayoon Phathayakorn

Her-Daw Che

Kong Li

A method is provided for signaling and acknowledging events associated with resource objects organized in a foldable object tree displayed by a GUI. When an event occurs on a resource object, an event indicator is placed not only on the resource object's icon in the object tree, but also on all the icons of the parent resource objects of that resource object to ensure that the event indicator is visible even when the object tree is folded. Events occurring on a resource object may be acknowledged by clicking on the resource object icon. When an event is acknowledged, the event indicator is removed not only from the resource object's icon but also from all of the icons of the parent resource objects for that resource object to ensure that the acknowledgment is always accurately reflected by the GUI display even the object tree is folded. The method further ensures that multiple events occurring on resource objects having a common parent resource object, are correctly reflected by visual indicators displayed by the GUI. A method is further provided for performing system management on a computer system. Finally, a method is provided for performing system management on a distributed system.

Event signaling in a foldable object tree

A method is provided for enabling a user to select and manipulate resource objects of a given type by selecting a program of a type compatible with the type of the resource objects via the graphical user interface of a computer system. This is achieved by first controlling a cursor control device of the computer system to drag a program icon onto a resource object icon. Then, a type of the program is compared to a type of the resource object to determine whether the program can manipulate the resource object. If the program can manipulate the resource object, a visual display of the resource object icon is modified to indicate to the user that the program can manipulate the resource object. In response to the visual display, the user has the option of either electing to manipulate the object using the program by dropping the program icon onto the resource object icon, or of terminating the operation by dragging the program icon away from the resource object icon. If the user elects to manipulate the resource object via the program, the program is executed by the computer system. A method is further provided for automatically comparing the type of the program to the type of a second resource object to determine whether the program can manipulate the second resource object, if the type of the program is not compatible with the type of the first resource object. A method is further provided for performing system management on a computer system. Finally, a method is provided for performing system management on a distributed system.

Selection, type matching and manipulation of resource objects by a

A method is provided for signalling and acknowledging events associated with resource objects organized in a foldable object tree displayed by a GUI. When an event occurs on a resource object, an event indicator is placed not only on the resource object's icon in the object tree, but also on all the icons of the parent resource objects of that resource object to ensure that the event indicator is visible even when the object tree is folded. Events occurring on a resource object may be acknowledged by clicking on the resource object icon. When an event is acknowledged, the event indicator is removed not only from the resource object's icon but also from all of the icons of the parent resource objects for that resource object to ensure that the acknowledgment is always accurately reflected by the GUI display even the object tree is folded. The method further ensures that multiple events occurring on resource objects having a common parent resource object, are correctly reflected by visual indicators displayed by the GUI. A method is further provided for performing system management on a computer system. Finally, a method is provided for performing system management on a distributed system.

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Thomas Richard Kemp