David E Phipps

US Patent:

60141387, Jan 11, 2000

Filed:

Aug 16, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/699009

Inventors:

Ronald Allen Cain - Scotts Valley CA
Elliot Omiya - Aptos CA
David Phipps - Santa Cruz CA

Assignee:

Inprise Corporation - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G06T 100

US Classification:

345335

Abstract:

A system of the present invention includes a relational database management system (RDBMS), having an object-based, interactive visual-programming language providing programming by "visual inheritance. " A user places screen objects (e. g. , boxes, screen buttons, table objects, and the like) on an on-screen window or "form," visually attaches selected "properties" and "methods" to the screen objects, and then establishes an containership-based event model that dictates how and when these properties and methods will be invoked. An object inherits (derives) properties and methods from other (parent) objects via its visual containership. In this manner, the task of creating and maintaining application programs is greatly simplified. An alternative embodiment providing an "Object Explorer" is also described. The Explorer collapses object inspector and object tree functionality into a single UI (user interface) element.