Patent ID: 6493006
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for enabling a computer user to invoke actions that are to be performed on objects appearing on a computer display, comprising the steps of:detecting a designated action by a user with respect to a selected object under the control of an application program executing on a computer; determining a data type for the selected object; retrieving a list of commands provided by the application program which are associated with the determined type of data; providing a notification from the application program to an operating system executing on the computer, which identifies the designated action and the type of data for the selected object; selecting, within the operating system, a set of commands based upon said type of data, in response to said notification; providing said notification to plug-in modules which are registered with the operating system; selecting, within said plug-in modules, additional commands based upon said type of data, in response to said notification; providing said set of commands selected by the operating system and said additional commands selected by the plug-in modules to the application program; and displaying a menu of commands appropriate to the selected type of data, which includes the list of commands retrieved by the application program and the commands selected by the operating system and the plug-in modules.