Patent ID: 6269407
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method within a data processing system for filtering a list of data elements within an object-oriented environment, said method comprising:creating a filter object, wherein said filter object that supports a filter method that discriminates data elements within an input list specified by a message utilizing a filter criterion, wherein said step of creating a filter object comprises:defining an abstract filter cass that specifies an interface requiring an input list of data elements as an input; andconstructing a plurality of filter objects that are instances of a particular subclass of said abstract filter class, wherein said plurality of filter objects includes the filter object, and wherein each of said plurality of filter objects is associated with a single finder object;receiving a message at said filter object, said message including an input list of a plurality of data elements to be filtered;in response to receipt of said message at said filter object, discriminating said plurality of data elements within said input list utilizing said filter criterion, said filter criterion including a particular value of a dynamic variable associated with each respective data element within said input list; andoutputting from said filter object an output list containing only those data elements among said plurality of data elements that satisfy said filter criterion.