Patent ID: 7752560

Claim:
A list generating engine that extends an application program interface (API) comprising: a processor; and computer readable storage media, having stored thereon computer executable instructions, that when executed by the processor provide: means for receiving a list manager application that includes a list manager, wherein the list manager is configured to manage display lists by receiving input from a graphical user interface (GUI) and processing the input with list data from a data source, and wherein the list manager application does not provide visual quality to the GUI; means for integrating the list manager application with a GUI application, wherein the GUI application provides a unique visual layout for the list manager application, and wherein the GUI application includes a display list; means for attaching user-selectable display controls to the display list; means for accessing data elements from a data source, the data elements to be displayed in the display controls; means for establishing a display state of the display controls; means for receiving a request to change data elements in the display controls; means for managing the data elements in the display controls according to the display state, wherein the means for managing the data elements is configured to: add a reference to a respective said display control that sent an event and a unique identifier specifying which said data element that particular control is currently displaying; and forward the event having the reference and the unique identifier to the data source, the unique identifier enabling the GUI application to listen to the list manager for the event without listening to a data item associated with said data element; and means for integrating the list manager application with an additional GUI application, wherein the additional GUI application provides an additional unique visual layout for the list manager application that is different than the unique visual layout provided by the GUI application.