System and methods for interactively generating and testing help systems

Patent 5982365 Issued on November 9, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 14, 2016. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Apple Computer, Inc.

Application

No. 664166 filed on 06/14/1996

US Classes:

707/102, Generating database or data structure (e.g., via user interface)709/200MISCELLANEOUS

Examiners

Primary: Huynh, Ba

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Carr & Ferrell LLP

International Class

G06F 015/00

Abstract

An authoring system for interactively generating and testing help systems preferably comprises a central processing unit (CPU), a display device, an input device, a data storage device and a memory. The memory further comprises a code generator, display routines, linking routines, indexing routines, a plurality of topic records, a plurality of table records and a plurality of graphic files. The present invention stores the information explaining the features and functionality of an application program in topic records. The authoring system of the present invention uses the topic records for organization and for displaying the data to the user. The CPU under direction of routines in the memory displays the contents of each topic record using the graphic files, and creates, updates and deletes topic records. The display routines are also used in conjunction with test routines to display the data as it will be presented by the help system during operation. Methods for creating, revising and testing help systems include: methods for creating, deleting and editing topic records in a help system; methods for creating, deleting and editing links between topic records in a help system; methods for inserting, deleting and editing objects in a topic record of a help system; methods for creating, deleting and editing tables in a help system; and methods for producing the help system from the topic records.