Abstract: A software developer's tool to help write application programs for an object-oriented operating system includes a storage device holding code. The code includes a clipboard copying utility and a first code section permitting the identification of dialog boxes and event tables associated with dialog boxes, the event tables signifying events capable of taking place during running of the application program to be written. A second code section permits the copying of dialog boxes and their associated event tables by actuation of the clipboard copying utility, and creates a new object identical to the parent object, providing a unique object name for the new object, and generating an event table name for the event table associated with the new object derived from the name of the parent object such that the event table includes controls having names derived from the name of the event table. A third code section permits editing of the child event table without altering the parent event table.