Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for managing visual representations of relationships between active graphical areas such as text fields in a GUI and underlying software objects is presented. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of receiving, by computer logic, a selection of an object graphical depiction of a data source software object, wherein the data source software object supports a field that is represented by a field graphical depiction in a Graphical User Interface (GUI); and in response to receiving the selection of the object graphical depiction, altering a physical appearance of the field graphical depiction, wherein altering the physical appearance of the field graphical depiction illustrates, in the GUI, a logical relationship between the data source software object and the field.

Abstract: A method of rendering a graphical user interface (GUI) model for a software application in a GUI builder, the method comprising the steps of: storing the application GUI model as a copy of the application GUI model in a buffer of the GUI builder; receiving a first GUI environment configuration at the GUI builder; receiving a second GUI environment configuration at the GUI builder, the second GUI environment configuration being different to the first GUI environment configuration; rendering a first representation of the copy of the application GUI model using GUI elements in accordance with the first GUI environment configuration; and reducing a second representation of the copy of the application GUI model using GUI elements in accordance with the second GUI environment configuration.

Abstract: A system, computer program and method for developing a graphical user interface (GUI) in a computer program. The invention allows developers to control the properties of interface components according to the state of a program during execution. According to the invention, a GUI development environment may be configured to provide a GUI builder for creating the GUI, display an interface component with at least one interface component property to be instantiated in the GUI, display a property interface to input at least one value for the interface component property in response to an event detectable by the computer program during GUI program execution, and automatically generate GUI program code effectuating the value for the interface component property in response to the event detectable by the computer program during GUI program execution.

Abstract: A data processing method comprises receiving a user input, the user input corresponding to at least a portion of a programming language statement, displaying the portion of the programming language statement, detecting the requirement for a string component in the programming language statement portion, identifying the type of string component required in the programming language statement portion, and displaying string components of the identified type.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, data processing apparatus and computer program product which displays status information with the mouse symbol, the status information relating to an operation being performed with a mouse cursor. For example, the status information may provides position co-ordinates relating to the cursor symbol.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method which derives from metadata definitions the allowable values for a method argument, where said allowable values are a subset or a restricted set of values from a defined range of values for that type of method argument. The subset of allowable values is then converted into a fragment of source code that can be used to initialise the argument variable with one of the allowable values when the method is invoked. The fragment of source code is inserted into the source code for that method argument using an editor tool. A system for implementing the method may comprise an integrated development environment (IDE) program.

Abstract: A method and software tool for performing an operation on a graphic object in a display of overlapping graphic objects in a data processing system are provided. The method comprises the steps of detecting the position of a pointer on the display; displaying to a user an indication of potential target objects of the operation which coincide with the pointer position; detecting a selection of one of the indicated potential target objects as the target object; and performing the operation on the selected object. In the case where the target object is not the outermost layer of the graphic objects on the display, the method may also comprise temporarily making the selected target object visible during performance of the operation on the target object by making the overlying objects transparent. Thus embodiments of the invention avoid the need to rearrange the layers of the objects and achieve manipulation of an obscured object in a single mouse operation.