Abstract: A method and apparatus in a distributed data processing system for managing application modification in a distributed data processing system. The first portion of an application is morphed, wherein the first portion of the application becomes a dippable application. The first portion of an application containing business rules is placed on a server within the distributed data processing system, wherein the application is accessed by a client. A second portion of the application is placed on a client, wherein the second portion of the application provides access to the first portion of the application. A rule change is identified for the dippable application. A dip is created for the dippable application, wherein the dip incorporates the rule change. The dip is added to the dippable application, wherein the rule change is incorporated into the dippable application without requiring a change to the second portion of the application located on the client.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing a selectively docking and floating menu/tool bar for windows displayed on a monitor connected to a computer. The docking or floating nature of the menu/tool bar is selectable by the user, generally by selecting either a docking mode or floating mode from a menu displayed on the monitor. When floating mode is selected, the menu/tool bar automatically floats apart from the window. When docking mode is selected, the menu/tool bar automatically docks adjacent to the window. In floating mode, the selection of a window as an "active" window results in the activation of the menu/tool bar. In docking mode, the selection of a window as an "active" window results in the activation and immediate docking of the menu/tool bar to that window. Thereafter, any manipulation of the active window results in an identical manipulation of the docking menu/tool bar.

Abstract: A method, system and program for creating child graphical objects in an object oriented graphical user interface. First, the child object is created by copying a set of attributes from a parent graphical object to a memory partition allocated to the first child graphical object. This operation is typically called inheritance or subclassing in object oriented programming. Next, the location data of the first child graphical object is automatically changed from those copied from the parent graphical object. Next, the parent and child graphical objects are displayed on a display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.

Abstract: An application programmer may choose from several alternative different methods for placing dynamically added icons in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment. The application program can pick the appropriate method depending on the situation, which often may involve reacting to a particular user action. The method is implemented in a graphical user interface environment on a computer. The application program selects one of the alternative choices for the placement of dynamically added icons. The selection by the application program is based on particular circumstances as determined by an application programmer of the application program. The dynamically added icon is placed on the display screen according to a procedure corresponding to a selected one of the alternate choices. The dynamically added icons may represent containers holding objects, such as executable programs, database records, graphic images, word processing files, or another container which itself can hold objects.