Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for flexibly including descriptive information items, and the various media resources used for those items, in a user interface (UI). One markup language document is used for the UI data content, and a separate markup language document is used for specifying the descriptive items and media resources to be used along with that content. This technique enables dynamically altering the descriptive items and media resources to be used for a UI document, without requiring change to the UI document itself This technique also enables developing the descriptive items and media resources separately from developing the UI document, without a requirement to share common files between these development efforts. The specifications of descriptive information items and media resources can be efficiently reused among multiple UI documents.

Abstract: A plug-in builder process is performed using a management definition object. A management definition object is evaluated. The results of the evaluation may include one or more panel files that display information pertaining to the product corresponding to the management definition object and may also include extraction of translatable strings from the management model. Translatable strings are stored in translation template files for translation into national languages. Target consoles are selected representing those consoles for which plug-in data is created which allows the target consoles to interface with display information and methods included in the management definition object. Console plug-in data that describes the interfaces used by the selected target consoles is read in order to generate plug-in code that will interface with the selected consoles. The plug-in code, display panels, and national language translations are packaged onto a distributable media that is installed by customers.

Abstract: A generic management definition object, described using a CIM MOF file or an Extensible Markup Language document, can be used to format display panels that are independent of a management console. A generic integration layer is created between the management data and the display and behavior of such data. A transformation engine is used to convert data definitions included in management data to a formatted structure that is stored in a repository. A translation engine renders the formatted structure into graphical user interface constructs that are independent of any particular management console architecture. The transformation and translation engines coordinate a set of processes that facilitate the display and manipulation of the management data object's data model. GUI display panels that support the management model are generated in a console neutral manner so that the same panels are displayed from a variety of management consoles.

Abstract: CIM elements are retrieved from the management definition object and a determination is made as to whether the element is a non-instance element or an instance element. If the element is a non-instance element and a qualifier is found in the management object, then the corresponding name is used. If the qualifier is not found, then the CIM element name is used. If the element is an instance element and a qualifier is found then the name corresponding to the qualifier is used. If there is no qualifier then a determination is made as to the number of non-propagated key properties. If there is one non-propagated key property then the value of the property is used. If there are more than one non-propagated key properties, then a display name is constructed from each non-propagated key property and its corresponding value.

Abstract: A system and method for converting management models to specific console interfaces is provided. A plug-in builder process is used to read a management definition object. The plug-in builder process derives display information and method information from the management definition object. Console interface information is used to take the management definition object and transform it into a format suitable for the selected consoles. The management definition object information includes information used to display tree nodes in a management console. The plug-in builder process retrieves methods from the management definition object that corresponds to the displayed nodes. In this manner, when a user selects a tree node from a management console, the method included in the management definition object that was written to support the displayed node is executed. National language files can be used by the plug-in builder process in order to support various national languages used by users.

Abstract: NLS translations can be provided by extracting translatable strings from the management definition object, such as a CIM MOF file, and writing the strings into one or more translation files. A unique identifier is assigned to each translatable string. The identifier is included in the management definition object as well as the various translation files. By creating unique identifiers, a particular translated string can be found in one of the translation files. In this manner, different users can specify different languages. Display text is retrieved by retrieving the identifier located in the management definition object. The translation file corresponding to the user's preferred language is then searched for the translated string. Translated strings can be gathered for display panels when the product is packaged. Translated strings can also be gathered at runtime when called for by a particular display panel or other display object.