Custom and customizable components, such as for workflow applications

Abstract

A software facility allows custom components to be created and used in an end user application, such as a workflow application that defines business processes or a graphical design application. The facility provides a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the end user application. A designer of the custom component provides the software facility with an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided definition. The custom component is registered with the end-user application. This registration enables the end user application to access the custom component from within the end user application without the use of programming scripts to call the customized component from outside of the end user application.

1 . A method in a computer for creating custom actions for use in a workflow application that facilitates defining and tracking the flow of work between individuals and/or groups, wherein the custom actions enhance the functionality of the workflow application, the method comprising: 
 providing a custom action definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom actions for use in the workflow application;    via a development environment, receiving a request to create a custom action, wherein the request includes an identifier for the custom action;    via the development environment, receiving a reference to the workflow application, wherein the reference to the workflow application facilitates registration of the custom action with the workflow application;    via the development environment, receiving an indication of functionality for the custom action, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom actions included in the provided custom action definition, and wherein the indication of functionality includes    an indication of a user interface associated with the custom action, and    an indication of instructions used to provide the functionality of the custom action; and    registering the custom action with the workflow application, wherein the registration enables the workflow application to access the custom action from within the workflow application without use of programming scripts to call the custom action from outside of the workflow application.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the indication of the user interface associated with the custom action includes a description of form data for collecting user information.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the indication of commands used to provide the functionality of the custom action includes source code.  
   
   
       4 . A method in a computer for creating custom components for use in an end user application, the method comprising: 
 providing a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the end user application;    receiving a request to create a custom component, wherein the request includes a custom identifier for the custom component;    receiving an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided custom component definition; and    registering the custom component with the end user application, wherein the registration enables the end user application to access the custom component from within the end user application without the use of programming scripts to call the customized component from outside of the end user application.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the indication of functionality includes an indication of commands used to provide the functionality of the custom component.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the indication of functionality includes an indication of a user interface associated with the custom component.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the custom component is for use as a custom action in a workflow application.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the custom component is for use as a custom tool in a data organization application.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the custom component definitions include rules and definitions understandable by a user with general programming knowledge.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the receiving of a request to create a custom component and the receiving of an indication of functionality for the custom component occur in a software development environment.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 4  wherein accessing the custom component from the end user application does not require programming knowledge.  
   
   
       12 . A computer-readable medium including instructions for a custom component for enhancing the capabilities of an end user application, the custom component created by a method comprising: 
 providing a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the end user application;    receiving a request to create a custom component, wherein the request includes an identifier for the custom component; and    receiving an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided custom component definition.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising registering the custom component with the end user application, wherein the registration enables the end user application to access the custom component from within the end user application.  
   
   
       14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in a computer network receiving the contents.  
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.  
   
   
       16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the contents.  
   
   
       17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of a computer system.  
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the registration enables the end user application to access the custom component from within the end user application without the use of programming scripts to call the customized component from outside of the end user application.  
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the custom component is created without a user accessing source code of the host application.  
   
   
       20 . A system for creating applications software components for customizing a host application, the method comprising: 
 means for providing an applications software component definition that includes an indication of criteria for applications software components for use in the host application;    means for receiving a request to create an applications software component, wherein the request includes a custom identifier for the applications software component;    means for receiving an indication of functionality for the applications software component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for applications software components included in the provided applications software component definition; and    means for registering the applications software component with the host application, wherein the registration enables the host application to access the applications software component from within the host application without the use of programming scripts to call the applications software component from outside of the host application.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the host application is a workflow application, and wherein the applications software component is a custom action in the host application that allows an end user to generate an email.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the applications software component is created without a user accessing source code of the host application.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the applications software component can be accessed from the host application using a drag-and-drop technique.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the host application is a graphics application or drawing program.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the host application is a graphics application or drawing program and wherein the applications software component is a custom tool for the graphics application or drawing program.  
   
   
       26 . A method for creating a custom software component for use in an end user application, the method comprising: 
 receiving instructions for generating the custom software component;    modifying the custom software component to comply with parameters provided by the end user application; and    enabling the custom software component to be registered with the end user application, wherein the registered custom software component is accessible from within the end user application without the use of programming scripts to call the customized component from outside of the end user application.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the parameters provided by the end user application include a naming convention for the software component.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the custom software component is created without directly accessing source code of the end user application.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the end user application is a word processing application.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the end user application is a data management application.  
   
   
       31 . A method for using a component in a workflow application, the method comprising: 
 receiving a selection of a component from a selection of available components, wherein the selection of components includes at least one custom component that was created using a method comprising: 
 providing a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the workflow application;  
 receiving an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided custom component definition; and  
 registering the custom component with the workflow application, wherein the registration enables the workflow application to access the custom component from within the workflow application; and  
   responding to a request to include the custom component selected from the selection of available components into a workflow model, wherein the request includes dragging and dropping the component into a design view aspect of the workflow application.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising: 
 receiving a selection of a second component from a selection of available components;    responding to a request to include the second component into the workflow model, wherein the request includes dragging and dropping the component into the design view aspect of the workflow application; and    responding to a request to associate the second component with the custom component.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the custom component is related to an action to be performed on the second component.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the second component is an action to be performed on the first component.  
   
   
       35 . A method in a computer for allowing a non-programmer to design custom workflow models, the method comprising: 
 providing a collection of workflow objects for use in designing a workflow model;    providing a collection of actions for use in designing the workflow model;    providing a design area for assembling workflow objects from the collection of workflow objects and actions from the collection of actions to form a workflow model, wherein the design area provides a graphical representation of the workflow model; and    providing a toolbox for facilitating the selection and control of the workflow objects and actions, wherein the selection and control of the workflow objects and actions include dragging a graphical representation of a workflow object from the toolbox and dropping it onto the design area and dragging a graphical representation of an action from the toolbox and dropping it onto the design area.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein at least one of the workflow objects from the collection of workflow objects is a custom component created by a method comprising: 
 providing a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the end user application;    receiving a request to create a custom component, wherein the request includes an identifier for the custom component; and    receiving an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided custom component definition.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35  wherein at least one of the actions from the collection of actions is a custom component created by a method comprising: 
 providing a custom component definition that includes an indication of criteria for custom components for use in the end user application;    receiving a request to create a custom component, wherein the request includes an identifier for the custom component; and    receiving an indication of functionality for the custom component, wherein the indication of functionality satisfies the criteria for custom components included in the provided custom component definition.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35  wherein at least one of the actions from the collection of actions is a custom component that can be reused in multiple workflow models.