Hypermedia browser API simulation to enable use of browser plug-ins and applets as embedded widgets in script-language-based interactive programs
A system is described which provides the capability for high-level extensible scripting language interpreters to incorporate and employ Web browser plug-ins as components within script-based programs. A script interpreter extension is described which simulates the plug-in API interface of a Web browser, from the point of view of the browser plug-in, to allow program scripts to cause browser plug-ins to be launched and manipulated, in a manner similar to the scripting platform's native widgets, from within the executing program script. This system allows embedded external program objects to be used to display and enable interactive processing of embedded data objects.
1. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform the following steps:
parsing a script, with the script written in a scripting language and for execution on a scripting platform which is not a web browser application, to identify an extension command of the scripting language that mimics a standard hypermedia embed text format and to identify a source locator parameter included in the syntax of the extension command, with the extension command invoking a plug-in-interface scripting language extension of the scripting language that simulates a browser from the point of view of a browser plug-in application to enhance the widget set and where the plug-in-interface scripting language extension provides the same functions and interfaces to a browser plug-in application as provided by a web browser application, with the widget set native to the scripting language and used in a graphical script language interface, so that the plug-in-interface scripting language extension enhances the widget set to include web browser plug-in applications designed to extend the functionality of web browser programs, where the extension command is added to the scripting language and with the extension command syntax including the source locator parameter;
fetching at least one data and/or program object referenced by the source locator parameter, when the extension command is identified, using standard internet procedures; and
automatically invoking, the web browser plug-in application to display and provide interactive processing of the object within a plug-in-interface window under control of the script language interface so that the web browser plug-in application can be manipulated as a widget used in said graphical script language interface.
2. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 1 wherein the program further instructs the processor to perform the following step:
responding to an embed text format copied from a conventional HTML page and pasted into a script.