Apparatus and method for using connector components to provide connectivity to interactive graphics representative of input and output data

1. A computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions to:

allow the designation of a connector component provided within a Graphical User Interface (GUI), wherein the connector component is associated with a data source;

support a selection of an input field and an output field within the GUI;

associate the connector component, the input field and the output field;

generate an interactive control panel incorporating the connector component, the input field and the output field, wherein the interactive control panel is a standalone application or plug-in program with interactive graphics that represent input and output data;

receive user input at the input field; and

recognize a selection of the connector component to initiate access to the data Source, such that the data source returns to the output field a value corresponding to the user input.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to generate a distributable digital document file incorporating the interactive control panel.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to associate the connector component with a web service with a Web Services Description Language characterizing the web service methods, input parameters and output parameters.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to associate the connector component with one of:

an Extensible Markup Language (XML) map, a Microsoft Live Office™ document and a Microsoft Reporting Service™.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to allow the connector component to query input and output values associated with the data source.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to allow the connector component to provide a live connection to the data source.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 further comprising executable instructions to supply an input value to the data source using the live connection to the data source.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to supply an output value from the data source in response to the input value.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 further comprising executable instructions to supply an output value from the data source using the live connection to the data source.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to allow the connector component to query input and output values associated with the data source.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to provide a live connection to the data source through a distributable digital document.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein an input value is supplied to the data source using the live connection to the data source in the distributable digital document.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein an output value is supplied from the data source using the live connection to the data source based on the value supplied as the input value in the distributable digital document.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein an output value is supplied from the data source using the live connection to the data source in the distributable digital document.

15. A computer implemented method, comprising:

adding a connector component to a design canvas, wherein the connector component is associated with a data source;

adding a an input field and an output field to the design canvas;

associating the connector component, the input field and the output field;

generating an interactive control panel incorporating the connector component, the input field and the output field, wherein the interactive control panel is a standalone application or plug-in program with interactive graphics that represent input and output data;

receiving user input at the input field; and

recognizing a selection of the connector component that initiates access to the data source, such that the data source returns to the output field a value corresponding to the user input.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising generating a distributable digital document file incorporating the interactive control panel.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising associating the connector component with a web service with a Web Services Description Language characterizing the web service methods, input parameters and output parameters.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising associating the connector component with at least one additional connector graphic component.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18 further comprising passing a value from the connector component to at least one additional connector graphic component.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising associating more than one graphical component with a connector component.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20 further comprising passing values from more than one graphic component to a connector.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 15 further comprising performing calculations on an input value to produce a revised input value and supplying the revised input value to a live connection.