Methods and apparatus for displaying interprocess communication thumbnails
View Patent ↗The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for generating a dynamic, live thumbnail representation of the underlying process. Using the methods and apparatus herein, users can easily understand the functions of a sub-process.
1. A method for displaying live interprocess thumbnails comprising:
storing a first workflow process in a first location;
creating an interprocess link, where the interprocess link is associated with the first workflow process and includes information about the first location;
inserting the interprocess link into a second workflow process stored in a second location, wherein the first workflow process becomes a sub-process of the second workflow process as a result of inserting the interprocess link;
displaying a full representation of the second workflow process;
receiving a command associated with the interprocess link; and
displaying a live instantiation of the first workflow process as a live thumbnail representation, in response to the command, inside the second workflow process as a sub-process of the second workflow process.
2. The method of claim 1 , including:
updating the first workflow process; and
dynamically updating the live thumbnail representation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the interprocess link includes displaying an interprocess link creation wizard.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the live thumbnail representation is read-only.
5. The method of claim 1 , including displaying the live thumbnail representation using vector graphics.
6. A system for displaying live interprocess thumbnails, the system comprising:
a processor for:
(a) storing a first workflow process in a first location;
(b) creating an interprocess link where the interprocess link is associated with the first workflow process and includes information about the first location; and
(c) inserting the interprocess link into a second workflow process stored in a second location, wherein the first workflow process becomes a sub-process of the second workflow process as a result of inserting the interprocess link;
(d) displaying a full representation of the second workflow process;
(e) receiving a command associated with the interprocess link; and
(f) displaying a live instantiation of the first workflow process as a live thumbnail representation, in response to the command, inside the second workflow process as a sub-process of the second workflow process.
7. The system of claim 6 , the processor additionally for:
(d) updating the first workflow process; and
(e) dynamically updating the live thumbnail representation.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein creating the interprocess link includes displaying an interprocess link creation wizard.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the live thumbnail representation is read-only.
10. The system of claim 6 , including displaying the live thumbnail representation using vector graphics.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium for displaying live interprocess thumbnails storing instructions structured to cause a computing device to:
store a first workflow process in a first location;
create an interprocess link where the interprocess link is associated with the first workflow process and includes information about the first location;
insert the interprocess link into a second workflow process stored in a second location, wherein the first workflow process becomes a sub-process of the second workflow process as a result of inserting the interprocess link;
display a full representation of the second workflow process; receive a command associated with the interprocess link; and display a live instantiation of the first workflow process as a live thumbnail representation, in response to the command, inside the second workflow process as a sub-process of the second workflow process.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are structured to cause the computing device to:
update the first workflow process; and
dynamically update the live thumbnail representation.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein creating the interprocess link includes displaying an interprocess link creation wizard.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the live thumbnail representation is read-only.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are structured to cause the computing device to display the live thumbnail representation using vector graphics.