Seamless integration of non-native application into host operating system
View Patent ↗A method, system and computer program product recorded on a computer-readable medium for execution on at least one processor, for seamless integration of a non-host application into a host OS, including launching a first Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a computing system that has a host operating system and a host desktop displayed to a user; displaying a window corresponding to the VEE on the host desktop; upon a user invoking a user application that is non-native to both the host OS and the first VEE, (a) installing a second VEE that is compatible with the user application, (b) installing the user application into the second VEE, (c) launching the application inside the second VEE, and (d) displaying the non-host application window within a window of the second VEE. The VEE can be a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine.
1. A system for integration of non-native applications and a host operating system (HOS), the system comprising:
a processor;
memory coupled to the processor;
computer code loaded into the memory for implementing:
at least one non-native OS installed in a Virtual Machine (VM) on the same hardware system, wherein the HOS interfaces to the VM using a network protocol for accessing the VM as a remote entity;
at least one non-native application installed in the VM;
at least one communications channel for translating graphic primitives of the non-native application received by the HOS from the VM using the network protocol; and
a host file system object associated with the non-native application, wherein the host file system object is accessible to the non-native application; and
wherein the non-native application is launcheable by selecting the host file system object in the HOS.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-native OS is the same as the host OS.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one communications channel uses sockets on the VM side and the HOS side.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-channel protocol for making the VM appear as a remote entity.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein graphic primitives of the non-native application are translated to a host video driver using a video API.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one communication channel uses a shared memory area for communication.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of non-native applications, each having its own communications channel.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications channel permits communication between two non-native applications running in different VMs through sockets.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein a window of the non-native application is transparent.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein a window of the non-native application has elements of a non-native window user interface visible and capable of being activated by a user by clicking on the elements.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the HOS and the VM support transparent copy/paste operations between a host desktop and a VM desktop by utilizing an HOS clipboard.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the HOS and the VM support transparent copy/paste operations between a native application and a non-native application by utilizing an HOS clipboard.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VM is started from a snapshot.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host file system object is represented by an icon that is placed on a host desktop for activation of the non-native application such that a user can launch the non-native user application inside the VM by selecting the icon.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the VM and the HOS share at least some folders such that both native and non-native applications can access the shared folders as if the shared folders were part of their own file systems.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein a VM desktop is hidden partially and is partly transparent, and wherein at least some VM graphical user interface (GUI) elements are visible and can be invoked by a user.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the active window has a non-rectangular shape.
18. On a computer comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and computer code loaded into the memory, a method for seamless integration of a non-native application into a host OS (HOS) comprising the steps of:
installing at least one non-native OS in a Virtual Machine (VM) on the same computer, wherein the HOS interfaces to the VM using a network protocol for accessing the VM as a remote entity;
installing at least one non-native application inside the VM;
initiating at least one communications channel for translating graphic primitives of the non-native application received by the HOS from the VM using the network protocol; and
making a host file system object associated with the non-native application accessible to the non-native application; and
selecting the host file system object in the HOS to launch the non-native application.
19. A non-transitory computer useable storage medium having computer executable program logic stored thereon for executing on a processor, the computer executable program logic including code for implementing the method of claim 18 .