Intelligent buffer and related applications

摘要

An integrated communications application reads information copied to a shared buffer by a user from another application. The information copied can comprise any format and can originate from any application from which the user can paste information. In this way there is no restriction on the source of information. The computer application reads the buffer and copies the information so that it can subsequently process it to determine if it conforms to a predetermined data-type. One or more means to communicate with an entity whose address corresponds to the data-type are then determined from a single data-type. This enables the application to revert to an alternative means of communication automatically if the means first used to try to communication with the entity is not successful. More generally, the computer application is arranged for use in a computer communications environment and comprises: means arranged to read information stored in a buffer, the buffer arranged to be shared between a plurality of applications in said computing environment; and means arranged to process said information to determine if the information can be determined to comprise one or more of a plurality of data-types.