Development of multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application

• US 10,055,201 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. (Idera, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. (Idera, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bauer, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Zhan
• Application Number:
  US14/081,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

Methods and systems for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application are disclosed. A master view of a software application is displayed, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for the software application wherein each of the multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute the software application. Subordinate views are created, at the computer system, wherein each of the subordinate views pertain to one of the multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter the master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on the master view combined with a first group of the deltas for the first subordinate view. A change is propagated to the master view to each of the subordinate views, at the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application, sad method comprising:

displaying a master view for developing a software application for different device platforms, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application, wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to different versions of said software application executing on said different device platforms having at least a same form factor or a same operating system, and wherein said master view visually displays every attribute of said software application available for inclusion in a subordinate view during development;

displaying subordinate views for developing said software application, at said computer system, wherein each of said subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise a plurality of groups of deltas that alter said master view, wherein each of said subordinate views is for executing said software application on a device pertaining to a class of said multiple classes defined by a corresponding subordinate view, such that a first subordinate view is displayed on devices of a first class based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view;

propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views, at said computer system;

receiving an indication to hide an attribute of said software application for said first subordinate view;

hiding said attribute within said first subordinate view;

storing a change to said first subordinate view, at said computer system, as a delta in said first group of said deltas, such that said attribute is hidden from display within said first subordinate view for said devices of said first class; and

creating said software application comprising said master view and a plurality of said groups of said deltas pertaining to said multiple classes, at said computer system, such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending said software application to said first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and said plurality of groups of said deltas.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said software application at said first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and said plurality of groups of said deltas; and

executing said software application at said first device;

said software application determining an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces;

determining a class of said multiple classes and a corresponding subordinate view for said class; and

displaying said appropriate user interface at said first device by displaying said master view and a group of said deltas pertaining to said appropriate user interface defined by said corresponding subordinate view for said class.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said software application wherein a default user interface for said first device is said master view.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said multiple classes of said user interfaces are each related to a different platform of devices.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said subordinate views are created based on form inheritance wherein said subordinate views inherit attributes from said master view.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a different attribute of said software application is hidden for each of said subordinate views.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a fee based full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a free lite version of said software application.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a limited functionality version of said software application.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a default language version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to an alternate language version of said software application.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said multiple classes of user interfaces comprises at least two classes of user interfaces for a particular device having particular form factor, wherein the at least two classes have different functionality for the particular form factor.

12. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said software application determining said appropriate user interface for said first device is also based on a functionality allowed at said first device, wherein said multiple classes of user interfaces comprises at least two classes of user interfaces for said first device, wherein the at least two classes have different functionality for a form factor of said first device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said multiple classes of user interfaces comprises at least two classes of user interfaces for a particular form factor, wherein the at least two classes have different functionality for the particular form factor.

14. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application, said method comprising:

displaying a master view for developing a software application for different device platforms, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application, wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to different versions of said software application executing on said different device platforms having at least a same form factor or a same operating system, and wherein said master view visually displays every attribute of said software application available for inclusion in a subordinate view during development;

displaying subordinate views for developing said software application, at said computer system, wherein each of sad subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise a plurality of groups of deltas that alter said master view , wherein each of sad subordinate views is for executing said software application on a device pertaining to a class of said multiple classes defined by a corresponding subordinate view, such that a first subordinate view is displayed on devices of a first class based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view;

propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views, at said computer system;

receiving an indication to hide an attribute of said software application for said first subordinate view;

hiding said attribute within said first subordinate view;

storing a change to said first subordinate view, at said computer system, as a delta in said first group of said deltas, such that said attribute is hidden from display within said first subordinate view for said devices of said first class; and

creating said software application comprising said master view and a plurality of said groups of said deltas pertaining to said multiple classes, at said computer system, such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 14, the method further comprising:

sending said software application to said first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and said plurality of groups of said deltas.

16. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 14, the method further comprising:

receiving said software application at said first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and said plurality of groups of said deltas; and

executing said software application at said first device;

said software application determining an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces;

determining a class of said multiple classes and a corresponding subordinate view for said class; and

displaying said appropriate user interface at said first device by displaying said master view and a group of said deltas pertaining to said appropriate user interface defined by said corresponding subordinate view for said class.

17. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said master view pertains to a fee based full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a free lite version of said software application.

18. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a limited functionality version of said software application.

19. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said master view pertains to a default language version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to an alternate language version of said software application.

20. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having computer readable program code embedded therein for a software application developer, the program code comprising:

a software application developer with an interface for developing a software application for different device platforms by displaying a master view of said software application, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application, wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to different versions of said software application executing on said different device platforms having at least a same form factor or a same operating system, and wherein said master view visually displays every attribute of said software application available for inclusion in a subordinate view during development, for creating said software application comprising said master view and a plurality of groups of deltas pertaining to said multiple classes such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces, said software application will determine a class of said multiple classes and a corresponding subordinate view for said class, and said software application will display said appropriate user interface at said first device by displaying said master view and a group of deltas pertaining to said appropriate user interface defined by said corresponding subordinate view for said class, said software application developer further comprising;

a subordinate views creator for developing said software application by displaying subordinate views wherein each of said subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise said plurality of groups of said deltas that alter said master view, wherein each of said subordinate views is for executing said software application on a device pertaining to a class of said multiple classes defined by a corresponding subordinate view, such that a first subordinate view is displayed on devices of a first class based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view, and wherein said subordinate views creator is configured to hide an attribute within said first subordinate view based on receiving an indication to hide the attribute within said first subordinate view;

a change propagator for propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views; and

a storage for storing a change to said first subordinate view as a delta in said first group of said deltas, such that said attribute is hidden from display within said first subordinate view for said devices of said first class.