Graphical user interface for determining display element attribute values

• US 20020113821A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Matula, Petr Hrebejk
• Original Assignee: Martin Matula, Petr Hrebejk
• Inventors: Hrebejk, Petr, Matula, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for determining display element attribute values from an object represented by the display element includes defining a display element view including at least one elementary view that is capable of determining a display element attribute value, receiving a display element attribute value request, determining the first view for the display element and ascertaining at least one display element attribute value for the display element based upon the first view. An apparatus for determining display element attribute values from an object represented by the display element includes a definer to define a display element view including at least one elementary view that is capable of determining a display element attribute value, a receiver to receive a display element attribute value request, a determiner to determine the first view for the display element and an ascertainer to ascertain at least one display element attribute value for the display element based upon the first view.

Claims

1. A method for determining display element attribute values from an object represented by said display element, the method comprising:

defining a first view for said display element, said first view including at least one elementary view, each display element having one or more attributes, each attribute having an attribute value, each elementary view capable of determining a display element attribute value;

receiving a display element attribute value request;

determining said first view for said display element; and

ascertaining at least one display element attribute value for said display element based upon said first view.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining further comprises:

indicating said first view is the view defined for said display element when a view is defined for said display element; and

indicating said first view is the view defined for a parent of said display element when a view is not defined for said display element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining further comprises:

receiving a display element;

ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view when said first view is an elementary view; and

ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view when said first view is a composite view.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view further comprises:

receiving a request for a display element attribute value using an elementary view;

returning an indication that no values are defined when said elementary view is incompatible with said object;

returning an indication that no values are defined when said attribute value is undefined for said object; and

returning at least one attribute value when at least one value for said attribute is defined for said object.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said returning at least one attribute value further comprises returning an attribute value when said attribute is single-valued.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said returning at least one attribute value further comprises returning a plurality of attribute values when said attribute is multi-valued.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view further comprises:

receiving a request for a display element attribute value using a composite view;

searching each view contained by said composite view for a value for said attribute and returning said value when said attribute is single-valued;

collecting all values for said attribute for each view contained by said composite view when said attribute is multi-valued;

merging said values obtained by said collecting; and

returning said merged values.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first view for a display element;

receiving a second view for said display element, said second view including attributes not found in said first view;

combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first view for a display element, said first view including at least one multi-valued attribute;

adding an elementary view to said first view, said elementary view including at least one additional value for said at least one multi-valued attribute; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said first view.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first view for a first display element;

receiving a second view for a second display element;

combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing said first view for at least one display element to a second view; and

displaying attribute values for said at least one display element after said changing according to said second view.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said changing comprises adding an elementary view.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said changing comprises removing an elementary view.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein

said first view comprises at least one containment relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element;

and

said second view comprises at least one inheritance relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said displaying further comprises displaying said object values for said composite view in a tree structure.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein

said object comprises a program unit;

and

said program is written in a language that supports inheritance relationships between objects.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said program is written in the Java™

language.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said program is written in the C++ language.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said object is a file that is part of a file system.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method to determine display element attribute values from an object represented by said display element, the method comprising:

defining a first view for said display element, said first view including at least one elementary view, each display element having one or more attributes, each attribute having an attribute value, each elementary view capable of determining a display element attribute value;

receiving a display element attribute value request;

determining said first view for said display element; and

ascertaining at least one display element attribute value for said display element based upon said first view.

21. The program storage device of claim 20 wherein said determining further comprises:

indicating said first view is the view defined for said display element when a view is defined for said display element; and

indicating said first view is the view defined for a parent of said display element when a view is not defined for said display element.

22. The program storage device of claim 20 wherein said ascertaining further comprises:

receiving a display element;

ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view when said first view is an elementary view; and

ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view when said first view is a composite view.

23. The program storage device of claim 22 wherein said ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view further comprises:

receiving a request for a display element attribute value using an elementary view;

returning an indication that no values are defined when said elementary view is incompatible with said object;

returning an indication that no values are defined when said attribute value is undefined for said object; and

returning at least one attribute value when at least one value for said attribute is defined for said object.

24. The program storage device of claim 23 wherein said returning at least one attribute value further comprises returning an attribute value when said attribute is single-valued.

25. The program storage device of claim 23 wherein said returning at least one attribute value further comprises returning a plurality of attribute values when said attribute is multi-valued.

26. The program storage device of claim 22 wherein said ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view further comprises:

receiving a request for a display element attribute value using a composite view;

searching each view contained by said composite view for a value for said attribute and returning said value when said attribute is single-valued;

collecting all values for said attribute for each view contained by said composite view when said attribute is multi-valued;

merging said values obtained by said collecting; and

returning said merged values.

27. The program storage device of claim 20, said method further comprising:

receiving a first view for a display element;

receiving a second view for said display element, said second view including attributes not found in said first view;

combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

28. The program storage device of claim 20, said method further comprising:

receiving a first view for a display element, said first view including at least one multi-valued attribute;

adding an elementary view to said first view, said elementary view including at least one additional value for said at least one multi-valued attribute; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said first view.

29. The program storage device of claim 20, said method further comprising:

receiving a first view for a first display element;

receiving a second view for a second display element;

combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

30. The program storage device of claim 20, said method further comprising:

changing said first view for at least one display element to a second view; and

displaying attribute values for said at least one display element after said changing according to said second view.

31. The program storage device of claim 30 wherein said changing comprises adding an elementary view.

32. The program storage device of claim 30 wherein said changing comprises removing an elementary view.

33. The program storage device of claim 30 wherein

said first view comprises at least one containment relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element;

and

said second view comprises at least one inheritance relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element.

34. The program storage device of claim 20 wherein said displaying further comprises

displaying said object values for said composite view in a tree structure.

35. The program storage device of claim 20 wherein

said object comprises a program unit;

and

said program is written in a language that supports inheritance relationships between objects.

36. The program storage device of claim 35 wherein said program is written in the Java™

language.

37. The program storage device of claim 35 wherein said program is written in the C++ language.

38. The program storage device of claim 20 wherein said object is a file that is part of a file system.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for indicating said first view is the view defined for said display element when a view is defined for said display element; and

means for indicating said first view is the view defined for a parent of said display element when a view is not defined for said display element.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said means for ascertaining further comprises:

means for receiving a display element;

means for ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view when said first view is an elementary view; and

means for ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view when said first view is a composite view.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said means for ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view further comprises:

means for receiving a request for a display element attribute value using an elementary view;

means for returning an indication that no values are defined when said elementary view is incompatible with said object;

means for returning an indication that no values are defined when said attribute value is undefined for said object; and

means for returning at least one attribute value when at least one value for said attribute is defined for said object.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said means for returning at least one attribute value further comprises means for returning an attribute value when said attribute is single-valued.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said means for returning at least one attribute value further comprises means for returning a plurality of attribute values when said attribute is multi-valued.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said means for ascertaining an attribute value for said display element using a composite view further comprises:

means for receiving a request for a display element attribute value using a composite view;

means for searching each view contained by said composite view for a value for said attribute and returning said value when said attribute is single-valued;

means for collecting all values for said attribute for each view contained by said composite view when said attribute is multi-valued;

means for merging said values obtained by said collecting; and

means for returning said merged values.

46. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a first view for a display element;

means for receiving a second view for said display element, said second view including attributes not found in said first view;

means for combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

means for displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

47. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a first view for a display element, said first view including at least one multi-valued attribute;

means for adding an elementary view to said first view, said elementary view including at least one additional value for said at least one multi-valued attribute; and

means for displaying attribute values for said display element using said first view.

48. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a first view for a first display element;

means for receiving a second view for a second display element;

means for combining said first view and said second view to create a third view; and

means for displaying attribute values for said display element using said third view.

49. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

means for changing said first view for at least one display element to a second view; and

means for displaying attribute values for said at least one display element after said changing according to said second view.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said means for changing comprises a means for adding an elementary view.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said means for changing comprises a means for removing an elementary view.

52. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein

said first view comprises at least one containment relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element;

and

said second view comprises at least one inheritance relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element.

53. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said means for displaying further comprises a means for displaying said object values for said composite view in a tree structure.

54. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein

said object comprises a program unit;

and

said program is written in a language that supports inheritance relationships between objects.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said program is written in the Java™

language.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said program is written in the C++ language.

57. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said object is a file that is part of a file system.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein said view determiner is further configured to

indicate said first view is the view defined for said display element when a view is defined for said display element;

and

indicate said first view is the view defined for a parent of said display element when a view is not defined for said display element.

60. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein said view ascertainer is further configured to

ascertain an attribute value for said display element using an elementary view when said first view is an elementary view;

and

ascertain an attribute value for said display element using a composite view when said first view is a composite view.

61. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein said view ascertainer is further configured to

receive a request for a display element attribute value using an elementary view;

return an indication that no values are defined when said elementary view is incompatible with said object;

return an indication that no values are defined when said attribute value is undefined for said object; and

return at least one attribute value when at least one value for said attribute is defined for said object.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said view ascertainer is further configured to return an attribute value when said attribute is single-valued.

63. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said view ascertainer is further configured to return a plurality of attribute values when said attribute is multi-valued.

64. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein said value ascertainer is further configured to

receive a request for a display element attribute value using a composite view;

search each view contained by said composite view for a value for said attribute and return said value when said attribute is single-valued;

collect all values for said attribute for each view contained by said composite view when said attribute is multi-valued;

merge said values; and

return said merged values.

65. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising a view changer to change said first view for at least one display element to a second view.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said view changer is further configured to add an elementary view to said view.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said view changer is further configured to remove an elementary view from said view.

68. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein

said first view comprises at least one containment relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element;

and

said second view comprises at least one inheritance relationship between the object associated with said display element and the objects associated with said at least one other display element.

69. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein said display interface is further configured to display said object values for said composite view in a tree structure.

70. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein

said object comprises a program unit;

and

said program is written in a language that supports inheritance relationships between objects.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 wherein said program is written in the Java™

language.

72. The apparatus of claim 70 wherein said program is written in the C++ language.

73. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein said object is a file that is part of a file system.

39. An apparatus for determining display element attribute values from an object represented by said display element, the apparatus comprising:

means for defining a first view for said display element, said first view including at least one elementary view, each display element having one or more attributes, each attribute having an attribute value, each elementary view capable of determining a display element attribute value;

means for receiving a display element attribute value request;

means for determining said first view for said display element; and

means for ascertaining at least one display element attribute value for said display element based upon said first view.

58. An apparatus for determining display element attribute values from an object represented by said display element, the apparatus comprising:

a view definer to define a first view for said display element, said first view including at least one elementary view, each display element having one or more attributes, each attribute having an attribute value, each elementary view capable of determining a display element attribute value;

a receiving interface to receive a display element attribute value request;

a view determiner to determine said first view for said display element; and

a view ascertainer to ascertain at least one display element attribute value for said display element based upon said first view.