Graphic user interface modification method and recorded media thereof

• US 20030160821A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Jeong-Kwan
• Application Number:
  US10/359,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A graphic user interface (GUI) modification method for changing the graphic user interface (GUI) of an application program, including the steps of storing property information of each component comprising the graphic user interface (GUI), and data for making a software program to display the graphic user interface (GUI) on a user monitor in real time by reading the property information of each component, separately, displaying corresponding property information among the stored property information to a display window, and updating property information by receiving a changed property value through the display window, and displaying changed graphic user interface (GUI), after receiving changed property information and operating the software program to display the graphic user interface (GUI). Therefore, a need to modify source code to change a property value can be eliminated because the property value can be changed easily.

Claims

1. A graphic user interface (GUI) modification method for changing the graphic user interface of an application program, the method comprising:

storing property information of a plurality of components of a graphic user interface, the plurality of components including at least a first component;

storing data of a software program displaying the graphic user interface on a monitor in dependence upon the stored property information of the components;

displaying at least a portion of the stored property information of the first component to a display window on the monitor;

when receiving changed property information at the display window, updating the stored property information of the first component in dependence upon the changed property information; and

when the stored property information is updated, operating the software program to display changed graphic user interface in dependence upon the changed property information.

2. The method of claim 1, said storing of the property information corresponding to storing the property information in a file with an Extensible Markup Language extension.

3. The method of claim 1, said storing of the property information corresponding to storing the property information in a file with an Extensible Markup Language extension, the file with the Extensible Markup Language extension including a property parameter defined by a file with a Document Type Definition extension, the file with Document Type Definition extension designating a kind of a component property.

4. The method of claim 3, the kind of the component property including at least one selected from among an identification, a type, an x-axis position, a y-axis position, a width, a height, an optimum size, a maximum size, a minimum size, a label, a font, a background, a foreground, an edge, and a color.

5. The method of claim 1, said updating of the stored property information further comprising:

interrupting an input event at a main panel of the graphic user interface displayed to a main window on the monitor, the main window being distinguishable from the display window;

overlapping a border panel onto the main panel, the border panel being for selecting a component from among the plurality of components displayed by the main panel;

when a coordinate is selected on the border panel and the selected coordinate corresponds to the first component, displaying the stored property information of the first component to the display window;

when receiving the changed property information at the display window, displaying the main panel of the graphic user interface in dependence upon the changed property information; and

when the displayed main panel corresponding to the changed property information is confirmed, updating and re-storing the changed property information.

6. The method of claim 5, said storing of the property information corresponding to storing the property information in a file with an Extensible Markup Language extension, the file with the Extensible Markup Language extension including a property parameter defined by a file with a Document Type Definition extension, the file with Document Type Definition extension designating a kind of a component property.

7. The method of claim 6, the kind of the component property including at least one selected from among an identification, a type, an x-axis position, a y-axis position, a width, a height, an optimum size, a maximum size, a minimum size, a label, a font, a background, a foreground, an edge, and a color.

8. The method of claim 7, said storing of the data for the software program to display the graphic user interface on the monitor being performed in real time.

9. The method of claim 8, the data of the software program being stored separately from the property information of the plurality of components.

10. A recorded media for recording a software program operating and changing a graphic user interface (GUI) of an application program, comprising:

a first storage module storing property information of a plurality of components of a graphic user interface, the plurality of components including at least a first component;

a second storage module storing data of a software program displaying the graphic user interface to a monitor by reading the stored property information from said first storage module; and

a graphic user interface management module displaying at least a portion of the property information stored in said first storage module to a display window, updating the property information stored in said first storage module by receiving changed property information at the display window, and displaying a changed graphic user interface in dependence upon the received changed property information.

11. The media of claim 10, said graphic user interface management module comprising:

a first function module operating the software program in dependence upon the data stored in said second storage module, and displaying a main panel of the graphic user interface to a main window by reading the property information stored in said first storage module, the main panel displaying the plurality of components;

a second function module interrupting an input event to the main panel of the graphic user interface displayed in the main window, and overlapping a border panel onto the main panel, the border panel being for selecting a component from among the plurality of components displayed at the main panel;

a third function module displaying the stored property information of the first component to the display window when a coordinate is selected on the border panel and the selected coordinate corresponds to the first component, and receiving the changed property information at the display window; and

a fourth function module updating and re-storing property information at said first storage module in dependence upon the changed property information received by said third function module when the changed property information is inputted at the display window displayed by the third function module, and displaying the main panel of the graphic user interface in dependence upon the changed property information.

12. The media of claim 11, said first storage module storing the property information in a file with an Extensible Markup Language extension.

13. The media of claim 11, said first storage module storing the property information in a file with an Extensible Markup Language extension, the file with the Extensible Markup Language extension including a property parameter defined by a file with a Document Type Definition extension, the file with Document Type Definition extension designating a kind of a component property.

14. The media of claim 13, the kind of the component property including at least one selected from among an identification, a type, an x-axis position, a y-axis position, a width, a height, an optimum size, a maximum size, a minimum size, a label, a font, a background, a foreground, an edge, and a color.

15. The media of claim 14, said second storage module storing the data of the software program displaying the graphic user interface to the monitor in real time by reading the stored property information from said first storage module in real time.

16. The media of claim 15, said first storage module being distinguishable from said second storage module.

17. The media of claim 16, said graphic user interface management module performing the displaying of the property information, performing the updating of the property information, and performing the displaying of the changed graphic user interface in response to requests.