Persisting state across navigations in a navigation-based application and responding to navigation-related events throughout an application

• US 20040205782A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Alcazar, Mark A., Goodwin, Margaret
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Described is a mechanism for persisting state across navigations in a navigation-based application so that the state is accessible by each resource of a app. The invention provides an object (a “NavigationApplication object”) that persists across navigations. The NavigationApplication object allows developers to directly persist state by setting properties on that object and to trap navigation events. Enabling run-time state to be persisted in object form on the client not only improves performance, but makes it possible to develop navigation-based applications that can be run either online or offline. The NavigationApplication object makes it easier to persist state on the client across navigations.

Claims

1. A software architecture for executing a software application, comprising:

a first set of application programming interfaces that support the execution of the application within the software architecture; and

a second set of application programming interfaces that support navigation-related activities of the software application.

2. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of application programming interfaces comprises an OnStartingUp method that includes executable instructions that are executed when the software application is being launched.

3. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of application programming interfaces comprises an OnShutDown method that includes executable instructions that are executed when the software application is being shut down.

4. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of application programming interfaces comprises a ShutDown method that, when called, is operative to cause the software application to shut down.

5. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of application programming interfaces comprises a Windows collection in which is stored information that identifies one or more windows that are used in connection with the software application.

6. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of application programming interfaces comprises a Resources property that specifies resources that apply to pages within an extent of the software application.

7. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the second set of application programming interfaces comprises a Properties collection in which is stored information about a state of the software application during execution.

8. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the second set of application programming interfaces comprises a StartUpURI property that specifies a resource to which the software application navigates upon being launched.

9. The software architecture recited in claim 8, wherein the resource comprises a markup based page.

10. The software architecture recited in claim 8, wherein the resource comprises an executable resource.

11. The software architecture recited in claim 1, wherein the second set of application programming interfaces comprises a set of events related to the occurrence of a navigation by the software application.

12. The software architecture recited in claim 11, wherein the set of events comprises a Navigating event indicative of the initiation of a navigation.

13. The software architecture recited in claim 11, wherein the set of events comprises a Navigated event indicative of the completion of a navigation.

14. The software architecture recited in claim 11, wherein the set of events comprises a NavigationError event indicative of the occurrence of an error during the navigation.

15. The software architecture recited in claim 11, wherein the set of events comprises a NavigationProgress event that is raised periodically during the navigation to enable information about the navigation to be discerned.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for supporting the execution of a software application, the components comprising:

an application programming interface exposed by the software application, the application programming interface including;

an OnStartingUp method that includes executable instructions that are executed when the software application is being launched;

an OnShutDown method that includes executable instructions that are executed when the software application is being shut down; and

a ShutDown method that, when called, is operative to cause the software application to shut down.

17. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 16, further comprising a Windows collection in which is stored information that identifies one or more windows that are used in connection with the software application.

18. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 16, further comprising a Resources property that specifies resources that apply to pages within an extent of the software application.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for supporting the execution of an application, the components comprising:

an application programming interface exposed by the software application, the application programming interface including;

a Properties collection in which is stored information about a state of the software application during execution; and

a StartUpURI property that specifies a resource to which the software application navigates upon being launched.

20. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 19, wherein the resource comprises a markup based page.

21. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 19, wherein the resource comprises an executable resource.

22. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 19, further comprising a set of events related to the occurrence of a navigation by the software application.

23. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the set of events comprises a Navigating event indicative of the initiation of a navigation.

24. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the set of events comprises a Navigated event indicative of the completion of a navigation.

25. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the set of events comprises a NavigationError event indicative of the occurrence of an error during the navigation.

26. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the set of events comprises a NavigationProgress event that is raised periodically during the navigation to enable information about the navigation to be discerned.