Interactive editor for data driven systems

• US 20050033764A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E Piphany Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EPiphany Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reid, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US10/913,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033764A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A graphical active editor is provided that allows objects (code or configuration metadata) to be easily modified to adapt to changing business processes without requiring extensive knowledge of the underlying objects. A method of performing active editing includes executing an application program, displaying a user interface of the application program, displaying an object of the program in the user interface, and editing the displayed object while the application program is executing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing an application program;

displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including at least one displayed object; and

editing the displayed object while the application program is executing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

displaying a link to a configuration program for the application program in the graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

using the link to execute the configuration program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein editing further comprises:

displaying metadata for the displayed object in the user interface.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

changing the metadata for the displayed object while the application program is executing.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

executing the changed metadata for the displayed object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed object is a HTML document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application program is executed by a server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface is displayed by a client.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the client and the server are connected by a network.

11. A method of executing and editing an application program, comprising:

executing the application program;

displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including one or more displayed objects;

receiving input from a user through the graphical user interface to identify at least one of the displayed object;

displaying metadata for the identified object in the graphical user interface;

receiving an editing input from the user to modify the displayed metadata for the identified object while the application program is executing; and

editing the displayed metadata based on the received editing input.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

displaying a link to an editor for the application program in the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a click of the link from the user; and

displaying the editor to the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein displaying the editor comprises:

displaying an editing decoration in the graphical user interface, the editing decoration including a plurality of editing functions.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving input from the user to modify the displayed metadata comprises:

receiving an input from a user to identify at least one of the editing functions of the editing decoration.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

modifying the executing application program based on the edited metadata.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the displayed object is a HTML document.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the application program is executed by a server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface is displayed by a client.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the client and the server are connected by a network.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for executing an application program;

means for displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including at least one displayed object; and

means for editing the displayed object while the application program is executing.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means for displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

means for displaying a link to a configuration program for the application program in the graphical user interface.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

means for using the link to execute the configuration program.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means for editing further comprises:

means for displaying metadata for the displayed object in the user interface.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

means for changing the metadata for the displayed object while the application program is executing.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising:

means for executing the changed metadata for the displayed object.

27. An apparatus for executing and editing an application program, comprising:

means for executing the application program;

means for displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including one or more displayed objects;

means for receiving input from a user through the graphical user interface to identify at least one of the displayed object;

means for displaying metadata for the identified object in the graphical user interface;

means for receiving an editing input from the user to modify the displayed metadata for the identified object while the application program is executing; and

means for editing the displayed metadata based on the received editing input.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said means for displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

means for displaying a link to an editor for the application program in the graphical user interface.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

means for receiving a click of the link from the user; and

means for displaying the editor to the user.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said means for displaying the editor comprises:

means for displaying an editing decoration in the graphical user interface, the editing decoration including a plurality of editing functions.

31. A computer readable article of manufacture storing a computer program, the computer program comprising:

code for executing an application program;

code for displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including at least one displayed object; and

code for editing the displayed object while the application program is executing.

32. The program of claim 31 wherein said code for displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

code for displaying a link to a configuration program for the application program in the graphical user interface.

33. The program of claim 32 further comprising:

code for using the link to execute the configuration program.

34. The program of claim 31 wherein said code for editing further comprises:

code for displaying metadata for the displayed object in the user interface.

35. The program of claim 34 further comprising:

code for changing the metadata for the displayed object while the application program is executing.

36. The program of claim 35 further comprising:

code for executing the changed metadata for the displayed object.

37. A computer readable article of manufacture storing a computer program, the computer program comprising:

code for executing an application program;

code for displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including one or more displayed objects;

code for receiving input from a user through the graphical user interface to identify at least one of the displayed object;

code for displaying metadata for the identified object in the graphical user interface;

code for receiving an editing input from the user to modify the displayed metadata for the identified object while the application program is executing; and

code for editing the displayed metadata based on the received editing input.

38. The program of claim 37 wherein said code for displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

code for displaying a link to an editor for the application program in the graphical user interface.

39. The program of claim 38 further comprising:

code for receiving a click of the link from the user; and

code for displaying the editor to the user.

40. The program of claim 39 wherein said code for displaying the editor comprises:

code for displaying an editing decoration in the graphical user interface, the editing decoration including a plurality of editing functions.

41. The program of claim 40 wherein said code for receiving input from the user to modify the displayed metadata comprises:

code for receiving an input from a user to identify at least one of the editing functions of the editing decoration.

42. The program of claim 37 further comprising:

code for modifying the executing application program based on the edited metadata.