Browser-based editor for dynamically generated data

• US 20050076330A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EPiphany Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: EPiphany Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Alexander, Jonathan, Almgren, Jonas
• Application Number:
  US10/913,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An active path designer tool allows users to combine graphical workflow editing and data binding in a web based framework. The tool may be built on top of a web based extensible client framework (XTCF) to allow a client'"'"'s information technology (IT) personnel to graphically design activities. A folder based display of available nuggets allows users to drag and drop nuggets onto a canvas. The users can then establish connections between nuggets by graphically drawing an edge between nuggets. The edges thus provide a flow of work for the activity. In addition, users can specify data bindings to be transferred between nuggets by means of input and output pop-up menus on each nugget. An input menu may contain a list of data available for input to a nugget, while an output menu may contain a list of data available for output. A user may draw a line between input and output menu entries to bind an output of one nugget to an input of another nugget. In addition, an underlying XTCF platform allows a graphic display of the nuggets to be generated based on independently stored data and formatting information, which may be freely manipulated by a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing an application program;

displaying a graphical user interface of the application program, including a plurality of information nuggets; and

editing a first nugget of the plurality of nuggets and a second nugget of the plurality of nuggets.

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

drawing an edge from the first nugget to the second nugget.

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

specifying data to be transferred from the first nugget to the second nugget.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein specifying further comprises:

binding an output of the first nugget to an input of the second nugget.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a graphic display of the plurality of nuggets using an extensible client framework (XTCF).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a graphical user interface further comprises:

displaying the plurality of nuggets in a component explorer of the graphical user interface; and

displaying the first nugget and the second nugget in a design canvas of the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first nugget and the second nugget in the design canvas further comprises:

displaying the first nugget in the component explorer;

dragging the first nugget from the component explorer;

dropping the first nugget in the design canvas;

displaying the second nugget in the component explorer;

dragging the second nugget from the component explorer; and

dropping the second nugget in the design canvas.

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.