Customizing widget draw styles

• US 20050234884A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pixar (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Pixar (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: King, Christopher Martin, Drukman, Maxwell O., Hunter, Steven, Hahn, Tom, Russ, Robert, Weber, Karon A., Archer, Katrina
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Techniques for customizing draw styles of widgets to better accommodate a user'"'"'s direct manipulation needs. A user can customize various attributes of a widget and its manipulators to suit the user'"'"'s needs. The customizations are stored as a style. The stored style can subsequently be applied to the widget to control the appearance and behavior of the widget. Stored styles may be applied to other widgets and can also be shared between users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of storing information for a widget, the method comprising:

receiving information identifying a first widget;

determining a set of attributes associated with the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

receiving input indicative of a change in the value associated with the first attribute from the first value to a second value distinct from the first value; and

storing style information comprising information related to the set of attributes and their associated values, wherein the style information comprises information associating the second value with the first attribute.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first widget comprises a manipulator; and

the first attribute is associated with the manipulator.

3. The method of claim 1:

further comprising displaying the set of attributes of the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes in a graphical user interface;

wherein receiving the input comprises receiving the input via the graphical user interface; and

wherein storing the style information comprises receiving, via the graphical user interface, a request to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the first widget according to the set of attributes and their associated values.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the set of attributes of the first widget comprises determining a first file associated with the widget, the first file storing information identifying the set of attributes and associated values.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein storing the style information comprises storing the style information in a second file distinct from the first file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information identifying a second widget; and

applying the style information to the second widget.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is received from a first user, the method further comprising enabling use of the style information by one or more users other than the first user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the style information comprises:

receiving a request from a user to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget;

determining whether the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget; and

storing the style information only if it is determined that the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

10. A computer-implemented method of storing information for a widget associated with a model, the method comprising:

receiving information identifying a model;

determining a set of one or more widgets associated with the model, the set of widgets including a first widget;

determining a set of one or more attributes for the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

displaying the first widget based upon the set of attributes and their associated values;

receiving a request to store information for the first widget; and

storing information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values responsive to the request.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values in a graphical user interface; and

wherein receiving the request to store information for the first widget comprises receiving the request via the graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein storing the information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values comprises storing the information in a first file.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving information identifying a second widget; and

displaying the second widget according to the set of attributes and their associated values stored in the first file.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein:

receiving a request to store information for the first widget comprises receiving the request from a user; and

storing the information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values comprises;

determining whether the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget; and

storing the style information only if it is determined that the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable for storing information for a widget, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving information identifying a first widget;

code for determining a set of attributes associated with the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

code for receiving input indicative of a change in the value associated with the first attribute from the first value to a second value distinct from the first value; and

code for storing style information comprising information related to the set of attributes and their associated values, wherein the style information comprises information associating the second value with the first attribute.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the first widget comprises a manipulator and the first attribute is associated with the manipulator.

17. The computer program product of claim 15:

further comprising code for displaying the set of attributes of the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes in a graphical user interface,

wherein the code for receiving the input comprises code for receiving the input via the graphical user interface; and

wherein the code for storing the style information comprises code for receiving, via the graphical user interface, a request to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising code for displaying the first widget according to the set of attributes and their associated values.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code for determining the set of attributes of the first widget comprises code for determining a first file associated with the widget, the first file storing information identifying the set of attributes and associated values.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the code for storing the style information comprises code for storing the style information in a second file distinct from the first file.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

code for receiving information identifying a second widget; and

code for applying the style information to the second widget.

22. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the input is received from a first user, the computer program product further comprising code for enabling use of the style information by one or more users other than the first user.

23. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code for storing the style information comprises:

code for receiving a request from a user to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget;

code for determining whether the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget; and

code for storing the style information only if it is determined that the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

24. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for storing information for a widget associated with a model, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving information identifying a model;

code for determining a set of one or more widgets associated with the model, the set of widgets including a first widget;

code for determining a set of one or more attributes for the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

code for displaying the first widget based upon the set of attributes and their associated values;

code for receiving a request to store information for the first widget; and

code for storing information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values responsive to the request.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

code for displaying the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values in a graphical user interface;

wherein the code for receiving the request to store information for the first widget comprises code for receiving the request via the graphical user interface.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the code for storing the information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values comprises code for storing the information in a first file.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 further comprising:

code for receiving information identifying a second widget; and

code for displaying the second widget according to the set of attributes and their associated values stored in the first file.

28. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein:

the code for receiving a request to store information for the first widget comprises code for receiving the request from a user; and

the code for storing the information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values comprises;

code for determining whether the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget; and

code for storing the style information only if it is determined that the user is allowed to save the set of attributes and their associated values for the first widget.

29. A data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules which when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive information identifying a first widget;

determine a set of attributes associated with the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

receive input indicative of a change in the value associated with the first attribute from the first value to a second value distinct from the first value; and

store style information comprising information related to the set of attributes and their associated values, wherein the style information comprises information associating the second value with the first attribute.

30. A system comprising:

an output device;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules which when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive information identifying a model;

determine a set of one or more widgets associated with the model, the set of widgets including a first widget;

determine a set of one or more attributes for the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

display, on the output device, the first widget based upon the set of attributes and their associated values;

receive a request to store information for the first widget; and

store information related to the set of attributes for the first widget and their associated values responsive to the request.

31. An apparatus for storing information for a widget, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving information identifying a first widget;

means for determining a set of attributes associated with the first widget and values associated with the set of attributes, the set of attributes comprising a first attribute having an associated first value;

means for receiving input indicative of a change in the value associated with the first attribute from the first value to a second value distinct from the first value; and

means for storing style information comprising information related to the set of attributes and their associated values, wherein the style information comprises information associating the second value with the first attribute.