Dynamic generation of formatted user interfaces in software environments

• US 20060106861A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Shimizu, Ryo, Torgerson, Jay Ryan, Mosterman, Pieter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/33 Intelligent editors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems for selecting multiple entities of a model or models to set or change data of the multiple entities together in a modeling environment are disclosed. When users create or edit a model or models, information on the entities of the model or models is provided to the users so that the users can select multiple entities in the model or models. On the selection of the multiple entities in the model or models, the modeling environment dynamically generates a user interface for the selected entities of the model or models for displaying, setting or changing data of the selected entities together. The user interface may display data of the selected entities that is not common to all of the selected entities in a different manner so that the users can identify common data of the selected entities.

Claims

1. In a computational device that provides a software environment, a method for generating a formatted user interface in the software environment, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of entities in one or more objects loaded in the software environment; and

dynamically generating a formatted user interface for editing information associated with the plurality of entities loaded in one of said objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software environment comprises a modeling environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling user to select the plurality of entities in one or more objects loaded in the software environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the users are able to select the plurality of entities using a multi-criteria search mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is included in a different window than that providing the plurality of entities in one or more objects loaded in the software environment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is generated based on a mode in which the users operate with the object.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the operation mode includes at least one of a mode for editing the object, and a mode for simulating the object.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of entities include components of one or more objects.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of entities include configurations of one or more objects.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an intersection of properties of the plurality of entities.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes a union of properties of the plurality of entities.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an exclusive OR of properties of the plurality of entities.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the properties of the plurality of entities are displayed depending on a frequency of the properties in the plurality of entities.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an intersection of operations of the plurality of entities.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes a complete or partial union of operations of the plurality of entities.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an exclusive OR of operations of the plurality of entities.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an arbitrary number of set operations on the plurality of entities.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the set operation is selected by the user.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a graphical user interface.

20. In a computational device that provides a software environment, a method for providing a formatted dynamic dialog interface in the software environment, the method comprising:

displaying a first user interface element for displaying entities of one or more objects loaded in the software environment, wherein the first interface element enables users to select multiple entities displayed in the first user interface element;

displaying a second user interface element for displaying attributes associated with the selected multiple entities.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first and second interface elements are displayed in different panes of a same window.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first and second interface elements are included in different windows.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface element is displayed dynamically on the selection of the multiple entities.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface element displays an intersection of properties of the multiple entities.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface element displays a partial or complete union of properties of the plurality of entities.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface element displays an exclusive OR of properties of the plurality of entities.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are indicated differently than the attributes associated with the selected multiple entities that are common properties of the multiple entities.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are colored differently.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface enables the users to edit attributes that are common with the selected entities.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the second user interface includes different panes, each pane displaying attributes associated with each of the selected entities.

31. The method of claim 20 wherein the different panes are displayed in overlap.

32. A medium holding instructions executable in a computational device that provides an environment for a software system, comprising:

providing a plurality of entities in one or more objects loaded in the software environment; and

dynamically generating a formatted user interface for editing information associated with the plurality of entities.

33. The medium of claim 32 wherein the environment includes a modeling environment and the objects comprise models created in the modeling environment.

34. The medium of claim 32 wherein the plurality of entities include components of one or more objects.

35. The medium of claim 32 wherein the plurality of entities include configurations of one or more objects.

36. A medium holding instructions executable in a computational device that provides an environment for a software system, comprising:

displaying a first user interface element for displaying entities of one or more objects loaded in the environment, wherein the first interface element enables users to select multiple entities displayed in the first user interface element;

displaying a second user interface element for displaying attributes associated with the selected multiple entities.

37. The medium of claim 36 wherein the second user interface element displays all properties of the plurality of entities.

38. The medium of claim 37 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are indicated differently than the attributes associated with the selected multiple entities that are common properties of the multiple entities.

39. The medium of claim 38 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are colored differently.

40. In a computational device that provides a modeling environment, a method for generating a formatted user interface in the modeling environment, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of entities in one or more models loaded in the modeling environment; and

dynamically generating a formatted user interface for editing information associated with the plurality of entities.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

enabling user to select the plurality of entities in one or more models loaded in the modeling environment.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the users are able to select the plurality of entities using a multi-criteria search mechanism.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the user interface is included in a different window than that providing the plurality of entities in one or more models loaded in the modeling environment.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the user interface is generated based on a mode in which the users operate with a model.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the operation mode includes at least one of a mode for editing the model, and a mode for simulating the model.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein the environment includes a block diagram modeling environment.

47. The method of claim 40 wherein the plurality of entities include components of one or more models.

48. The method of claim 40 wherein the plurality of entities include configurations of one or more models.

49. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an intersection of properties of the plurality of entities.

50. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes a union of properties of the plurality of entities.

51. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an exclusive OR of properties of the plurality of entities.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the properties of the plurality of entities are displayed depending on a frequency of the properties in the plurality of entities.

53. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an intersection of operations of the plurality of entities.

54. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes a complete or partial union of operations of the plurality of entities.

55. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an exclusive OR of operations of the plurality of entities.

56. The method of claim 40 wherein the information associated with the selected entities includes an arbitrary number of set operations on the plurality of entities.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the set operation is selected by the user.

58. The method of claim 40 wherein the user interface includes a graphical user interface.

59. In a computational device that provides a modeling environment, a method for providing a formatted dynamic dialog interface in the modeling environment, the method comprising:

displaying a first user interface element for displaying entities of one or more models loaded in the modeling environment, wherein the first interface element enables users to select multiple entities displayed in the first user interface element;

displaying a second user interface element for displaying attributes associated with the selected multiple entities.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the first and second interface elements are displayed in different panes of a same window.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein the first and second interface elements are included in different windows.

62. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface element is displayed dynamically on the selection of the multiple entities.

63. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface element displays an intersection of properties of the multiple entities.

64. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface element displays a partial or complete union of properties of the plurality of entities.

65. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface element displays an exclusive OR of properties of the plurality of entities.

66. The method of claim 64 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are indicated differently than the attributes associated with the selected multiple entities that are common properties of the multiple entities.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are colored differently.

68. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface enables the users to edit attributes that are common with the selected entities.

69. The method of claim 59 wherein the second user interface includes different panes, each pane displaying attributes associated with each of the selected entities.

70. The method of claim 59 wherein the different panes are displayed in overlap.

71. A medium holding instructions executable in a computational device that provides an environment for modeling a system, comprising:

providing a plurality of entities in one or more models loaded in the modeling environment; and

dynamically generating a formatted user interface for editing information associated with the plurality of entities.

72. The medium of claim 71 wherein the environment includes a block diagram modeling environment.

73. The medium of claim 71 wherein the plurality of entities include components of one or more models.

74. The medium of claim 71 wherein the plurality of entities include configurations of one or more models.

75. A medium holding instructions executable in a computational device that provides an environment for modeling a system, comprising:

displaying a first user interface element for displaying entities of one or more models loaded in the modeling environment, wherein the first interface element enables users to select multiple entities displayed in the first user interface element;

displaying a second user interface element for displaying attributes associated with the selected multiple entities.

76. The medium of claim 75 wherein the second user interface element displays all properties of the plurality of entities.

77. The medium of claim 76 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are indicated differently than the attributes associated with the selected multiple entities that are common properties of the multiple entities.

78. The medium of claim 77 wherein the attributes associated with the selected entities that are not common with the selected multiple entities are colored differently.

79. A system comprising:

a software environment for loading one or more objects, the one or more objects including a plurality of entities; and

a first formatted user interface element dynamically generated for editing information associated with selected entities in the one or more objects.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein the software environment comprises a modeling environment and the one or more object comprise one or more models.

81. The system of claim 79, further comprising:

a second user interface element for displaying the plurality of entities of one or more objects loaded in the software environment, wherein the second user interface element enables users to select multiple entities displayed in the second user interface element;

82. The system of claim 81, wherein the users are able to select a plurality of entities using a multi-criteria search mechanism.

83. The system of claim 79, wherein the user interface is generated based on a mode for editing the object, or a mode for simulating the object.

84. The system of claim 79 wherein the information associated with the entities includes an intersection of properties or operations of the plurality of entities.

85. The system of claim 79 wherein the information associated with the entities includes a union of properties or operations of the plurality of entities.

86. The system of claim 79 wherein the information associated with the entities includes an exclusive OR of properties or operations of the plurality of entities.

87. The system of claim 79 wherein the information associated with the entities includes an arbitrary number of set operations on the plurality of entities.

88. The system of claim 79 wherein the first user interface enables the users to edit attributes that are common with the entities.

89. The system of claim 79 wherein the first user interface includes different panes, each pane displaying attributes associated with each of the entities.