Custom templates

• US 20060149751A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Singh, Uma Kant, Porwal, Harish, Jade, Sripad
• Application Number:
  US11/024,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060149751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the use of custom templates to generate user interface screens in computer systems. In embodiments of the present invention, a data structure for supporting user interfaces may include a base template created by a developer for particular display devices and a delta file defining changes to the base templates manifested when the user interface screen is generated. Exemplary applications include small display devices having display, memory, and processing power limitations

Claims

1. A data structure for support of user interfaces in a computer system, comprising:

a base template defining parameters of a plurality of user interface elements; and

a delta file defining changes to the parameters, wherein the base template and the delta file are represented in a user interface screen.

2. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the delta file includes a pointer to the base template.

3. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the parameters include at least one of controls, screen layout, fonts, and colors.

4. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the delta file also defines new parameters not defined in the base template.

5. The data structure of claim 1, further comprising a second delta file defining different changes to the parameters and including a pointer to the base template, wherein the base template and the second delta file are represented in another user interface screen.

6. A computer system comprising memory to store data of a user interface, the memory including storage for at least one base template defining parameters of a plurality of user interface elements and at least one delta file defining changes to the parameters to be made in a user interface screen based on the base template.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the memory further includes storage of an application for displaying the user interface screen.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising a processor configured to execute the application, wherein the processor causes the application to retrieve the delta file from memory, read a pointer in the delta file to the base template, and retrieve the base template.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the processor further causes the application to display the base template and the delta file as the user interface screen.

10. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising a design tool, in communication with the memory, configured to create the base template and the delta file and to transmit the base template and the delta file to storage.

11. A method of generating a user interface screen, comprising:

retrieving from memory a base template defining parameters of a plurality of user interface elements and a delta file defining changes to the parameters to be made in the user interface screen based on the base template;

changing the parameters of the base template in the delta file; and

generating the user interface screen according to the changed parameters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a request from an application to generate the user interface screen.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the retrieving comprises:

retrieving the delta file from memory;

reading a pointer in the delta file to the base template; and

retrieving the pointed-to base template.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing comprises:

defining in the delta file different values for the parameters than those in the base template.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating comprises:

generating the user interface screen from the base template;

modifying the user interface screen according to the delta file; and

displaying the modified user interface screen on a display device.

16. A method of creating a template upon which a user interface screen is based, comprising:

defining parameters of a plurality of user interface elements;

storing the parameters as a template;

creating a file defining changes to the parameters;

defining a pointer from the file to the template; and

storing the file with the pointer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the defining parameters comprises:

defining at least one of controls, screen layout, fonts, and colors for the user interface screen.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the creating comprises:

defining changes in at least one of controls, screen layout, fonts, and colors defined in the template.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

creating a second file defining different changes to the parameters;

defining a second pointer from the second file to the template; and

storing the second file with the second pointer.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of templates upon which to base the user interface screen; and

creating the file defining the changes to the selected one of the templates.