System and method for creating and presenting modal dialog boxes in server-side component web applications

• US 20060253799A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus Software, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Montroy, Daniel, Gorrell, Micah, Sorensen, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,721,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A system and method for creating and presenting modal dialog boxes in web-based applications is presented herein. The invention includes client devices that initiate requests for webpages that include modal dialog boxes and a server that receives and processes the web page requests and includes modal dialog controls to generate HTML instructions to render and display the modal dialog boxes at the client devices. The modal dialog controls include a web rendering module to determine the existence of children controls within the modal dialog box and to generate display related information. The modal dialog controls also include an event handling module to intercept attempts to access elements of the web page while the modal dialog box has not been responded to.

Claims

1. A method of creating and presenting one or more modal dialog boxes in a web-based application comprising:

receiving a request to generate a web page that includes one or more modal dialog boxes;

generating HTML instructions to display the one or more modal dialog boxes on a screen at a user device;

generating HTML instructions to position the displayed one or more modal dialog boxes on the screen; and

generating HTML instructions to disable access to elements associated with the one web page until the one or more modal dialog boxes have received a response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating HTML instructions to position the one or more modal dialog boxes further comprises:

determining a viewable area associated with the screen at the user device; and

calculating a position for displaying the one or more modal dialog boxes relative to the viewable area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating a position further comprises determining the center of the viewable area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating HTML instructions to disable access to the elements of the web page further comprises:

assigning an index to each of the one or more modal dialog boxes such that the index has a greater value than the web page; and

presenting indicia having an index value that is lower than the one or more modal dialog boxes and is higher than the web page to indicate that the web page is temporarily disabled.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein presenting indicia comprises:

creating a transparent image object to appear behind the one or more modal dialog boxes, wherein the transparent image object includes a gray tint to provide visual indication that the web page has been disabled; and

wherein the transparent image object is configured to intercept attempts to access the elements of the disabled web page.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

generating HTML instructions to insert a hidden control object within the one or more modal dialog boxes, wherein the hidden control object is configured to intercept attempts to access the elements of the disabled web page.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein if the web page includes more than one modal dialog box, the method further comprises:

assigning a modal dialog box that is active an index value higher than the remaining modal dialog boxes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message indicating that the modal dialog box has been responded to, wherein the message includes control values associated with the modal dialog box and the web page.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is initiated by the user device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the HTML instructions to display and position the one or more modal dialog boxes, and to disable access to the web page elements, are generated by a web server.

11. A system for creating and presenting a modal dialog box in a web-based application comprising:

one or more client devices configured to initiate a request for a web page that includes one or more modal dialog boxes; and

a server mechanism communicatively coupled to the one or more client devices, configured to receive the request for the web pages;

wherein the server mechanism includes a modal dialog control configured to generated HTML instructions to create and present the one or more modal dialog boxes to each of the requesting client devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the modal dialog control further comprises:

a web rendering module adapted to determine whether the one or more modal dialog boxes include children controls and to generate the HTML instructions to display the one or more modal dialog boxes; and

an event handling module adapted to intercept attempts to access elements of the while the one or more modal dialog boxes have not been responded to.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein web rendering module further comprises:

a mechanism that determines a position for displaying the modal dialog box.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the event handling module is adapted to intercept keyboard actions to access the elements of the web page.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the event handling module is adapted to intercept mouse actions and keyboard actions to access the elements of the web page.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the event handling module is adapted to intercept mouse actions to access the elements of the web page.

15-1. A server for creating and presenting a modal dialog box in a web-based application comprising:

a modal dialog control adapted to generate HTML instructions to display said the dialog box in response to a request to render a web page that includes the modal dialog box;

wherein the modal dialog control comprises;

a web rendering module adapted to determine whether the modal dialog box includes any children controls and to generate said HTML instructions to display the modal dialog box; and

an event handling module adapted to intercept attempts to access elements of the web page while the modal dialog box has not been responded to.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the event handling module includes:

a mechanism configured to intercept keyboard actions; and

a mechanism configured to intercept mouse actions.

19. The server of claim 18, wherein the mechanism for intercepting keyboard actions comprises a transparent image object placed behind the modal dialog box and above the web page.

20. The server of claim 18, wherein the mechanism for intercepting mouse actions comprises a hidden control object placed within the modal dialog box.

21. The server of claim 17, wherein the web rendering module further comprises:

a mechanism that determines a position where the modal dialog box is to be displayed.

22. The server of claim 17, further comprising a mechanism to receive a message confirming that the modal dialog box has been responded to and dismissed and to update the web page and associated controls upon receiving the confirmation message.