Runtime modification of data presented in a graphical element

• US 20070094608A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Getsch, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The present invention provides ways for application programs to allow users to dynamically update data that is presented in a GUI element. In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided that receives a command when a GUI element is displayed for the purpose of updating one or more data item(s) presented in the GUI element. In response to receiving the command, the method causes the updated data to be obtained from the user and stored in a database. Then the GUI element is “refreshed” so that the updated data is available in the GUI element for selection by the user.

Claims

1. In a computer that includes a database for storing data and an application program that displays a GUI element, a method of dynamically updating the data that is displayed in the GUI element, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a command to modify the data when the GUI element is displayed;

(b) obtaining input that identifies how the data displayed will be modified;

(c) changing the data stored in the database that is bound to the GUI element to reflect the input that identifies how the data will be modified; and

(d) refreshing the GUI element so that data bound to the GUI element is displayed.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to select the updated data that is displayed in the GUI element.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command is received when a pointer selection event is generated on the GUI element.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the GUI element is a combobox and the command is generated by default when data is entered into the combobox that does not match a data item that is displayed in the combobox.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the GUI element has an associated property that may be set to prevent modification of the data;

and

wherein receiving the command includes determining whether the property is set to prevent modification of the data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining input that identifies how the data will be modified includes presenting an edit user interface to the user.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the edit user interface allows the user to input modification data for adding, deleting, or renaming data items presented in the GUI element.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining input that identifies how the data will be modified includes determining whether an existing system is capable of obtaining the modification data from the user by searching for a foreign key in the database.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein refreshing the GUI element so that data bound to the GUI element is displayed, includes:

(a) generating a SQL query that identifies the data bound to the GUI element; and

(b) passing the SQL query to a database engine.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the database engine extracts the data bound to the GUI element and causes the data to be passed to the application program.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the GUI element is a listbox and wherein data contained in a field of a table is bound to the listbox.

12. A software system for dynamically updating data presented in a GUI element in the execution path of an application program, the software system comprising:

(a) an application platform operative to provide services to the application program including services for building the GUI element and storing data in a database.

(b) a database operative to store data that is bound to the GUI element; and

(c) a modification routine operative to;

(i) obtain modification data from the user that describes how data presented in the GUI element will be updated;

(ii) store the modification data in a unit of the database that is bound to the GUI element; and

(iii) cause the GUI element to display the data bound to the GUI element from the database.

13. The software system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a database engine for managing access to the database including causing data to be stored and extracted from the database when an appropriate request is issued from the application platform.

14. The software system as recited in claim 13, wherein the modification routine causes the GUI element to display the data bound to the GUI element in the database by:

(a) passing a SQL query to the database engine;

(b) receiving the result set of the SQL query from the database engine; and

(c) passing the result set to the application program.

15. The software system as recited in claim 12, wherein the application platform includes an operating system that manages access to hardware resources on the computer including resources that allow data to be stored on a memory medium.

16. The software system as recited in claim 12, wherein the application platform includes an extensible application program from which the application program may use existing systems for storing data in the database and interacting with the user.

17. The software system as recited in claim 12, wherein the modification routine uses an edit user interface to obtain the modification data from the user that describes how data presented in the GUI element will be updated.

18. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions which, when executed in a computer that includes a database for storing data and an application program that displays a GUI element, a method of dynamically updating the data that is displayed in the GUI element in response to receiving a command to modify the data, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining modification data from the user that describes the changes to the data that will be displayed in the GUI element;

(b) storing the modification data in a unit of the database that is bound to the GUI element; and

(c) refreshing the GUI element so that data bound to the GUI element is displayed.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein refreshing the GUI element so that data bound to the GUI element is displayed, includes:

(a) generating a SQL query that identifies the data bound to the GUI element;

(b) passing the SQL query to a database engine;

(c) receiving the result set of the SQL query from the database engine; and

(d) passing the result set to the application program.

20. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the GUI element maintains a property for identifying whether other components of the application program will use the modification data received from the user.