METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING A USER INTERFACE IN A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110289425A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Pletter, Daniel L., Waite, Andrew, Chasman, Doug, Mooney, James K., Troup, James
• Application Number:
  US12/970,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289425A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment are described. Some implementations involve displaying a rendered page, detecting the firing of an event in the rendered page and determining an event type for the event. The implementations may also involve ascertaining whether an action associated with the event is implemented in a server-side language or a client-side language, locating handlers for the event according to the event type and performing a handler execution process. These implementations may also involve executing a component re-rendering process to create a re-rendered page and displaying the re-rendered page. The component re-rendering process may be based, at least in part, on output from the handler execution process.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, the method comprising:

displaying a rendered page;

detecting the firing of an event in the rendered page;

determining an event type for the event;

ascertaining whether an action associated with the event is implemented in a server-side language or a client-side language;

locating handlers for the event according to the event type;

performing a handler execution process;

executing a component re-rendering process, based at least in part on output from the handler execution process, to create a re-rendered page; and

displaying the re-rendered page.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a request to a server regarding an action that is implemented in a server-side language; and

sending the request to the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the process of determining an event type comprises determining whether an event type is a component event type or an application event type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event corresponds to input received via an user input system.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a response to the request;

deserializing the response; and

determining, based on the response, an action associated with the event that is implemented in a client-side language.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the request comprises name/value pairs.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein, if it is determined that the event type is a component event type, the process of locating handlers comprises:

identifying a container component of an event source component; and

locating all handlers within the container component.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein, if it is determined that the event type is a component event type, the processor system identifies a parent of a component that fired the event.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein, if it is determined that the event type is an application event type, the process of locating handlers comprises locating all handlers for an identified application event.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein, if it is determined that the event type is an application event type, the event is broadcast to the entire page.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the client-side language is JavaScript.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the handler execution process comprises passing an event instance and the event source component into each handler.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one handler modifies component data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one handler fires another event or invokes another action.

15. An apparatus for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface;

a user input system including at least one user input device;

a display system including at least one display device; and

a processor system comprising at least one processor, the processor system configured for;

controlling the display system to display a rendered page;

detecting the firing of an event in the rendered page;

determining an event type for the event;

ascertaining whether an action associated with the event is implemented in a server-side language or a client-side language;

locating handlers for the event according to the event type;

performing a handler execution process;

executing a component re-rendering process, based at least in part on output from the handler execution process, to create a re-rendered page; and

controlling the display system to display the re-rendered page.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor system configured for:

creating a request to a server regarding an action that is implemented in a server-side language; and

sending the request to the server via the network interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the process of determining an event type comprises determining whether an event type is a component event type or an application event type.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the event corresponds to input received via the user input system.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor system is configured for:

receiving, via the network interface, a response to the request;

deserializing the response; and

determining, based on the response, an action associated with the event that is implemented in a client-side language.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the request comprises name/value pairs.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein, if the processor system determines that the event type is a component event type, the process of locating handlers comprises:

identifying a container component of an event source component; and

locating all handlers within the container component.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein, if the processor system determines that the event type is a component event type, the processor system identifies a parent of a component that fired the event.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein, if the processor system determines that the event type is an application event type, the process of locating handlers comprises locating all handlers for an identified application event.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein, if the processor system determines that the event type is an application event type, the event is broadcast to the entire page.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the client-side language is JavaScript.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the handler execution process comprises passing an event instance and the event source component into each handler.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein at least one handler modifies component data.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein at least one handler fires another event or invokes another action.

29. An apparatus for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, the apparatus comprising:

network interface means;

user input means;

display means; and

control means for;

controlling the display means to display a rendered page;

detecting the firing of an event in the rendered page;

determining an event type for the event;

ascertaining whether an action associated with the event is implemented in a server-side language or a client-side language;

locating handlers for the event according to the event type;

performing a handler execution process;

executing a component re-rendering process, based at least in part on output from the handler execution process, to create a re-rendered page; and

controlling the display means to display the re-rendered page.

30. A tangible medium having computer software for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment stored thereon, the computer software including instructions for controlling at least one device to do the following:

displaying a rendered page;

detecting the firing of an event in the rendered page;

determining an event type for the event;

ascertaining whether an action associated with the event is implemented in a server-side language or a client-side language;

locating handlers for the event according to the event type;

performing a handler execution process;

executing a component re-rendering process, based at least in part on output from the handler execution process, to create a re-rendered page; and

displaying the re-rendered page.