Markup Based Extensibility for User Interfaces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for modifying a graphical user interface, comprising:
- displaying, by a computing device, a user interface for a host software application, the user interface containing a ribbon-shaped graphical user interface, the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface comprising a first tab, the first tab comprising one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities of the host software application;
providing an Extensible Markup Language (XML) representation of the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface;
receiving a modification to the XML representation, the modification adding an add-in XML element to the XML representation, the add-in XML element corresponding to an add-in control;
after receiving the modification to the XML representation, receiving, from a user, a selection of an object in a document displayed in the user interface; and
exposing, by the computing device, the add-in control in the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface in response to receiving the selection of the object.
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer products are provided for exposing the programming of an application user interface to allow modification of the associated user interface to include adding, removing, disabling, enabling and repurposing new or existing user interface components.
97 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for modifying a graphical user interface, comprising:
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displaying, by a computing device, a user interface for a host software application, the user interface containing a ribbon-shaped graphical user interface, the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface comprising a first tab, the first tab comprising one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities of the host software application; providing an Extensible Markup Language (XML) representation of the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface; receiving a modification to the XML representation, the modification adding an add-in XML element to the XML representation, the add-in XML element corresponding to an add-in control; after receiving the modification to the XML representation, receiving, from a user, a selection of an object in a document displayed in the user interface; and exposing, by the computing device, the add-in control in the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface in response to receiving the selection of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computing device comprising:
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one or more computer storage media that store; instructions; and an Extensible Markup Language (XML) representation of a ribbon-shaped graphical user interface, the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface comprising a first tab, the first tab comprising one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities of a host software application; and a processing unit that reads the instructions from the one or more computer storage media and executes the instructions, execution of the instructions by the processing unit causing the computing device to; display a user interface for the host software application, the user interface containing the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface; and after receiving a modification to the XML representation; display a document in the user interface for the host software application, the document containing an object; and expose an add-in control in the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface in response to receiving a selection of the object, the modification adding an add-in XML element to the XML representation, the add-in XML element corresponding to the add-in control. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer storage medium that stores instructions, execution of the instructions by a processing unit of a computing device configuring the computing device such that the computing device:
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renders a ribbon-shaped graphical user interface from an Extensible Markup Language (XML) representation of the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface, the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface comprising a first tab, the first tab comprising one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities of a host software application; displays a user interface for the host software application, the user interface including the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface; integrates an amended XML file with an overall XML file, the amended XML file containing a modification to the XML representation, the modification to the XML representation including an add-in XML element, the add-in XML element representing an add-in control; displays, in the user interface for the host software application, a document that includes an object; after integrating the amended XML file with the overall XML file, exposes the add-in control in the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface when the object is selected, the add-in control not being in the ribbon-shaped graphical user interface prior to receiving the modification to the XML representation. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification