METHOD FOR TAGGING ELEMENTS IN A USER INTERFACE

• US 20120304089A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohen, Aaron M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,967,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing

Abstract

A user interface element identification system, including: a display device to display the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to: assign at least two machine readable visual artifacts to a graphical element in the user interface; position the machine readable visual artifacts in different locations within the element, wherein the locations of the artifacts designate a metadata attribute for the element; and display the machine readable visual artifacts in the user interface on the display device.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a processor within a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for designating a graphical element displayed in a user interface, the operations comprising;

assigning at least two machine readable visual artifacts to the element;

positioning the machine readable visual artifacts in different locations within the element, wherein the locations of the artifacts identify a metadata attribute for the element; and

displaying the machine readable visual artifacts in the user interface on a display device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable visual artifacts are identical artifacts.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

determining the locations for the machine readable visual artifacts based on an element type corresponding to the element, wherein the element type describes a function and an appearance of the element in the user interface.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the locations for the machine readable visual artifacts indicate an exterior border of the element.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

determining that a resolution of the user interface satisfies a resolution threshold;

determining that a ratio of a size of the machine readable visual artifacts to a size of a smallest font corresponding to the element is below a ratio threshold; and

verifying that the locations for the artifacts comprise a single color.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

assigning at least two additional machine readable visual artifacts to a sub-element within the element, wherein the additional machine readable visual artifacts designate a metadata attribute for the sub-element; and

positioning the artifacts for the element on a different x-axis and a different y-axis within the element; and

positioning the artifacts for the sub-element on one of a plurality of major axes of the user interface, wherein the plurality of major axes comprise a plurality of x- and y-axes.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform additional operations, comprising:

hiding all of the machine readable visual artifacts for the element in response to determining that any of the machine readable visual artifacts is outside a boundary of the user interface.

8. A method for designating a graphical element displayed in a user interface, comprising:

assigning at least two machine readable visual artifacts to the element;

positioning the machine readable visual artifacts in different locations within the element, wherein the locations of the artifacts designate a metadata attribute for the element; and

displaying the machine readable visual artifacts in the user interface on a display device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine readable visual artifacts are identical artifacts.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the locations for the machine readable visual artifacts based on an element type corresponding to the element, wherein the element type describes a function and an appearance of the element in the user interface.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the locations for the machine readable visual artifacts indicate an exterior border of the element.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that a resolution of the user interface satisfies a resolution threshold;

determining that a ratio of a size of the machine readable visual artifacts to a size of a smallest font corresponding to the element is below a ratio threshold; and

verifying that the locations for the artifacts comprise a single color.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

assigning at least two additional machine readable visual artifacts to a sub-element within the element, wherein the additional machine readable visual artifacts identify a metadata attribute for the sub-element; and

positioning the artifacts for the element on a different x-axis and a different y-axis within the element; and

positioning the artifacts for the sub-element on one of a plurality of major axes of the user interface, wherein the plurality of major axes comprise a plurality of x- and y-axes.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

hiding the machine readable visual artifacts in response to determining that any part of the element is obscured in the user interface.

15. A user interface element identification system, comprising:

a display device to display the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to;

assign at least two machine readable visual artifacts to a graphical element in the user interface;

position the machine readable visual artifacts in different locations within the element, wherein the locations of the artifacts designate a metadata attribute for the element; and

display the machine readable visual artifacts in the user interface on the display device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the machine readable visual artifacts are identical artifacts.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the locations for the machine readable visual artifacts indicate an exterior border of the element.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

determine that a resolution of the user interface satisfies a resolution threshold;

determine that a ratio of a size of the machine readable visual artifacts to a size of a smallest font corresponding to the element is below a ratio threshold; and

verify that the locations for the artifacts comprise a single color.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

assign at least two additional machine readable visual artifacts to a sub-element within the element, wherein the additional machine readable visual artifacts designate a metadata attribute for the sub-element; and

position the artifacts for the element on a different x-axis and a different y-axis within the element; and

position the artifacts for the sub-element on one of a plurality of major axes of the user interface, wherein the plurality of major axes comprise a plurality of x- and y-axes.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is further configured to hide all of the machine readable visual artifacts in response to determining that any of the machine readable visual artifacts is outside a boundary of the user interface.