DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIPLE CLASSES OF USER INTERFACES FOR A SOFTWARE APPLICATION

• US 20150143337A1
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. (Idera, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. (Idera, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bauer, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 10,055,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

Methods and systems for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application are disclosed. A master view of a software application is displayed, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for the software application wherein each of the multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute the software application. Subordinate views are created, at the computer system, wherein each of the subordinate views pertain to one of the multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter the master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on the master view combined with a first group of the deltas for the first subordinate view. A change is propagated to the master view to each of the subordinate views, at the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application, said method comprising:

displaying a master view of a software application, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute said software application;

creating subordinate views, at said computer system, wherein each of said subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter said master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view;

propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views, at said computer system; and

storing a change to said first subordinate view, at said computer system, as a delta in said first group of said deltas.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

creating said software application, at said computer system, such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending said software application to a first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and a plurality of groups of said deltas.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said software application at a first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and a plurality of groups of said deltas; and

executing said software application at said first device;

said software application determining an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces; and

displaying said appropriate user interface at said first device by displaying said master view and a group of said deltas pertaining to said appropriate user interface.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said software application wherein a default user interface for a first device is said master view.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said multiple classes of said user interfaces are each related to a different platform of devices.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said subordinate views are created based on form inheritance wherein said subordinate views inherit attributes from said master view.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein an attribute of said master view is hidden for one of said subordinate views.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a free version of said software application.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a limited functionality version of said software application.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said master view pertains to a default language version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to an alternate language version of said software application.

12. A computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for developing multiple classes of user interfaces for a software application, said method comprising:

displaying a master view of a software application, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute said software application;

creating subordinate views, at said computer system, wherein each of said subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter said master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view;

propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views, at said computer system; and

storing a change to said first subordinate view, at said computer system, as a delta in said first group of said deltas.

13. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

creating said software application, at said computer system, such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces.

14. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

sending said software application to a first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and a plurality of groups of said deltas.

15. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving said software application at a first device wherein said software application comprises said multiple classes of user interfaces based on said master view and a plurality of groups of said deltas; and

executing said software application at said first device;

said software application determining an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces; and

displaying said appropriate user interface at said first device by displaying said master view and a group of said deltas pertaining to said appropriate user interface.

16. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a free version of said software application.

17. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12 wherein said master view pertains to a full version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to a limited functionality version of said software application.

18. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 12 wherein said master view pertains to a default language version of said software application and said first subordinate view pertains to an alternate language version of said software application.

19. A computer-usable storage medium having computer readable program code embedded therein for a software application developer, the program code comprising:

a software application developer with an interface for displaying a master view of a software application, at a computer system, for use in developing multiple classes of user interfaces for said software application wherein each of said multiple classes pertain to at least one form factor for a device to execute said software application, said software application developer further comprising;

a subordinate views creator for creating subordinate views wherein each of said subordinate views pertain to one of said multiple classes of user interfaces and comprise deltas that alter said master view such that a first subordinate view is displayed based on said master view combined with a first group of said deltas for said first subordinate view;

a change propagator for propagating a change to said master view to each of said subordinate views; and

a storage for storing a change to said first subordinate view as a delta in said first group of said deltas.

20. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 19 wherein said software application developer is further for creating said software application such that upon executing said software application at a first device, said software application will determine an appropriate user interface for said first device based on a form factor of said first device wherein said appropriate user interface is one of said multiple classes of user interfaces.