Method and apparatus in a data processing system for generating alternative views of client applications

• US 6,675,228 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bahrs, Peter C., Modh, Manish Mahesh
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/430,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 345/760, 345/764, 345/747, 709/310-318, 709/328-329
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A process and apparatus in a data processing svstem for presenting a view to a client. At an application mediator, a view event is received from a view controller, wherein the view event describes an action on a displayed container handled by the view controller. Responsive to a requirement that a change in a placement of the displaved container is required, a placement event is generated bv the application mediator. A determination is then made by a placement listener, as to whether the placement event includes an indication that an alternate view is to be generated. Responsive to a determination that an alternate view is to be generated, a call is sent to a method in the view controller to generate the alternate view.

Claims

1. A process in a data processing system for presenting a view to a client, the process comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

receiving, at an application mediator, a view event from a view controller, wherein the view event describes an action on a displayed container handled by the view controller;

responsive to a requirement that a change in a placement of the displayed container is required, generating a placement event by the application mediator;

determining, by a placement listener, whether the placement event includes an indication that an alternate view is to be generated; and

responsive to a determination that an alternate view is to be generated, sending a call to a method in the view controller to generate the alternate view.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the alternate view is a hypertext markup language page and wherein a normal view for the container is a component.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the alternate view in a a data type definition file.

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the call at the view controller;

responsive to receiving the call, generating, by the view controller, a markup language version of the displayed container.

5. The process of claim 4 further comprising:

sending the markup language version of the displayed container to a client.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the step of generating, by the view controller, a markup language version of the displayed container comprises generating a hypertext markup language version of the displayed container.

7. A data processing system comprising:

a plurality of view controllers, wherein the plurality of view controllers handle presentation of an interface;

an application mediator, wherein the application mediator handles an order in which the plurality of view controllers are displayed in a display; and

a placement listener, wherein the placement listener handles placement of the interface in the display, wherein the view controller generates a first event handled by the application mediator, the application mediator generates a second event in response to the first event requiring a change by a view controller within the plurality of view controllers, wherein the placement listener sends a call to the view controller to present the container using an alternate mechanism.

8. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein a view controller is displayed by causing the view controller to present a container in the display.

9. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein the alternate mechanism generates a hypertext markup language file.

10. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein the alternate mechanism is a method in the view controller, wherein the method generates a markup language file representing a display of the interface handled by the view controller.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of view controllers, the application mediator, and the placement listener are located on the data processing system and wherein the data processing system is a server.

12. The data processing system of claim 11 further comprising:

sending means for sending the markup language file to a client.

13. A data processing system for presenting a view to a client, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving, at an application mediator, a view event from a view controller, wherein the view event describes an action on a displayed container handled by the view controller;

generating means, responsive to a requirement that a change in a placement of the displayed container is required, for generating a placement event by the application mediator;

determining means for determining, by a placement listener, whether the placement event includes an indication that an alternate view is to be generated; and

sending means, responsive to a determination that an alternate view is to be generated, for sending a call to a method in the view controller to generate the alternate view.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the alternate view is a hypertext markup language page and wherein a normal view for the container is a component.

15. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the alternate view in a a data type definition file.

16. The data processing system of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving means for receiving the call at the view controller;

generating means, responsive to receiving the call, for generating, by the view controller, a markup language version of the displayed container.

17. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising:

sending means for sending the markup language version of the displayed container to a client.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the means of generating, by the view controller, a markup language version of the displayed container comprises generating a hypertext markup language version of the displayed container.

19. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for presenting a view in a data processing system to a client, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving, at an application mediator, a view event from a view controller, wherein the view event describes an action on a displayed container handled by the view controller;

second instructions, responsive to a requirement that a change in a placement of the displayed container is required, for generating a placement event by the application mediator;

third instructions for determining, by a placement listener, whether the placement event includes an indication that an alternate view is to be generated; and

fourth instructions, responsive to a determination that an alternate view is to be generated, for sending a call to a method in the view controller to generate the alternate view.

20. A computer program product in a computer readable medium comprising:

first instructions for a plurality of view controllers, wherein the plurality of view controllers handle presentation of an interface;

second instructions for an application mediator, wherein the application mediator handles an order in which the plurality of view controllers are displayed in a display; and

third instructions for a placement listener, wherein the placement listener handles placement of the interface in the display, wherein the view controller generates a first event handled by the application mediator, the application mediator generates a second event in response to the first event requiring a change by a view controller within the plurality of view controllers, wherein the placement listener sends a call to the view controller to present the container using an alternate mechanism.