Drag and drop creation and editing of a page incorporating scripts

• US 6,714,219 B2
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Millet, Stephen J., Lindhorst, Gregory S., Shewchuk, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/223,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20020089539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/335, 345/339, 345/762, 345/765, 345/703, 345/744, 345/745, 345/746, 345/747, 345/764, 345/769, 345/770, 345/506.1, 707/513, 707/501, 707/530, 709/201, 709/203, 717/1, 717/2
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

An environment for developing clientside/serverside code is disclosed. The environment supports programming in an event-driven paradigm while the execution of the resultant programs are executed in a serial execution paradigm. Through shielding the developer from complex scripting segments, the environment provides the developer with the suggestion that that resultant execution model is event-driven. By treating scripts as later-definable objects, the designing phase of a page may be lessened, as the appropriate codings needed to implement a page are determined at a later date. In one example, the codings may be preliminary set as server side or client side, with the environment later adding the appropriate scripting language to complete the developed page.

Claims

1. A method of operating a user interface, said interface providing a designer with an enhanced programming environment, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting an object from a library of objects capable of being dragged and dropped onto a page, said objects including script that executes on one of a server and a client;

placing the object on a page;

providing a determination of whether script supporting said object should execute on said server or said client to said environment;

responding to said determination by receiving from said library of objects at least one of a first script for instantiating said object on said server and a second script for instantiating said object on said client;

transmitting said page to a server with at least one of said first script and said second script.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

wherein in response to said transmitting step, said server saves said page.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing said determination in a page object control on said page.

4. The method according 1, further comprising the step of:

calling said object on said page from a second page.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said calling step further comprises the step of:

referencing a page object control on said page.

6. A system for providing a designer with an enhanced programming environment comprising:

a library of objects capable of being dragged and dropped onto a page, at least one of said objects including script being configurable to execute on one of a server and a client;

a first display portion representing a page, the first display portion receiving dragged and dropped objects;

a second display portion displaying said library of objects, said system providing for dragging and dropping the objects from said second display portion into the first display portion;

a third display portion for configuring at least one of a method or property of one of the objects after the one of the objects has been dragged and dropped into the first display portion; and

a page object control storing whether said object should be scripted on said client or said server.

7. A system for providing a designer with an enhanced programming environment comprising:

a library of objects capable of being dragged and dropped onto a page, at least one of said objects including script being configurable to execute on one of a server and a client;

a first display portion representing a page, the first display portion receiving dragged and dropped objects;

a second display portion displaying said library of objects, said system providing for dragging and dropping the objects from said second display portion into the first display portion;

a third display portion for configuring at least one of a method or property of one of the objects after the one of the objects has been dragged and dropped into the first display portion; and

a second page calling said object located on said page,

wherein said second page calls a page object control containing at least one property or method for said object.