Relaying input from a GUI view controllers to application mediators which created the view controllers

• US 6,782,508 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• 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): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B
• Application Number:
  US09/429,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 715/526, 715/515, 345/760, 345/764
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing user input in a graphical user interface. A graphical user interface is presented using a view controller, wherein the view controller handles the user input to the graphical user interface. Responsive to a selected user input, an event is sent to a first application mediator. Responsive to the first application mediator being unable to process the event, the event is sent to a second application mediator for processing, wherein the first application mediator and the second application mediator handle an order in which a set of displays are displayed by a view controller.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for processing user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising the data processing system implemented step of:

creating a view controller by a first application mediator;

preseniting a graphical user interface using the view controller, wherein the view controller receives the user input to the graphical user interface;

responsive to a receipt by the view controller of selected user input, the view controller sending an event including the selected user input to the first application mediator; and

responsive to the first application mediator being unable to process the event, sending the event to a second application mediator for processing, wherein the first application mediator and the second application mediator handle an order in which a set of display are displayed by the view controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application mediator provides a first function and the second application mediator provides a second function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected user input is a selection of a button in the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the view controller handles presentation of a container.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application mediator is a child of the second application mediator.

7. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of application mediators include listeners, wherein a first level application mediator includes a listener for events from the plurality of view controllers.

8. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein a second level application mediator includes a listener to the first level application mediator for events from the first level application mediator.

6. A data processing system comprising:

a plurality of view controllers associated with a set of views, wherein the each view controller within the plurality of view controllers handles a view from the set of views for a graphical user interface and wherein the plurality of view controllers generate events in response to a receipt by one of the plurality of view controllers of a selected user input to the set of views; and

each one of said plurality of view controllers being created by one of a plurality of application mediators;

said one of said plurality of view controllers sending an event that includes said selected user input to a first application mediator; and

a plurality of application mediators hierarchically associated, wherein each application mediator handles different functions, the first application mediator on one level within the plurality of application mediators receives the event generated by the one of the plurality of view controllers, the first application mediator sends the event to a second application mediator on another level within the plurality of application mediators in response to an inability to process the event the first application mediator.

9. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein the first application mediator receives the event from the one of the plurality of view controllers.

10. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein the first application mediator receives the event from another application mediator on another level within the plurality of application mediators.

11. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of application mediators form a hierarchy from the association, wherein an event first received by an application mediator on a lowest level in the hierarchy and moves up the hierarchy in response to an application mediator in a level of the hierarchy being unable to handle the event.

12. A data processing system for processing user input in a graphical user interface, the data processing system comprising:

a first application mediator for creating a view controller;

presenting means for presenting a graphical user interface using the view controller, wherein the view controller receives handles the user input to the graphical user interface;

the view controller, responsive to a receipt by the view controller of selected user input, for sending an event including the selected user input to the first application mediator; and

second sending means, responsive to the first application mediator being unable to process the event, for sending the event to a second application mediator for processing, wherein the first application mediator and the second application mediator handle an order in which a set of displays are displayed by a view controller.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the first application mediator provides a first function and the second application mediator provides a second function.

14. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the selected user input is a selection or a button in the graphical user interface.

15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the view controller handles presentation of a container.

16. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the first application mediator is a child of the second application mediator.

17. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing user input in a graphical user interface, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for creating a view controller by a first application mediator;

instructions for presenting a graphical user interface using the view controller, wherein the view controller receives the user input to the graphical user interface;

instructions, responsive to a receipt by the view controller of selected user input, for sending, using the view controller, an event including the selected user input to the first application mediator; and

instructions, responsive to the first application mediator being unable to process the event, for sending the event to a second application mediator for processing, wherein the first application mediator and the second application mediator handle an order in which a set of displays are displayed by a view controller.

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

first instructions for a plurality of view controllers associated with a set of views, wherein the each view controller within the plurality of view controllers handles a view from the set of views for a graphical user interface and wherein the plurality of view controllers generate events in response, to a receipt by one of the plurality of view controllers of a selected user input to the set of views;

instructions for sending, by said one of said plurality of view controllers, an event that includes said selected user input to a first application mediator; and

instructions for a plurality of application mediators hierarchically associated, wherein each application mediator handles different functions, the first application mediator on one level within the plurality of application mediators receives the event generated by the one of the plurality of a view controllers, the first application mediator mediator sends the event to a second application mediator on another level within the plurality of application mediators in response to an inability to process the event by the first application mediator.