Controlling presentation of a GUI, using view controllers created by an application mediator, by identifying a destination to access a target to retrieve data

• US 6,880,126 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bahrs, Peter C., Feigenbaum, Barry Alan, Sundberg, Sean Michael, Brown, Michael Wilfrid, Modh, Manish Mahesh, Woolfrey, John Allen Hubert, Chancey, Raphael Poole
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B
• Application Number:
  US09/366,404
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 715/526, 345780-781, 345790-793
• 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 of an architectural pattern for creating applications for a data processing system. A graphical user interface is created in which the graphical user interface includes a plurality of components. Processes for presenting the plurality of components and receiving user input are handled by a first set of graphical objects, wherein in response to selected user input, a first event is generated. An application object is created in which the application process controls an order in which the graphical objects present the set of components and process the event and wherein the application generates a second event. A transport object is created in which the transport object processes the second event and forwards the second event for processing to a destination within the plurality of destinations. A plurality of destination objects are created in which each destination object within the plurality of destinations objects handles accessing a destination within the plurality of destinations.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, the method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

controlling a presentation of a graphical user interface using a view controller, said view controller being a panel that contains a screen of data, wherein the view controller handles user input to the graphical user interface;

responsive to receiving, by the view controller, a selected user input, sending the selected user input from the view controller to an application mediator;

said view controller being created by said application mediator;

responsive to receiving the selected user input at the application mediator, processing the selected user input at the application mediator;

responsive to the selected user input including a requirement for data, sending a request from the application mediator to a transporter;

responsive to receiving a request from the application mediator at the transporter, sending the request to a destination;

utilizing said request to identify said destination said request including a target and an indication of how to handle the request; and

responsive to receiving the request at the destination, handling, by the destination, the request using the indication and accessing the target to retrieve the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is a component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is a plurality of components.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying validation rules to user input to validate and format the selected user input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination is a selected destination within a plurality of destinations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object oriented environment is Java.

7. A method in a data processing system creating an application for processing data in an object oriented system, the method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

creating a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface includes a plurality of components;

processes for presenting the plurality of components and receiving user input utilizing a first set of graphical objects, wherein in response to selected user input, a first event is generated that requests data;

creating an application object, wherein the application object controls an order in which the first set of graphical objects present the plurality of components and processes the event and wherein the application object generates a second event;

said application object creating said first set of graphical objects, each one of said plurality of components being a panel that contains a screen of data;

creating a transport object, wherein the transport object processes the second event and forwards the second event for processing to a destination within a plurality of destinations;

utilizing said second event to identify said destination within said plurality of destinations, said second event including a target and an indication of how to handle the second event;

creating a plurality of destination objects, each destination object within the plurality of destinations objects handles accessing a destination within the plurality of destinations; and

handling, by the destination within said plurality of destinations the second event using the indication and accessing the target to retrieve the data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of destinations are a plurality of services located on a server or on the local system to which the data processing system is a client.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of destinations are a plurality of services located within the data processing system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of services is a plurality of databases.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second event is a request for data.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the second event is a request to alter data.

13. A data processing system comprising:

a view controller, wherein the view controller handles presentation of a graphical user interface and receives user input, said view controller being a panel that contains a screen of data;

an application mediator, wherein the application mediator receives selected user input, that requests data, from the view controller and processes the selected user input and generates a request that includes a target and an indication of how to handle the request;

said view controller being created by said application mediator;

the request being utilized to identify a destination;

responsive to the selected user input including a requirement for data, sending a request from the application mediator to a transporter;

responsive to receiving a request from the application mediator at the transporter, sending the request to a destination;

the destination using the indication to access the target to retrieve the data in order to handle the request in response to receiving the request; and

a transporter, wherein the transporter routes the request from the application mediator to the destination.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the view controller is a first view controller and further comprising a second view controller, wherein said application mediator controls the first view controller and the second view controller.

15. A data processing system of claim 13, wherein the destination is a first destination and further comprising:

a second destination, wherein the second destination handles the request in response to receiving the request; and

wherein the transporter routes the request to one of the first destination and the second destination based on contents within the request.

16. A data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, the data processing system comprising:

controlling means for controlling a presentation of a graphical user interface using a view controller, wherein the view controller handles user input to the graphical user interface, said view controller being a panel that contains a screen of data;

sending means for responsive to receiving, by the view controller, a selected user input that requests data, for sending the selected user input from the view controller to an application mediator;

said view controller being created by said application mediator;

processing means, responsive to receiving the selected user input at the application mediator, for processing the selected user input at the application mediator;

sending means, responsive to the user input including a requirement for data, for sending a request from the application mediator to a transporter;

sending means, responsive to receiving a request from the application mediator at the transporter, for sending the request to a destination;

said request being utilized to identify said destination, said request including a target and an indication of how to handle the request; and

receiving means responsive to receiving the request at the destination, said destination handling the request using the indication to access the target to retrieve the data.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is a component.

18. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is a plurality of components.

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

applying means for applying validation rules to user input to validate and format the selected user input.

20. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the destination is a selected destination within a plurality of destinations.

21. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the object oriented environment is Java.

22. A data processing system creating an application for processing data in an object oriented system, the data processing system comprising:

first creating means for creating a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface includes a plurality of components;

processes for presenting the plurality of components and receiving means for receiving user input utilizing a first set of graphical objects, wherein in response to selected user input, a first event is generated that requests data;

second creating means for creating an application object, wherein the application object controls an order in which the first set of graphical objects present the plurality of components and processes the event and wherein the application object generates a second event;

said application object creating said first set of graphical objects, each one of said first set of graphical objects being a panel that contains a screen of data;

third creating means for creating a transport object, wherein the transport object processes the second event and forwards the second event for processing to a destination within a plurality of destinations;

said second event being utilized to identify said destination within a plurality of destinations, said second event including a target and an indication of how to handle the second event;

handling, by the destination within said plurality of destinations, the second event using the indication to access the target to retrieve the data; and

fourth creating means for creating a plurality of destination objects, wherein each destination object within the plurality of destinations objects handles accessing a destination within the plurality of destinations.

23. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of destinations are a plurality of services located on a server or on the local system to which the data processing system is a client.

24. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of destinations is a plurality of services located within the data processing system.

25. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of services is a plurality of databases.

26. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the second event is a request for data.

27. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the second event is a request to alter data.

28. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, the medium comprising the computer program product implemented steps of:

first instructions for controlling a presentation of a graphical user interface using a view controller, said view controller being a panel that contains a screen of data, wherein the view controller handles user input to the graphical user interface;

second instructions, responsive to receiving by the view controller, a selected user input that requests data, for sending the selected user input from the view controller to an application mediator;

said view controller being created by said application mediator;

third instructions, responsive to receiving the selected user input at the application mediator, for processing the selected user input at the application mediator;

fourth instructions, responsive to the user input including a requirement for data, for sending a request from the application mediator to a transporter;

fifth instructions, responsive to receiving a request from the application mediator at the transporter, for sending the request to a destination;

instructions for utilizing said request to identify the destination, said request including a target and an indication of how to handle the request; and

sixth instructions, responsive to receiving the request at the destination, for handling the request by the destination using the indication to access the target to retrieve the data.

29. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for creating an application for processing data in an object oriented system, the medium comprising the computer program product implemented steps of:

first instructions for creating a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface includes a plurality of components;

processes for presenting the plurality of components and receiving user input utilizing a first set of graphical objects, wherein in response to selected user input, a first event is generated that requests data;

second instructions for creating an application object, wherein the application object controls an order in which the first set of graphical objects presents the plurality of components and processes the event and wherein the application object generates a second event;

said application object creating said first set of graphical objects, each one of said plurality of components being, a panel that contains a screen of data;

third instructions for creating a transport object, wherein the transport object processes the second event and forwards the second event for processing to a destination within a plurality of destinations;

instructions for utilizing said second event to identify said destination within a plurality of destinations, said second event including a target and an indication of how to handle the second event;

fourth instructions for creating a plurality of destination objects, wherein each destination object within the plurality of destinations objects handles accessing a destination within the plurality of destinations; and

instruction for handling, by the destination within said plurality of destinations, the second event using the indication to access the target to retrieve the data.