Selecting screens in a GUI using events generated by a set of view controllers

• US 7,181,686 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bahrs, Peter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula; Cesar B.
• Application Number:
  US09/431,429
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 715/15, 715/26, 717/60, 717/64, 717/81
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for presenting a set of screens in a graphical user interface. A first screen within a set of screens is presented, wherein the set of screens are presented using a set of view controllers. Responsive to a selected user input to the first screen, an event is generated by a view controller within the set of view controllers identifying the user input to the first screen, which is handled by the first view controller. Responsive to detecting the event generated by the view controller, a second screen from the set of screens is selected, by an application mediator, for display by sending a response to a view controller handling the second screen. The application mediator is initialized from reading a state machine file and control processing of view event received from virtual controllers.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for presenting a set of screens in a graphical user interface, the method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

presenting a first screen within a set of screens, wherein the set of screens are presented using a set of view controllers;

responsive to a selected user input to the first screen, generating an event by a view controller within the set of view controllers identifying the user input to the first screen, which is handled by a first view controller; and

responsive to detecting the event generated by the view controller, selecting, by an application mediator, a second screen from the set of screens for display by sending a response to a view controller handling the second screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second screens are a component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting, by an application mediator, a second screen is performed using a state machine in the application mediator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes a major code and a minor code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the major code indicates an action taken and the minor code indicates a function to be performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application mediator is initialized by reading a file containing a set of rules.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the set of rules are a set of transition rules for a state machine.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the application mediator is initialized using a portion of the set of rules.

9. A computer data processing system comprising:

a plurality of screens presented by a plurality of view controllers, wherein each view controller is associated with a screen, controls presentation of the screen, controls internal operation of the screen, and generates an event in response to a selected input to the screen; and

an application mediator, wherein the application mediator receives events from the plurality of view controllers and provides responses to the plurality of view controllers to after the display of the plurality of screens.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of screens are displayed one screen at a time.

11. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of screens are displayed in an order controlled by the application mediator.

12. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the event includes an identification of the user input to a screen and includes data and wherein the application mediator provides a function to process the data.

13. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the application mediator includes a state machine used to process events.

14. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the event includes a major code and a minor code.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the major code indicates an action taken and the minor code indicates a function to be performed.

16. A computer data processing system for presenting a set of screens in a graphical user interface, the data processing system comprising;

presenting means for presenting a first screen within a set of screens, wherein the set of screens are presented using a set of view controllers;

generating means, responsive to a selected user input to the first screen, for generating an event by a view controller within the set of view controllers identifying the user input to the first screen, which is handled by a first view controller; and

selecting means, responsive to detecting the event generated by the view controller, for selecting, by an application mediator, a second screen from the set of screens for display by sending a response to a view controller handling the second screen.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the first and second screens are screen a component.

18. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the selecting means is performed using a state machine in the application mediator.

19. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the event includes a major code and a minor code.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the major code indicates an action taken and the minor code indicates a function to be performed.

21. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the application mediator is initialized by reading a file containing a set of rules.

22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein the set of rules are a set of transition rules for a state machine.

23. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the application mediator is initialized using a portion of the sat of rules.

24. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for presenting a set of screens in a graphical user interface, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for presenting a first screen within a set of screens, wherein the set of screens are presented using a set of view controllers;

second instructions, responsive to a selected user input to the first screen, for generating an event by a view controller within the set of view controllers identifying the user input to the first screen, which is handled by a first view controller; and

third instructions, responsive to detecting the event generated by the view controller, for selecting, by an application mediator, a second screen from the set of screens for display by sending a response to a view controller handling the second screen.

25. A computer program product in a computer readable medium executed by a computer, comprising:

first instructions for a plurality of screens presented by a plurality of view controllers, wherein each view controller is associated with a screen, controls presentation of the screen, controls internal operation of the screen, and generates an event in response to a selected input to the screen; and

second instructions for an application mediator, wherein the application mediator receives events from the plurality of view controllers and provides responses to the plurality of view controllers to alter the display of the plurality of screens.