Systems and methods for creating and managing graphical user interface lists

• US 7,752,560 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bailey, Richard St. Clair, Shoop, Kirk, Falcon, Stephen Russell, Sharpe, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roswell; Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/031,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20050120361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/829, 715/830, 715/833, 715/826, 715/866
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for providing a standard list function to create a graphical user interface list and list manager while allowing the graphical user interface to vary by appearance. An application developer can include a list manager control in an application. Properties are set that link the list manager to display controls, a data source and a scrolling behavior source. The list manager provides the appropriate content to the display controls in response to user selections of the display controls. The display controls and a user interface that contains them may vary without altering the basic functionality of the list manager.

Claims

1. A list generating engine that extends an application program interface (API) comprising:

a processor; and

computer readable storage media, having stored thereon computer executable instructions, that when executed by the processor provide;

means for receiving a list manager application that includes a list manager, wherein the list manager is configured to manage display lists by receiving input from a graphical user interface (GUI) and processing the input with list data from a data source, and wherein the list manager application does not provide visual quality to the GUI;

means for integrating the list manager application with a GUI application, wherein the GUI application provides a unique visual layout for the list manager application, and wherein the GUI application includes a display list;

means for attaching user-selectable display controls to the display list;

means for accessing data elements from a data source, the data elements to be displayed in the display controls;

means for establishing a display state of the display controls;

means for receiving a request to change data elements in the display controls;

means for managing the data elements in the display controls according to the display state, wherein the means for managing the data elements is configured to;

add a reference to a respective said display control that sent an event and a unique identifier specifying which said data element that particular control is currently displaying; and

forward the event having the reference and the unique identifier to the data source, the unique identifier enabling the GUI application to listen to the list manager for the event without listening to a data item associated with said data element; and

means for integrating the list manager application with an additional GUI application, wherein the additional GUI application provides an additional unique visual layout for the list manager application that is different than the unique visual layout provided by the GUI application.

2. The list generating engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer executable instructions, that when executed by the processor provide means for changing the display state of the display controls while continuing to manage the data elements in the display controls.

3. The list generating engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the display state of the display controls changes between a request to change data elements in the display controls and an actual change of the data elements in the display controls.

4. The list generating engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the display state of the display controls changes while data elements in the display controls are changing.

5. The list generating engine as recited in claim 4, wherein the display state changes in response to a selection of a user of the list generating engine.

6. The list generating engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer executable instructions, that when executed by the processor provide means for managing the display state of the display controls, wherein the means for managing the display state of the display controls functions simultaneously with the means for managing the data elements in the display controls.

7. The list generating engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the unique identifier enables the application to request more detail about a particular said data element from the data source beyond that which is currently displayed within the display list.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a list manager application that includes a list manager, wherein the list manager is configured to manage display lists by receiving input from a graphical user interface (GUI) and processing the input with list data from a data source, and wherein the list manager application does not provide visual quality to the GUI;

integrating the list manager application with a GUI application, wherein the GUI application provides a unique visual layout for the list manager application, and wherein the GUI application includes a display list;

attaching user-selectable display controls to the display list;

accessing data elements from a data source, the data elements to be displayed in the display controls;

establishing a display state of the display controls;

receiving a request to change data elements in the display controls;

managing the data elements in the display controls according to the display state by adding a reference to a respective said display control that sent an event and a unique identifier specifying which said data element that particular control is currently displaying; and

forwarding the event having the reference and the unique identifier to the data source, the unique identifier enabling the GUI application to listen to the list manager for the event without listening to a data item associated with said data element; and

integrating the list manager application with an additional GUI application, wherein the additional GUI application provides an additional unique visual layout for the list manager application that is different than the unique visual layout provided by the GUI application.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the display state of the display controls changes between a request to change data elements in the display controls and an actual change of the data elements in the display controls.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the display state of the display controls changes while data elements in the display controls are changing.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the display state changes in response to a selection of a user of the list generating engine.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising managing the display state of the display controls simultaneously while managing the data elements in the display controls.

13. A method comprising:

integrating a list manager application that includes a list manager with a graphical user interface (GUI) application, wherein the list manager is configured to manage display lists by receiving input from the GUI and processing the input with list data from a data source, and wherein the list manager application does not provide visual quality to the GUI, and wherein the list manager is configured to provide a unique identifier that enables the GUI application to listen to events from the list manager without listening to events from individual display list items;

using the list manager application in conjunction with a GUI application to render a display list that has a unique visual layout; and

using the list manager application in conjunction with an additional GUI application to render an additional display list that has an additional unique visual layout that is different than the unique visual layout of the display list.