Method and apparatus for generating consistent user interfaces
First Claim
1. A method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- automatically generating a consistent user interface for an application program by assisting a user with building an hypertext markup language (HTML) user interface page by;
receiving one or more business objects that each define a user action for the application program;
receiving one or more metadata elements for dynamic content generation and defining parameters for the user actions of the one or more business object;
invoking a controller that is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, one or more widgets, and one or more panels;
receiving a first user request from the user through a browser used to interact with the application program and dispatching the user request to one or more of the actions;
based on a second user request received from the user through the browser, selecting a first panel from the one or more panels and including the first panel in the HTML user interface page;
wherein the first panel is dynamically generated using the one or more widgets and comprises a programmed template with a user-interface content;
wherein the user-interface content comprises one or more of user controls, programmable buttons and action buttons;
the controller determining which of the one or more actions is responsible for acting on the first user request;
obtaining, using the one or more actions, one or more parameter values from the business objects and dynamically manipulating the one or more parameter values;
using the one or more actions and the business object parameter values, selecting a first widget from the one or more widgets;
associating the first widget with the first panel selected from the one or more panels, wherein the selected first widget is arranged into a specified dynamic layout within the first panel; and
generating the specified dynamic layout, at runtime, and presenting to the user, a user-interface utility comprising the HTML user interface page that includes the first widget arranged into the specified dynamic layout within the first panel;
wherein he first widgets has the capability of representing properties of the business objects as HTML elements;
wherein the method performed by one or more processors.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for generating a consistent user interface for an HTML-based application program, without extensive coding of Java Server Pages and other elements. In one approach, business objects each define a user action for the application program, and metadata elements defining parameters for the user actions of the business object. A controller is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, widgets, and panels. A user request is received from a browser and dispatched to one or the actions. Using the actions, one or more parameter values are obtained from the business objects. The business object parameter values are associated with a widget selected from among the one or more widgets. The selected widget is associated with a panel selected from the one or more panels. An HTML user interface page that includes the selected panel is generated. The widgets represent properties of the business objects as HTML elements, automatically generate client-side executable code for performing data validation, and convert values received in users requests into programmatic objects of appropriate data types for use by the application program.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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automatically generating a consistent user interface for an application program by assisting a user with building an hypertext markup language (HTML) user interface page by; receiving one or more business objects that each define a user action for the application program; receiving one or more metadata elements for dynamic content generation and defining parameters for the user actions of the one or more business object; invoking a controller that is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, one or more widgets, and one or more panels; receiving a first user request from the user through a browser used to interact with the application program and dispatching the user request to one or more of the actions; based on a second user request received from the user through the browser, selecting a first panel from the one or more panels and including the first panel in the HTML user interface page; wherein the first panel is dynamically generated using the one or more widgets and comprises a programmed template with a user-interface content; wherein the user-interface content comprises one or more of user controls, programmable buttons and action buttons; the controller determining which of the one or more actions is responsible for acting on the first user request; obtaining, using the one or more actions, one or more parameter values from the business objects and dynamically manipulating the one or more parameter values; using the one or more actions and the business object parameter values, selecting a first widget from the one or more widgets; associating the first widget with the first panel selected from the one or more panels, wherein the selected first widget is arranged into a specified dynamic layout within the first panel; and generating the specified dynamic layout, at runtime, and presenting to the user, a user-interface utility comprising the HTML user interface page that includes the first widget arranged into the specified dynamic layout within the first panel;
wherein he first widgets has the capability of representing properties of the business objects as HTML elements;
wherein the method performed by one or more processors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable volatile or non-volatile storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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automatically generating a consistent user interface for an application program by assisting a user with building an hypertext markup language (HTML) user interface page by; receiving one or more business objects that each define a user action for the application program; receiving one or more metadata elements for dynamic content generation and defining parameters for the user actions of the one or more business object; invoking a controller that is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, one or more widgets, and one or more panels; receiving a first user request from the user through a browser used to interact with the application program and dispatching the user request to one or more of the actions; wherein the first panel is dynamically generated using the one or more widgets and comprises a programmed template with a user-interface content; wherein the user-interface content comprises one or more of user controls, programmable buttons and action buttons; based on a second user request received from the user through the browser, selecting a first panel from the one or more panels and including the first panel in the HTML user interface page; the controller determining which of the one or more actions is responsible for acting on the first user request; obtaining, using the one or more actions, one or more parameter values from the business objects and dynamically manipulating the one or more parameter values; using the one or more actions and the business object parameter values, selecting a first widget from the one or more widgets; associating the first widget with the first panel selected from the one or more panels, wherein the first widget is arranged into a specified dynamic layout within the first panel; and generating the specified dynamic layout, at runtime, and presenting to the user, a user-interface utility comprising the HTML user interface page that includes the first widget arranged into the specified dynamic layout within the first panel;
wherein the first widget has the capability of representing properties of the business objects as HTML elements. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
means for automatically generating a consistent user interface for an application program by assisting a user with building an hypertext markup language (HTML) user interface page, the means including; means for receiving one or more business objects that each define a user action for the application program; means for receiving one or more metadata elements for dynamic content generation and defining parameters for the user actions of the one or more business object; means for invoking a controller that is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, one or more widgets, and one or more panels; means for receiving a first user request from the user through a browser used to interact with the application program and dispatching the user request to one or more of the actions, wherein the controller determines which of the one or more actions is responsible for acting on the user request; means for selecting, based on a second user request received from the user through the browser, a first panel from the one or more panels and including the first panel in the HTML user interface page; wherein the first panel is dynamically generated using the one or more widgets and comprises a programmed template with a user-interface content; wherein the user-interface content comprises one or more of user controls, programmable buttons and action buttons; means for obtaining, using the one or more actions, one or more parameter values from the business objects and dynamically manipulating the one or more parameter values; means for selecting a first widget from the one or more widgets, using the one or more actions and the business object parameter values; means for associating the first widget with the first panel selected from the one or more panels, wherein the first widget is arranged into a specified dynamic layout within the first panel; and means for generating the specified dynamic layout, at runtime, and presenting to the user, a user-interface utility comprising the HTML user interface page that includes the first widget arranged into the specified dynamic layout with in the first panel; wherein the first widget has the capability of representing properties of the business objects as HTML elements. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- one or more processors;
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31. An apparatus comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom; a processor; one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of; automatically generating a consistent user interface for an application program by assisting a user with building an hypertext markup language (HTML) user interface page by; receiving one or more business objects that each define a user action for the application program; receiving one or more metadata elements for dynamic content generation and defining parameters for the user actions of the one or more business object; invoking a controller that is communicatively coupled to one or more actions, one or more widgets, and one or more panels; receiving a first user request from the user through a browser used to interact with the application program and dispatching the user request to one or more of the actions; based on a second user request received from the user through the browser, selecting a first panel from the one or more panels and including the first panel in the HTML user interface page; wherein the first panel is dynamically generated using the one or more widgets and comprises a programmed template with a user-interface content; wherein the user-interface content comprises one or more of user controls, programmable buttons and action buttons; the controller determining which of the one or more actions is responsible for acting on the first user request; obtaining, using the one or more actions, one or more parameter values from the business objects and dynamically manipulating the one or more parameter values; using the one or more actions and the business object parameter values, selecting a first widget from the one or more widgets; associating the first widget with the first panel selected from the one or more panels, wherein the first widget is arranged into a specified dynamic layout within the first panel; and generating the specified dynamic layout, at runtime, and presenting to the user, a user-interface utility comprising the HTML user interface page that includes the first widget arranged into the specified dynamic layout within the first panel;
wherein the first widget has the capability of representing properties of the business objects as HTML elements. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification