System, method and computer program product for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface

• US 8,549,417 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Waite, Andrew, Chasman, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, HIEN LUONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US12/174,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 715/760
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface. These mechanisms and methods for editing an on-demand database service graphical user interface can enable embodiments to edit desired portions of the interface, in a more flexible manner. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional flexibility may lead to more efficient and effective interface editing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a plurality of options each for configuring a different portion of a previously created graphical user interface associated with an on-demand database service;

receiving selection of one of the displayed options to configure an associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

in response to the selection of the one of the displayed options, displaying an editor interface associated only with the selected one of the displayed options to configure the associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where the editor interface displays text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

receiving, via the editor interface, a plurality of markup tags defining a customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by;

displaying within the editor interface a plurality of graphical user interface components associated with the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface and capable of being used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where each of the graphical user interface components is displayed as a different one of the plurality of markup tags;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

automatically receiving the markup tags and updating the displayed text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the markup tags inserted in response to the selection of the one of the graphical user interface components, wherein the markup tags define the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by indicating the selected one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

publishing a customized version of the previously created graphical user interface by substituting the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the customized one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

wherein the plurality of graphical user interface components are displayed in a component interface separate from the editor interface, and the selected one of the graphical user interface components is selected and moved from the component interface into a window of the editor interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the editor interface includes a web-based interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options are displayed and the selection of the one of the options is received utilizing a drop down menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface components include a plurality of pre-defined graphical user interface components of a graphical user interface component library.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface components are displayed in response to a request received from a user utilizing the editor interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface defined by the markup tags includes a portion of an e-mail interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface defined by the markup tags includes a portion of a search results interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface defined by the markup tags includes a portion of a home page interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes a multi-tenant on-demand database service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously created graphical user interface is a default user interface in which the portions of the previously created graphical user interface have default characteristics capable of being customized via the editor interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface components are linked to code for facilitating use of the graphical user interface components with the graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein additional information corresponding to the selected one of the graphical user interface components is displayed upon selecting the graphical user interface component.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

displaying a plurality of options each for configuring a different portion of a previously created graphical user interface associated with an on-demand database service;

receiving selection of one of the displayed options to configure an associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

in response to the selection of the one of the displayed options, displaying an editor interface associated only with the selected one of the displayed options to configure the associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where the editor interface displays text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

receiving, via the editor interface, a plurality of markup tags defining a customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by;

displaying within the editor interface a plurality of graphical user interface components associated with the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface and capable of being used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where each of the graphical user interface components is displayed as a different one of the plurality of markup tags;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

automatically receiving the markup tags and updating the displayed text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the markup tags inserted in response to the selection of the one of the graphical user interface components, wherein the markup tags define the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by indicating the selected one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

publishing a customized version of the previously created graphical user interface by substituting the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the customized one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

wherein the plurality of graphical user interface components are displayed in a component interface separate from the editor interface, and the selected one of the graphical user interface components is selected and moved from the component interface into a window of the editor interface.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

displaying a plurality of options each for configuring a different portion of a previously created graphical user interface associated with an on-demand database service;

receiving selection of one of the displayed options to configure an associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

in response to the selection of the one of the displayed options, displaying an editor interface associated only with the selected one of the displayed options to configure the associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where the editor interface displays text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

receiving, via the editor interface, a plurality of markup tags defining a customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by;

displaying within the editor interface a plurality of graphical user interface components associated with the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface and capable of being used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where each of the graphical user interface components is displayed as a different one of the plurality of markup tags;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

automatically receiving the markup tags and updating the displayed text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the markup tags inserted in response to the selection of the one of the graphical user interface components, wherein the markup tags define the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by indicating the selected one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

publishing a customized version of the previously created graphical user interface by substituting the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the customized one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

wherein the plurality of graphical user interface components are displayed in a component interface separate from the editor interface, and the selected one of the graphical user interface components is selected and moved from the component interface into a window of the editor interface.

15. A method for transmitting code for use in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for displaying a plurality of options each for configuring a different portion of a previously created graphical user interface associated with an on-demand database service;

transmitting code for receiving selection of one of the displayed options to configure an associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

transmitting code for in response to the selection of the one of the displayed options, displaying an editor interface associated only with the selected one of the displayed options to configure the associated one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where the editor interface displays text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

transmitting code for receiving, via the editor interface, a plurality of markup tags defining a customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by;

displaying within the editor interface a plurality of graphical user interface components associated with the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface and capable of being used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface, where each of the graphical user interface components is displayed as a different one of the plurality of markup tags;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

automatically receiving the markup tags and updating the displayed text representative of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the markup tags inserted in response to the selection of the one of the graphical user interface components, wherein the markup tags define the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface by indicating the selected one of the graphical user interface components to be used for the customization of the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface; and

transmitting code for publishing a customized version of the previously created graphical user interface by substituting the one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface with the customized one of the portions of the previously created graphical user interface;

wherein the plurality of graphical user interface components are displayed in a component interface separate from the editor interface, and the selected one of the graphical user interface components is selected and moved from the component interface into a window of the editor interface.