Methods and apparatus for automated wizard generation

• US 8,977,951 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Ethier, Christopher H. M., Ward, Trevor H., McLellan, Keith R., Rumsey, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc A
• Application Number:
  US11/507,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,123 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/200, 715240-247, 715272-277, 715/222
• US Class Current: 715/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/183 Tabulation, i.e. one-dimensional positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A system receives an identification of an electronic form that contains a set of objects. At least one object allows a user, via a graphical user interface, to provide input to the object. The system identifies a set of objects from the electronic form to be included within a panel used by a wizard to complete the electronic form. The system generates the panel for presentation by the wizard. The panel allows the user to provide input to those objects on that panel.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code for:

receiving, by a wizard generating application, selection of a preexisting electronic form, the preexisting electronic form comprising a plurality of form objects, the preexisting electronic form not corresponding to a preexisting wizard when received by the wizard generating application;

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, a set of wizard objects to be used in a wizard to be generated for the preexisting electronic form, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects based at least in part on a form object from the plurality of form objects, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects binding with a corresponding form object from the plurality of form objects;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a hierarchical order for the set of wizard objects to be used in the wizard;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a layout for at least one wizard panel for the wizard, the layout based at least in part on the determined hierarchical order, the layout including the generated set of wizard objects; and

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, the wizard by at least dynamically generating the layout for the at least one wizard panel.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating a first modification to the dynamically determined layout; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the input indicating the first modification.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising program code for:

recommending, by the wizard generating application, a second modification to the layout based at least in part on the first modification.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, a navigational input indicating an alternative panel for the dynamically determined layout for the at least one wizard panel for the wizard; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the received navigational input.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

determining, by the wizard generating application, at least one policy associated with the preexisting electronic form; and

including, by the wizard generating application, the determined at least one policy within the wizard.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a form object from the plurality of form objects binds with a wizard object from the dynamically generated set of wizard objects and wherein a presentation format of data associated with the form object is different than a presentation format of data associated with the wizard object.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

displaying, by the wizard generating application, the layout for the at least one wizard panel within a graphical user interface;

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating modification of a hierarchical sequence for the at least one wizard panel; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the layout based at least in part on the received input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one wizard object in the generated set of wizard objects in the generated wizard is configured to receive user input and wherein at least a portion of the preexisting electronic form is populated based on the received user input.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

providing a capability of toggling between the preexisting electronic form and the generated wizard.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program code for:

populating the preexisting electronic form based at least in part on input provided to the generated wizard.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wizard generating application, selection of a preexisting electronic form, the preexisting electronic form comprising a plurality of form objects, the preexisting electronic form not corresponding to a preexisting wizard when received by the wizard generating application;

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, a set of wizard objects to be used in a wizard to be generated for the preexisting electronic form, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects based at least in part on a form object from the plurality of form objects, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects binding with a corresponding form object from the plurality of form objects;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a hierarchical order for the set of wizard objects to be used in the wizard;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a layout for at least one wizard panel for the wizard, the layout based at least in part on the determined hierarchical order, the layout including the generated set of wizard objects; and

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, the wizard by at least dynamically generating the layout for the at least one wizard panel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating a first modification to the dynamically determined layout; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the input indicating the first modification.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

recommending, by the wizard generating application, a second modification to the layout based at least in part on the first modification.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, a navigational input indicating an alternative panel for the dynamically determined layout for the at least one wizard panel for the wizard; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the received navigational input.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the wizard generating application, at least one policy associated with the preexisting electronic form; and

including, by the wizard generating application, the determined at least one policy within the wizard.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a first object from the plurality of form objects binds with a second object from the dynamically generated set of wizard objects and wherein a presentation format of data associated with the first object is different than a presentation format of data associated with the second object.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, by the wizard generating application, the layout for the at least one wizard panel within a graphical user interface;

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating modification of a hierarchical sequence for the at least one wizard panel; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the layout based at least in part on the received input.

18. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured for;

receiving, by a wizard generating application, selection of a preexisting electronic form, the preexisting electronic form comprising a plurality of form objects, the preexisting electronic form not corresponding to a preexisting wizard when received by the wizard generating application;

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, a set of wizard objects to be used in a wizard to be generated for the preexisting electronic form, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects based at least in part on a form object from the plurality of form objects, at least one wizard object in the set of wizard objects binding with a corresponding form object from the plurality of form objects;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a hierarchical order for the set of wizard objects to be used in the wizard;

dynamically determining, by the wizard generating application, a layout for at least one wizard panel for the wizard, the layout based at least in part on the determined hierarchical order, the layout including the generated set of wizard objects; and

dynamically generating, by the wizard generating application, the wizard by at least dynamically generating the layout for the at least one wizard panel.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating a first modification to the dynamically determined layout; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the input indicating the first modification.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured for:

recommending, by the wizard generating application, a second modification to the layout based at least in part on the first modification.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving, by the wizard generating application, a navigational input indicating an alternative panel for the dynamically determined layout for the at least one wizard panel for the wizard; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the dynamically determined layout based at least in part on the received navigational input.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured for:

determining, by the wizard generating application, at least one policy associated with the preexisting electronic form; and

including, by the wizard generating application, the determined at least one policy within the wizard.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured for:

displaying, by the wizard generating application, the layout for the at least one wizard panel within a graphical user interface;

receiving, by the wizard generating application, an input indicating modification of a hierarchical sequence for the at least one wizard panel; and

updating, by the wizard generating application, the layout based at least in part on the received input.