System and method of adding user interface element groups

• US 9,342,569 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Kauerauf, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): WIENER, ERIC A
• Application Number:
  US12/968,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20120159392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 715/826
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/244 Grouping and aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer implemented method of adding user interface elements within an application program. The method includes generating a user interface layout having user interface elements and database connections, where the database connections relate the user interface elements to a database. The method further includes generating a selection layout having element groups, where each of the element groups includes a first element and a second element that are spatially related. The method further includes receiving a user selection of a selected element group of the element groups, and generating the user interface layout having the user interface elements, where the user interface elements now includes the selected element group. In this manner, the user interface layout may be efficiently adjusted.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of adding user interface elements within an application program, comprising:

generating, by an application server, a user interface layout having a plurality of user interface elements and a plurality of database connections, wherein the plurality of database connections relate the plurality of user interface elements to a database;

generating, by the application server, a selection layout having a plurality of element groups, wherein each of the plurality of element groups includes a recursive group, wherein the recursive group includes a primary group and a secondary group, wherein the primary group includes a first plurality of elements that includes a first element and the secondary group, wherein the secondary group includes a second plurality of elements that includes a second element, wherein the first element and the secondary group are related in the user interface layout;

receiving, by the application server, a user selection of an element group of the plurality of element groups as a selected element group; and

generating, by the application server, the user interface layout having the plurality of user interface elements, wherein the plurality of user interface elements now includes the selected element group,

wherein the selected element group includes a first selected element and a second selected element, wherein the first selected element and the second selected element have a semantic relationship such that when a particular selection of the first selected element is selected, a feature of the second selected element is defined,

wherein the database includes a first plurality of fields and a second plurality of fields, wherein the first plurality of fields are included in the user interface layout, and wherein the second plurality of fields are included in the selection layout,

wherein the user interface layout includes a first area and a second area, wherein the selected element group may only be generated in the second area, and

wherein the selection layout includes a static area and a dynamic area, wherein the static area includes a static element that is locked, and wherein the dynamic area includes a dynamic element that is editable, further comprising;

receiving a user input; and

selectively displaying the user interface layout according to the user input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by a database server, the database that includes user interface layout data that corresponds to the user interface layout, selection layout data that corresponds to the selection layout, user interface element data that corresponds to the plurality of user interface elements, element group data that corresponds to the plurality of element groups, and selected element group data that corresponds to the selected element group.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by a database server, the database that includes user interface layout data that corresponds to the user interface layout, selection layout data that corresponds to the selection layout, user interface element data that corresponds to the plurality of user interface elements, and element group data that corresponds to the plurality of element groups; and

receiving, by the application server from the database server, the user interface layout data, the selection layout data, the user interface element data, and the element group data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the application server from a database server, user interface layout data that corresponds to the user interface layout, selection layout data that corresponds to the selection layout, user interface element data that corresponds to the plurality of user interface elements, and element group data that corresponds to the plurality of element groups; and

storing, by the database server in the database, selected element group data that corresponds to the selected element group.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, from the application server to a client computer, the user interface layout and the selection layout; and

receiving, from the client computer, the user selection of the selected element group.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the application server, an additional database connection that relates the selected element group to the database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the application server, an additional database connection that relates the selected element group to the database, wherein the user configures the additional database connection when selecting the selected element group.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first element and the second element correspond to a template that includes an additional database connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of element groups further includes:

a third element that is related in the user interface layout to the first element and the second element.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an element group in the plurality of element groups corresponds to a threshold slider group that includes a label element and a value element, wherein the label element corresponds to the first element, and wherein the value element corresponds to the second element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an element group in the plurality of element groups corresponds to a currency group that includes a label element, a first value element and a second value element, wherein the first value element corresponds to an amount, and wherein the second value element corresponds to a currency.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary group comprises three elements, wherein the secondary group comprises two elements, and wherein the secondary group is one of the three elements.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary group is one of a plurality of secondary groups.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary group comprises three elements, wherein the secondary group is one of three secondary groups, and wherein each of the three elements of the primary group is associated with a corresponding one of the three secondary groups.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary group is one of a plurality of secondary groups, wherein each of the plurality of secondary groups has two elements.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary group comprises three elements, wherein the secondary group is one of three secondary groups, wherein each of the three secondary groups has two elements, and wherein each of the three elements of the primary group is associated with a corresponding one of the three secondary groups.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the semantic relationship is expressed in business logic.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the semantic relationship is expressed in business logic implemented by the application server, wherein the application server uses the business logic to define the feature of the second selected element when the particular selection of the first selected element is selected.

19. A non-transitory tangible recording medium for recording a computer program, for controlling a computer system to add user interface elements within an application program, the computer program comprising:

a user interface layout component that controls an application server to generate a user interface layout having a plurality of user interface elements and a plurality of database connections, wherein the plurality of database connections relate the plurality of user interface elements to a database;

a selection layout component that controls the application server to generate a selection layout having a plurality of element groups, wherein each of the plurality of element groups includes a recursive group, wherein the recursive group includes a primary group and a secondary group, wherein the primary group includes a first plurality of elements that includes a first element and the secondary group, wherein the secondary group includes a second plurality of elements that includes a second element, wherein the first element and the secondary group are related in the user interface layout; and

an interface component that controls the application server to receive from a client computer a user selection of an element group of the plurality of element groups as a selected element group,

wherein the user interface layout component controls the application server to generate the user interface layout having the plurality of user interface elements, wherein the plurality of user interface elements now includes the selected element group,

wherein the selected element group includes a first selected element and a second selected element, wherein the first selected element and the second selected element have a semantic relationship such that when a particular selection of the first selected element is selected, a feature of the second selected element is defined,

wherein the database includes a first plurality of fields and a second plurality of fields, wherein the first plurality of fields are included in the user interface layout, and wherein the second plurality of fields are included in the selection layout,

wherein the user interface layout includes a first area and a second area, wherein the selected element group may only be generated in the second area, and

wherein the selection layout includes a static area and a dynamic area, wherein the static area includes a static element that is locked, and wherein the dynamic area includes a dynamic element that is editable, wherein the interface component controls the application server to receive from the client computer a user input, and wherein the user interface layout component controls the application server to selectively display the user interface layout according to the user input.

20. A system for controlling a computer system to add user interface elements within an application program, comprising:

a database server that is configured to store a database; and

an application server that is configured to generate a user interface layout having a plurality of user interface elements and a plurality of database connections, wherein the plurality of database connections relate the plurality of user interface elements to the database;

wherein the application server is configured to generate a selection layout having a plurality of element groups, wherein each of the plurality of element groups includes a recursive group, wherein the recursive group includes a primary group and a secondary group, wherein the primary group includes a first plurality of elements that includes a first element and the secondary group, wherein the secondary group includes a second plurality of elements that includes a second element, wherein the first element and the secondary group are related in the user interface layout,

wherein the application server is configured to receive from a client computer a user selection of an element group of the plurality of element groups as a selected element group, and

wherein the application server is configured to generate the user interface layout having the plurality of user interface elements, wherein the plurality of user interface elements now includes the selected element group,

wherein the selected element group includes a first selected element and a second selected element, wherein the first selected element and the second selected element have a semantic relationship such that when a particular selection of the first selected element is selected, a feature of the second selected element is defined,

wherein the database includes a first plurality of fields and a second plurality of fields, wherein the first plurality of fields are included in the user interface layout, and wherein the second plurality of fields are included in the selection layout,

wherein the user interface layout includes a first area and a second area, wherein the selected element group may only be generated in the second area, and

wherein the selection layout includes a static area and a dynamic area, wherein the static area includes a static element that is locked, and wherein the dynamic area includes a dynamic element that is editable, wherein the application server receives from the client computer a user input, and wherein the application server selectively displays the user interface layout according to the user input.