System, method and computer program product for creating a visual component for tenants of an on-demand database service

• US 9,430,536 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Chasman, Douglas, Waite, K. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hershley, Mark E
• Application Number:
  US13/873,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 707/601
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for creating visual components for tenants of an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for creating visual components for tenants of an on-demand database service can enable embodiments to allow tenants to create reusable components for use in user defined interfaces, etc. The ability of embodiments to provide such feature may allow tenants to efficiently and effectively create interfaces.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by an on-demand database system, a definition of a component for displaying a visual object within user interfaces, wherein the definition includes a first value for a configurable attribute that affects a manner in which the visual object is displayed within the user interface, and wherein the definition of the component is stored with a plurality of other components in a component library of the on-demand database system that is accessible by a plurality of users of the on-demand database system;

receiving, at the on-demand database system, a request to modify the configurable attribute of the component for a first user of the plurality of users to have a second value different from the first value;

storing, by the on-demand database system, the second value separately from the component library in a storage portion within the on-demand database system associated with the first user; and

in response to a request, to the on-demand database system, to render a user interface for the first user that includes the component;

accessing, by the on-demand database system the storage portion associated with the first user that stores the second value; and

returning, by the on-demand database system, the second value to the component such that the component can be displayed according to the second value of the configurable attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual object is displayed within the user interface to the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one instruction that defines the component as a reusable component.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising executing the reusable component, wherein the reusable component is executable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the execution of the reusable component is triggered by a command.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the execution of the reusable component is triggered by a program initiated command.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the execution of the reusable component is triggered by an event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating, by the on-demand database system, the definition of the component, wherein the definition is required to be validated in order to utilize the component for displaying the visual object within the user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the validating includes verifying that a name of the component is unique in a given namespace.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein when the component is defined as a reusable component.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a web page.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the definition of the component includes a design pattern common to a plurality of visual objects within the user interface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user interface is a photo album, and the component is configured to display a photo.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the definition of the component includes an access attribute having a value indicating whether the component is allowed to be used for a user interface in a different namespace than the component.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon that are capable of causing operations comprising:

storing a definition of a component for displaying a visual object within user interfaces, wherein the definition includes a first value for a configurable attribute that affects a manner in which the visual object is displayed within the user interface, and wherein the definition of the component is stored with a plurality of other components in a component library of an on-demand database system that is accessible by a plurality of users of the on-demand database system;

receiving a request to modify the configurable attribute of the component for a first user of the plurality of users to have a second value different from the first value;

storing the second value separately from the component library in a storage portion within the on-demand database system associated with the first user; and

in response to a request to the on-demand database system to render a user interface for the first user that includes the component;

accessing the storage portion associated with the first user that stores the second value; and

returning the second value to the component such that the component can be displayed according to the second value of the configurable attribute.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the configurable attribute is one or more of the following attributes:

color, size, font.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory has computer instructions stored thereon that are capable of causing operations comprising;

storing a definition of a component for displaying a visual object within user interfaces, wherein the definition includes markup language indicating a first value for a configurable attribute that affects a manner in which the visual object is displayed within the user interface, and wherein the definition of the component is stored with a plurality of other components in a component library of an on-demand database system that is accessible by a plurality of users of the on-demand database system;

receiving a request to modify the configurable attribute of the component for a first user of the plurality of users to have a second value different from the first value;

storing the second value separately from the component library in a storage portion within the on-demand database system associated with the first user; and

in response to a request to the on-demand database system to render a user interface for the first user that includes the component;

accessing the storage portion associated with the first user that stores the second value; and

returning the second value to the component such that the component can be displayed according to the second value of the configurable attribute.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, from the first user, a request to edit the component.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to modify the configurable attribute of the component for a second user of the plurality of users to have a third value different from the first value and from the second value; and

storing the third value separately from the component library in a storage portion within the on-demand database system associated with the second user.