Mechanism to input, search and create complex data strings within a single dialog

• US 9,721,040 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Siauw, Djiao Mei, Robinson, Scott, Chandra, Charu, Liu, Xia, Schwartz, Daniel, Luk, Carolyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/964,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,427 Days
• Field of Search: 715809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• 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: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A mechanism and accompanying method adapted for use with a user interface for manipulating complex data strings. In an example embodiment, the method includes providing a dialog box that includes a first user option to input data pertaining to a complex data string; using data input pertaining to the complex data string to selectively verify that portions of the complex data string represent valid portions; providing a first user option via the dialog box to employ data input pertaining to the complex data string as one or more search criteria to selectively perform a search of preexisting complex data strings; and providing search results in response thereto, wherein the search results are displayed within the dialog box. In a specific embodiment, the method further includes providing a mechanism via the dialog box to trigger creation of a complex data string that a user has specified via the dialog box when search results for the complex data string to be created do not include a match. The complex data string includes a Key Flex Field (KFF) code employed in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software application. Hence, mechanisms for inputting, creating, searching, and displaying complex data strings may occur within a single dialog box.

Claims

1. A method adapted for use with a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving a signal generated from a butcon of a widget of the user interface, wherein the signal is generated in response to a user input device, wherein the butcon is a button icon adjacent to a Key Flex Field (KFF);

displaying a dialog box of the user interface in response to receiving the signal generated from the butcon;

accepting signals, at the dialog box, from the user input device to input an input complex data string into a single user interface field, of the dialog box, responsive to the accepted signals, wherein the input complex data string represents a database object which is characterized by an identifier structured to conform to a set of identifier rules, wherein the input complex data string includes two or more segments, wherein one or more separators are used to separate the two or more segments;

automatically performing a search, at the dialog box, for a segment of the two or more segments while the input complex data string is being input;

automatically validating that the segment, of the two or more segments, conforms to the set of identifier rules while the input complex data string is being input to the dialog box;

if the input complex data string matches a preexisting complex data string conforming to the identifier, then automatically displaying initial search results, in the dialog box, from using at least a portion of the input complex data string;

dynamically resizing the dialog box to display the initial search results;

upon determining that the segment of the two or more segment does not match a corresponding segment of a preexisting complex data string conforming to the set of identifier rules, then automatically storing the input complex data string, from the dialog box, as a new identifier conforming to the set of identifier rules;

fetching from computer memory additional search results that were not initially displayed, wherein the fetching is performed in response to a scroll bar of the dialog box;

displaying the additional search results in the dialog box;

receiving selection of a particular complex data string from search results including the initial search results and the additional search results; and

in response to the selection, displaying the particular complex data string in the widget and removing the dialog box from the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a mechanism is adapted to enable a user to trigger creation of the input complex data string when search results for the input complex data string do not include a match.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a search control; and

displaying search results only after user selection of the search control.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

allowing a user to scroll to view search results; and

fetching the additional search results from computer memory for display via the dialog box as a user employs a scroll mechanism of the dialog box to display the additional search results.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the input complex data string includes a Key Flex Field (KFF) code employed in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software application.

6. The method of claim 2, further including providing a widget that includes a field for receiving the input complex data string or portion thereof as input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the widget further includes a user interface control that is adapted to open the dialog box upon user selection of the user interface control.

8. The method of claim 7, further including selectively displaying a hover layer in proximity to the widget, wherein the hover layer displays information pertaining to the input complex data string or portion thereof that is entered in the field of the widget.

9. The method of claim 7, further including employing the input complex data string or portion thereof that is specified by a user via the field to populate data displayed via the dialog box with one or more components corresponding to the input complex data string or portion thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more components include one or more segments of a Key Flex Field (KFF) code.

11. The method of claim 10, further including displaying the one or more segments via user interface components that are arranged vertically within the dialog box.

12. The method of claim 10, further including providing one or more additional user interface controls that are adapted to enable a user to specify one or more additional segments of a KFF code associated with one or more code segments that have already been provided by a user for display via the dialog box.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the field for receiving the input complex data string includes the Key Flex Field (KFF), wherein the input complex data string or portion thereof specified via the Key Flex Field (KFF) includes segments separated by one or more predetermined separator characters, wherein the segments and contents thereof are displayed horizontally within the field.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the field is adapted to respond to one or more predetermined key strokes by triggering validation of a user specified complex data string or portion thereof that is specified via the field, in response to detection by software of a first instance of the one or more predetermined key strokes when the field is selected by a user.

15. The method of claim 13, further including providing a user option to display a hover layer in response to one or more predetermined user input actions.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the dialog box is adapted to parse a user specified complex data string or portion thereof in accordance with one or more separator characters included in the input complex data string specified in the field of the widget, and is adapted to vertically list segments of the input complex data string or portion thereof via one or more segment fields.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more segment fields include one or more drop-down lists.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more drop down lists include one or more segment search controls, wherein the one or more segment search controls are adapted to trigger the dialog box adapted to facilitate searching for a particular segment of the input complex data string in a database.

19. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more-computer-readable storage media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to;

receiving a signal generated from a butcon of a widget of a user interface, wherein the signal is generated in response to a user input device;

displaying a dialog box of the user interface in response to receiving the signal generated from the butcon;

accepting signals, at the dialog box, from the user input device to input an input complex data string into a single user interface field, of the dialog box, responsive to the accepted signals, wherein the input complex data string represents a database object which is characterized by an identifier structured to conform to a set of identifier rules, wherein the input complex data string includes two or more segments, wherein one or more separators are used to separate the two or more segments;

automatically performing a search, at the dialog box, for a segment of the two or more segments while the input complex data string is being input;

automatically validating that the segment, of the two or more segments, conforms to the set of identifier rules while the input complex data string is being input to the dialog box;

if the input complex data string matches a preexisting complex data string conforming to the identifier, then automatically displaying initial search results, in the dialog box, from using at least a portion of the input complex data string;

dynamically resizing the dialog box to display the initial search results;

upon determining that the segment of the two or more segments does not match a corresponding segment of a preexisting complex data string conforming to the set of identifier rules, then automatically storing the input complex data string, from the dialog box, as a new identifier conforming to the set of identifier rules;

fetching from computer memory additional search results that were not initially displayed, wherein the fetching is performed in response to a scroll bar of the dialog box;

displaying the additional search results in the dialog box;

receiving selection of a particular complex data string from search results including the initial search results and the additional search results; and

in response to the selection, displaying the particular complex data string in the widget and removing the dialog box from the user interface.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a digital processor coupled to a display screen and to a processor-readable storage device, wherein the processor-readable storage device includes one or more instructions executable by the digital processor to perform the following acts;

receiving a signal generated from a butcon of a widget of user interface, wherein the signal is generated in response to a user input device;

displaying a dialog box of the user interface in response to receiving the signal generated from the butcon;

accepting signals, at the dialog box, from the user input device to input an input complex data string into a single user interface field, of the dialog box, responsive to the accepted signals, wherein the input complex data string represents a database object which is characterized by an identifier structured to conform to a set of identifier rules, wherein the input complex data string includes two or more segments, wherein one or more separators are used to separate the two or more segments;

automatically performing a search, at the dialog box, for a segment of the two or more segments while the input complex data string is being input;

automatically validating that the segment, of the two or more segments, conforms to the set of identifier rules while the input complex data string is being input to the dialog box;

if the input complex data string matches a preexisting complex data string conforming to the identifier, then automatically displaying initial search results, in the dialog box, from using at least a portion of the input complex data string;

dynamically resizing the dialog box to display the initial search results;

upon determining that the segment of the two or more segments does not match a corresponding segment of a preexisting complex data string conforming to the set of identifier rules, then automatically storing the input complex data string, from the dialog box, as a new identifier conforming to the set of identifier rules;

fetching from computer memory additional search results that were not initially displayed, wherein the fetching is performed in response to a scroll bar of the dialog box;

displaying the additional search results in the dialog box;

receiving selection of a particular complex data string from search results including the initial search results and the additional search results; and

in response to the selection, displaying the particular complex data string in the widget and removing the dialog box from the user interface.