Automatic layout of graphical user interface screens from object data
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computer having a display and an interface to a network, comprising:
- using a request-response protocol over the network to (i) send a resource request to a server application of a remote computer, the resource request requesting object data, and (ii) receive a resource response from the server application of the remote computer in response to the resource request, the resource response including a structured text description of a resource as one or more data objects, each data object including a respective set of attributes each having an attribute name and attribute value, the data objects and the attributes of each data object appearing in the resource response in a display order;
subsequently, in a first layout generating step, (A) determining whether the structured text description of the resource in the resource response includes only a single data object or an array of data objects, and (B) selecting a display format by (1) for the single data object, selecting a form display format and a number of form columns to be used based on (a) the number of attributes of the single data object and (b) a width of label;
value pairs to be placed in the form columns to display the attributes of the single data object, and (2) for the array of data objects, selecting a table display format and a number of table columns to be used based on (c) the number of attributes of each data object of the array and (b) respective widths of the table columns for displaying respective attribute values;
in a subsequent second layout generating step, creating a specification of a display object of the selected display format to be rendered in a graphical user interface window on the display, the specification being created to include;
for the form display format, the label;
value pairs of the single data object and corresponding location information specifying respective locations of the label;
value pairs in the form columns in the graphical user interface window according to the display order of the attributes in the resource response; and
for the table display format, a table definition and row data values for the data objects of the array, the table definition including the number of columns and respective column headings corresponding to the attribute names of the data objects in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, each row data value containing the attribute values for a corresponding data object of the array in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, the row data values being ordered according to the display order in the resource response of the respective data objects of the array; and
subsequently rendering the display object on the display based on the specification as created.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method provides automatic layout of GUI screens based on contents of a response to a resource request. A display format is selected based on whether a resource in the response includes only a single data object (form display format) or an array of data objects (table display format). A specification is then created for a display object of the selected display format to be rendered on a GUI screen. For the form display format, the specification includes label:value pairs and location information specifying locations for the pairs in form columns. For the table display format, the specification includes a table definition (number of columns, column headings etc.) and row data values for the data objects of the array. Values are arranged in a display order of the resource fields in the response.
20 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer having a display and an interface to a network, comprising:
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using a request-response protocol over the network to (i) send a resource request to a server application of a remote computer, the resource request requesting object data, and (ii) receive a resource response from the server application of the remote computer in response to the resource request, the resource response including a structured text description of a resource as one or more data objects, each data object including a respective set of attributes each having an attribute name and attribute value, the data objects and the attributes of each data object appearing in the resource response in a display order; subsequently, in a first layout generating step, (A) determining whether the structured text description of the resource in the resource response includes only a single data object or an array of data objects, and (B) selecting a display format by (1) for the single data object, selecting a form display format and a number of form columns to be used based on (a) the number of attributes of the single data object and (b) a width of label;
value pairs to be placed in the form columns to display the attributes of the single data object, and (2) for the array of data objects, selecting a table display format and a number of table columns to be used based on (c) the number of attributes of each data object of the array and (b) respective widths of the table columns for displaying respective attribute values;in a subsequent second layout generating step, creating a specification of a display object of the selected display format to be rendered in a graphical user interface window on the display, the specification being created to include; for the form display format, the label;
value pairs of the single data object and corresponding location information specifying respective locations of the label;
value pairs in the form columns in the graphical user interface window according to the display order of the attributes in the resource response; andfor the table display format, a table definition and row data values for the data objects of the array, the table definition including the number of columns and respective column headings corresponding to the attribute names of the data objects in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, each row data value containing the attribute values for a corresponding data object of the array in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, the row data values being ordered according to the display order in the resource response of the respective data objects of the array; and subsequently rendering the display object on the display based on the specification as created. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions, the instructions being executable by a computer including a display and an interface to a network to cause the computer to perform a method including:
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using a request-response protocol over the network to (i) send a resource request to a server application of a remote computer, the resource request requesting object data, and (ii) receive a resource response from the server application of the remote computer in response to the resource request, the resource response including a structured text description of a resource as one or more data objects, each data object including a respective set of attributes each having an attribute name and attribute value, the data objects and the attributes of each data object appearing in the resource response in a display order; subsequently, in a first layout generating step, (A) determining whether the structured text description of the resource in the resource response includes only a single data object or an array of data objects, and (B) selecting a display format by (1) for the single data object, selecting a form display format and a number of form columns to be used based on (a) the number of attributes of the single data object and (b) a width of label;
value pairs to be placed in the form columns to display the attributes of the single data object, and (2) for the array of data objects, selecting a table display format and a number of table columns to be used based on (c) the number of attributes of each data object of the array and (b) respective widths of the table columns for displaying respective attribute values;in a subsequent second layout generating step, creating a specification of a display object of the selected display format to be rendered in a graphical user interface window on the display, the specification being created to include; for the form display format, the label;
value pairs of the single data object and corresponding location information specifying respective locations of the label;
value pairs in the form columns in the graphical user interface window according to the display order of the attributes in the resource response; andfor the table display format, a table definition and row data values for the data objects of the array, the table definition including the number of columns and respective column headings corresponding to the attribute names of the data objects in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, each row data value containing the attribute values for a corresponding data object of the array in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, the row data values being ordered according to the display order in the resource response of the respective data objects of the array; and subsequently rendering the display object on the display based on the specification as created. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer, comprising:
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a display; an interface to a network providing communications between the computer and a remote computer, the remote computer executing a server application for serving object data to network clients using a request-response protocol over the network; and processing circuitry operative to execute computer program instructions of a protocol client, a layout generator, and a renderer to cause the computer to perform a method including; by the protocol client using the request-response protocol over the network, (i) sending a resource request to the server application of the remote computer, the resource request requesting object data, and (ii) receiving a resource response from the server application of the remote computer in response to the resource request, the resource response including a structured text description of a resource as one or more data objects, each data object including a respective set of attributes each having an attribute name and attribute value, the data objects and the attributes of each data object appearing in the resource response in a display order; subsequently, in a first layout generating step by the layout generator, (A) determining whether the structured text description of the resource in the resource response includes only a single data object or an array of data objects, and (B) selecting a display format by (1) for the single data object, selecting a form display format and a number of form columns to be used based on (a) the number of attributes of the single data object and (b) a width of label;
value pairs to be placed in the form columns to display the attributes of the single data object, and (2) for the array of data objects, selecting a table display format and a number of table columns to be used based on (c) the number of attributes of each data object of the array and (b) respective widths of the table columns for displaying respective attribute values;in a subsequent second layout generating step by the layout generator, creating a specification of a display object of the selected display format to be rendered in a graphical user interface window on the display, the specification being created to include; for the form display format, the label;
value pairs of the single data object and corresponding location information specifying respective locations of the label;
value pairs in the form columns in the graphical user interface window according to the display order of the attributes in the resource response; andfor the table display format, a table definition and row data values for the data objects of the array, the table definition including the number of columns and respective column headings corresponding to the attribute names of the data objects in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, each row data value containing the attribute values for a corresponding data object of the array in the display order of the attributes in the resource response, the row data values being ordered according to the display order in the resource response of the respective data objects of the array; and by the renderer, subsequently rendering the display object on the display based on the specification created by the layout generator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification