State-specific mouse-over guidance in user interfaces
First Claim
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1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
- determining a current state of a field in a user interface of a software application program, the current state comprising at least one of an editable state, a read-only state, and a locked state of the field in the user interface;
identifying a factor causing the current state of the field, wherein the factor comprises a condition associated with a database structure, the condition being based on a time period during which data can be added, changed, deleted, and/or altered by a logged-in user;
retrieving, from a metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the editable state, a first content item;
retrieving, from the metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the read-only state or the locked state, the first content item and a second content item;
detecting whether a pointer has entered a trigger area associated with the field, the trigger area separate from the field;
displaying, when the current state is the editable state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item, wherein the first content item includes a text explanation of data which may be entered into the field;
displaying, when the current state is the read-only state or the locked state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item and the second content item, wherein the second content item includes an explanation of the current state of the field being in the read-only state or the locked state and an action to be completed by the user for switching the current state of the field to the editable state, the second content item determined based on the factor causing the current state of the field; and
switching, in response to detecting completion of the action, the current state from the read-only state or the locked state to the editable state.
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Abstract
State-specific mouse-over guidance can be provided to a user of a user interface such that a field in the user interface can include more than one mouse-over guidance content item, and a specific mouse-over guidance content item provided to the user is determined based on a current state of the field and at least one underlying factors identified as resulting in the current state.
7 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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determining a current state of a field in a user interface of a software application program, the current state comprising at least one of an editable state, a read-only state, and a locked state of the field in the user interface; identifying a factor causing the current state of the field, wherein the factor comprises a condition associated with a database structure, the condition being based on a time period during which data can be added, changed, deleted, and/or altered by a logged-in user; retrieving, from a metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the editable state, a first content item; retrieving, from the metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the read-only state or the locked state, the first content item and a second content item; detecting whether a pointer has entered a trigger area associated with the field, the trigger area separate from the field; displaying, when the current state is the editable state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item, wherein the first content item includes a text explanation of data which may be entered into the field; displaying, when the current state is the read-only state or the locked state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item and the second content item, wherein the second content item includes an explanation of the current state of the field being in the read-only state or the locked state and an action to be completed by the user for switching the current state of the field to the editable state, the second content item determined based on the factor causing the current state of the field; and switching, in response to detecting completion of the action, the current state from the read-only state or the locked state to the editable state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system comprising:
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at least one programmable processor; and a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising; determining a current state of a field in a user interface of a software application program, the current state comprising at least one of an editable state, a read-only state, and a locked state of the field in the user interface; identifying a factor causing the current state of the field, wherein the factor comprises a condition associated with a database structure, the condition being based on a time period during which data can be added, changed, deleted, and/or altered by a logged-in user; retrieving, from a metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the editable state, a first content item; retrieving, from the metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the read-only state or the locked state, the first content item and a second content item; detecting whether a pointer has entered a trigger area associated with the field, the trigger area separate from the field; displaying, when the current state is the editable state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item, wherein the first content item includes a text explanation of data which may be entered into the field; displaying, when the current state is the read-only state or the locked state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item and the second content item, wherein the second content item includes an explanation of the current state of the field being in the read-only state or the locked state and an action to be completed by the user for switching the current state of the field to the editable state, the second content item determined based on the factor causing the current state of the field; and switching, in response to detecting completion of the action, the current state from the read-only state or the locked state to the editable state. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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determining a current state of a field in a user interface of a software application program, the current state comprising at least one of an editable state, a read-only state, and a locked state of the field in the user interface; identifying a factor causing the current state of the field, wherein the factor comprises a condition associated with a database structure, the condition being based on a time period during which data can be added, changed, deleted, and/or altered by a logged-in user; retrieving, from the metadata repository and in response to determining the current state of the field is the read-only state or the locked state, the first content item and a second content item; detecting whether a pointer has entered a trigger area associated with the field, the trigger area separate from the field; displaying, when the current state is the editable state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item, wherein the first content item includes a text explanation of data which may be entered into the field; displaying, when the current state is the read-only state or the locked state and in response to detecting that the pointer entered the trigger area, the first content item and the second content item, wherein the second content item includes an explanation of the current state of the field being in the read-only state or the locked state and an action to be completed by the user for switching the current state of the field to the editable state, the second content item determined based on the factor causing the current state of the field; and switching, in response to detecting completion of the action, the current state from the read-only state or the locked state to the editable state. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification