Wizard user interface providing interim system product generation and reversion during wizard traversal

• US 20030048300A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Jin
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A wizard user interface generates an interim system product during forward traversal of the wizard'"'"'s pages and causes the generated interim system product to revert (i.e. be restored to a condition associated with a previous wizard page) during backward traversal of the wizard'"'"'s pages. Advancing to a next page of the wizard causes a system product to be generated. The generated interim product is application dependent and may comprise one or more components, such as a generated electronic file or an amendment to an existing file for example, which are not merely by-products of the wizard mechanism. Backtracking to a previous wizard page causes the generated interim system product to revert. The wizard user interface allows observation of, and interaction with, the generated interim system product by the user prior to wizard completion.

Claims

1. A method of using a wizard user interface to facilitate generation of a system product, comprising:

receiving via said wizard user interface a first set of user preferences relating to said system product;

applying said first set of user preferences to create a displayable interim product;

later receiving via said wizard user interface a second set of user preferences; and

applying said second set of user preferences to modify said displayable interim product.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

subsequently receiving via said wizard user interface a user indication to unapply

said second set of user preferences; and

causing said displayable interim product to revert to a state prior to said applying of said second set of user preferences.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

finally receiving a user completion indication; and

generating a final system product based on said displayable interim product.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

after creating said displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, displaying said displayable interim product.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

after creating said displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

saving said displayable interim product after each said applying and after said causing.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said receiving and said later receiving occurs upon forward wizard traversal.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said subsequently receiving occurs upon backward wizard traversal.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein each said applying comprises recording an indication of a system product generation command.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said causing comprises reading a recorded indication of a system product generation command.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said recording comprises pushing said indication of a system product generation command onto a stack data structure and wherein said reading comprises popping said recorded indication of a system product generation command from said stack data structure.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein said wizard user interface comprises a wizard framework object instantiated from an adapted wizard framework class and wherein said wizard user interface complies with the Model View Controller paradigm.

13. A wizard user interface for facilitating generation of a system product, comprising:

means for receiving via said wizard user interface a first set of user preferences relating to said system product;

means for applying said first set of user preferences to create a displayable interim product;

means for later receiving via said wizard user interface a second set of user preferences; and

means for applying said second set of user preferences to modify said displayable interim product.

14. The wizard user interface of claim 13 further comprising:

means for subsequently receiving via said wizard user interface a user indication to unapply said second set of user preferences; and

means for causing said displayable interim product to revert to a state prior to said applying of said second set of user preferences.

15. The wizard user interface of claim 14 further comprising:

means for finally receiving a user completion indication; and

means for generating a final system product based on said displayable interim product.

16. The wizard user interface of claim 15 further comprising:

means for, after creating said displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product;

means for, after modifying said second displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product; and

means for, after causing said displayable interim product to revert, displaying said displayable interim product.

17. The wizard user interface of claim 15 further comprising:

means for, after creating said displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product;

means for, after modifying said second displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product; and

means for, after causing said displayable interim product to revert, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product.

18. The wizard user interface of claim 15 further comprising:

means for saving said displayable interim product after each said applying and after said causing.

19. The wizard user interface of claim 15 wherein said receiving and said later receiving occurs upon forward wizard traversal.

20. The wizard user interface of claim 15 wherein said subsequently receiving occurs upon backward wizard traversal.

21. The wizard user interface of claim 15 wherein each said applying comprises recording an indication of a system product generation command.

22. The wizard user interface of claim 21 wherein said causing comprises reading a recorded indication of a system product generation command.

23. The wizard user interface of claim 22 wherein said recording comprises pushing said indication of a system product generation command onto a stack data structure and wherein said reading comprises popping said recorded indication of a system product generation command from said stack data structure.

24. A computer readable medium storing computer software that, when loaded into a computing device, adapts said device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

receiving via said wizard user interface a first set of user preferences relating to said system product;

applying said first set of user preferences to create a displayable interim product;

later receiving via said wizard user interface a second set of user preferences; and

applying said second set of user preferences to modify said displayable interim product.

25. The medium of claim 24 further capable of adapting said computing device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

subsequently receiving via said wizard user interface a user indication to unapply

said second set of user preferences; and

causing said displayable interim product to revert to a state prior to said applying of said second set of user preferences.

26. The medium of claim 25 further capable of adapting said computing device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

finally receiving a user completion indication; and

generating a final system product based on said displayable interim product.

27. The medium of claim 26 further capable of adapting said computing device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

after creating said displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, displaying said displayable interim product.

28. The medium of claim 26 further capable of adapting said computing device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

after creating said displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product.

29. The medium of claim 26 further capable of adapting said computing device to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

saving said displayable interim product after each said applying and after said causing.

30. The medium of claim 26 wherein said receiving and said later receiving occurs upon forward wizard traversal.

31. The medium of claim 26 wherein said subsequently receiving occurs upon backward wizard traversal.

32. The medium of claim 26 wherein each said applying comprises recording an indication of a system product generation command.

33. The medium of claim 32 wherein said causing comprises reading a recorded indication of a system product generation command.

34. The medium of claim 33 wherein said recording comprises pushing said indication of a system product generation command onto a stack data structure and wherein said reading comprises popping said recorded indication of a system product generation command from said stack data structure.

35. A computing device operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

receiving via said wizard user interface a first set of user preferences relating to said system product;

applying said first set of user preferences to create a displayable interim product;

later receiving via said wizard user interface a second set of user preferences; and

applying said second set of user preferences to modify said displayable interim product.

36. The device of claim 35 further operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

subsequently receiving via said wizard user interface a user indication to unapply said second set of user preferences; and

causing said displayable interim product to revert to a state prior to said applying of said second set of user preferences.

37. The device of claim 36 further operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

finally receiving a user completion indication; and

generating a final system product based on said displayable interim product.

38. The device of claim 37 further operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

after creating said displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, displaying said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, displaying said displayable interim product.

39. The device of claim 37 further operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

after creating said displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product;

after modifying said second displayable interim product, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product; and

after causing said displayable interim product to revert, allowing user interaction with said displayable interim product.

40. The device of claim 37 further operable to facilitate generation of a system product with a wizard user interface by:

saving said displayable interim product after each said applying and after said causing.

41. The device of claim 37 wherein said receiving and said later receiving occurs upon forward wizard traversal.

42. The device of claim 37 wherein said subsequently receiving occurs upon backward wizard traversal.

43. The device of claim 37 wherein each said applying comprises recording an indication of a system product generation command.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein said causing comprises reading a recorded indication of a system product generation command.

45. The device of claim 44 wherein said recording comprises pushing said indication of a system product generation command onto a stack data structure and wherein said reading comprises popping said recorded indication of a system product generation command from said stack data structure.