Scalable vector graphics, tree and tab as drag and drop objects

• US 20070242082A1
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lathrop, Arthur, Chellasamy, Venkat
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/56 having vectorial format

Abstract

A mechanism is disclosed for providing Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) images, Tree and Tab as drag and drop objects. A page design tool receives an indication that a user wishes to place a metadata-defined image onto a page design canvas. The page design tool further receives an association of metadata defining the image, and in response, parses through the metadata to identify properties and characteristics of the metadata-defined image to expose to a user through a graphical user-interface of the page design tool. The page design tool enables a user to assign conditions to the exposed properties and characteristics of the image, as well as map available data sources to the properties and characteristics in order to dynamically control image properties during display. Hence, the page design tool presents graphical user interface tools for simply incorporating otherwise complex objects into page designs.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an indication that a user is placing a graphical representation of a metadata-defined image on a design canvas using a graphical user interface;

associating the graphical representation of the metadata-defined image with metadata defining the particular metadata-defined image, wherein the metadata specifies one or more properties associated with the metadata-defined image;

exposing at least a particular property of the metadata-defined image to the user; and

enabling the user to specify one or more conditions for that particular property, wherein the one or more conditions will be applied to adjust a value for that property during display of the metadata-defined image.

2. A machine-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

3. A machine-implemented method as in claim 1, further comprising:

exposing at least one available data source to the user;

enabling the user to associate the data source with the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied by inspecting data from the data source.

4. A machine-implemented method as in claim 3, wherein exposing the data source further comprises:

inspecting page flow data representing the organization of one or more pages within an application;

extracting at least one data source available for the current page within the application; and

displaying a graphical representation of the data source on a graphical user interface for the user.

5. A machine-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user a specifying a mapping of a data source to the particular property;

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the mapping of the data source with one or more conditions of the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

6. A machine-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied, and in response, causing the particular property of the metadata-defined image to change during display of the metadata-defined image.

7. A machine-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied include processing data from one or more data sources associated with the one or more conditions, wherein the user associates the one or more data sources with the one or more conditions for the particular property.

8. A machine-implemented as recited in claim 1, wherein the metadata-defined image is an SVG image and the metadata is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).

9. A machine-readable medium comprising one or more sets of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the following operations:

receiving an indication that a user is placing a graphical representation of a metadata-defined image on a design canvas using a graphical user interface;

associating the graphical representation of the metadata-defined image with metadata defining the particular metadata-defined image, wherein the metadata specifies one or more properties associated with the metadata-defined image;

exposing at least a particular property of the metadata-defined image to the user; and

enabling the user to specify one or more conditions for that particular property, wherein the one or more conditions will be applied to adjust a value for that property during display of the metadata-defined image.

10. A machine-readable medium as in claim 9, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

11. A machine-readable medium as in claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

exposing at least one available data source to the user;

enabling the user to associate the data source with the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied by inspecting data from the data source.

12. A machine-readable medium as in claim 11, wherein exposing the data source further comprises:

inspecting page flow data representing the organization of one or more pages within an application;

extracting at least one data source available for the current page within the application; and

displaying a graphical representation of the data source on a graphical user interface for the user.

13. A machine-readable medium as in claim 9, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user a specifying a mapping of a data source to the particular property;

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the mapping of the data source with one or more conditions of the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

14. A machine-readable medium as recited in claim 9, further comprising instructions for determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied, and in response, causing the particular property of the metadata-defined image to change during display of the metadata-defined image.

15. A machine-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied include processing data from one or more data sources associated with the one or more conditions, wherein the user associates the one or more data sources with the one or more conditions for the particular property.

16. A machine-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the metadata-defined image is an SVG image and the metadata is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a persistent storage;

one or more processors; and

a set of instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the following operations;

receiving an indication that a user is placing a graphical representation of a metadata-defined image on a design canvas using a graphical user interface;

associating the graphical representation of the metadata-defined image with metadata defining the particular metadata-defined image, wherein the metadata specifies one or more properties associated with the metadata-defined image;

exposing at least a particular property of the metadata-defined image to the user; and

enabling the user to specify one or more conditions for that particular property, wherein the one or more conditions will be applied to adjust a value for that property during display of the metadata-defined image.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

exposing at least one available data source to the user;

enabling the user to associate the data source with the one or more conditions for the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied by inspecting data from the data source.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein exposing the data source further comprises:

inspecting page flow data representing the organization of one or more pages within an application;

extracting at least one data source available for the current page within the application; and

displaying a graphical representation of the data source on a graphical user interface for the user.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein enabling further comprises:

receiving input from a user a specifying a mapping of a data source to the particular property;

receiving input from a user specifying one or more conditions for the particular property;

automatically generating one or more sets of instructions representing the mapping of the data source with one or more conditions of the particular property; and

wherein applying the one or more conditions to adjust a value for the property during display of the metadata-defined image includes executing the one or more sets of instructions.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied, and in response, causing the particular property of the metadata-defined image to change during display of the metadata-defined image.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein determining that the one or more conditions have been satisfied include processing data from one or more data sources associated with the one or more conditions, wherein the user associates the one or more data sources with the one or more conditions for the particular property.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the metadata-defined image is an SVG image and the metadata is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).