Harmonized theme definition language

• US 20070276875A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Brunswig, Frank, Domsalla, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method for defining a context independent architecture. The method includes positioning identifiers associated with interface elements in a hierarchy, providing a value for each identifier, the value reflecting a position for the identifier in the hierarchy relative to at least one other identifier in the hierarchy, and enabling selection of the interface elements using the identifiers in the hierarchy.

Claims

1. A method for defining a context independent architecture, the method comprising:

positioning identifiers associated with interface elements in a hierarchy;

providing a value for each identifier, the value reflecting a position for the identifier in the hierarchy relative to at least one other identifier in the hierarchy; and

enabling selection of the interface elements using the identifiers in the hierarchy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning identifiers further includes defining at least one parent identifier and at least one child identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the value provided for the at least one child identifier reflects a position relative to the at least one parent identifier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one parent identifier is also a child identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface elements include controls, windows, frames, and objects.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying at least one dataset, each of the at least one datasets including at least one definition of an interface element within the interface elements; and

associating each interface element within the interface elements with at least one of the at least one datasets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each definition within the at least one definition of an interface element is associated with an element state.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the interface element state includes at least one of enabled, disabled, hovered, not hovered, focused, not focused, pressed, and unpressed.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the at least one definitions includes a definition dependent identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the definition dependent identifier includes a state parameter identifier, an object parameter identifier, and a property parameter identifier.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining attributes for each interface element within the interface elements; and

associating data values with parameters related to the at least one definition within the dataset.

12. The method of claim 10, further including modifying at least one of the object parameter and the property parameter based on the state parameter.

13. A method for using a context independent interface element hierarchy, the method comprising:

determining an element identifier identifying a position within the hierarchy associated with an interface element and including at least one position identifier, wherein at least one position within the hierarchy is associated with a position identifier indicating a position relative to a parent position; and

specifying the element identifier within an interface definition.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the element identifier further includes at least one of a parent identifier and a child identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining step further includes identifying at least one parent identifier for the element identifier.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the specifying step further includes specifying an element state for the interface element.

17. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method for utilizing a context independent interface element hierarchy, the method comprising:

creating a hierarchy having a plurality of positions;

positioning a plurality of identifiers within the hierarchy, each identifier associated with a value and an interface element, wherein the value indicates a position relative to at least one other value; and

providing an interface for requesting at least one of the plurality of identifiers.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the interface element includes at least one of a control, a window, a frame, and an object.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

storing at least one dataset, each of the at least one datasets including at least one definition of an interface element within the interface elements; and

associating each interface element within the interface elements with at least one of the at least one datasets.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein each definition within the at least one definition of an interface element is associated with an interface element state.