Graphical user interface system and method for presenting objects

• US 20080163124A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Stanev, Georgi, Bonev, Pavel, Droshev, Mladen
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for visualizing objects within an object network. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: receiving object graph data from a remote computing system, the object graph data representing characteristics of objects and relationships between objects in object-oriented program code executed on the remote computer system; interpreting the object graph data to determine one or more characteristics of each of the objects; and generating a graphical user interface (“GUI”) comprised of a plurality of graphical nodes arranged in a graph structure, each of the nodes representing one of the objects and the graph structure representing the relationships between the objects, wherein the graphical nodes are rendered with graphical characteristics representing characteristics of the objects which they represent, the graphical characteristics including at least a color and a shape.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving object graph data from a remote computing system, the object graph data representing characteristics of objects and relationships between objects in object-oriented program code executed on the remote computer system;

interpreting the object graph data to determine one or more characteristics of each of the objects; and

generating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) comprised of a plurality of graphical nodes arranged in a graph structure, each of the nodes representing one of the objects and the graph structure representing the relationships between the objects, wherein the graphical nodes are rendered with graphical characteristics representing characteristics of the objects which they represent, the graphical characteristics including at least a color and a shape.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the color of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node is referenced once or more than once by other objects.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein a third color is used for nodes which are dummy nodes.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the shape of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node has children.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein nodes representing objects with children are represented by a square with curved corners and wherein nodes representing objects without children are represented by a circle.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the graphical characteristics of the nodes include shape contour colors.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein different shape contour colors are used to represent different properties of nodes.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the shape contour color of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node is shareable or non-shareable.

9. The method as in claim 7 wherein the shape contour color of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node is serializeable or non-serializeable.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving metadata for each of the objects and/or references from the remote computer system; and

generating within the GUI an information window to display the metadata associated with an object upon selection of the node representing the object via a cursor control device.

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein the metadata includes one or more of the group consisting of:

an identification code uniquely identifying the object within the object graph;

a memory size of the object;

a name of the object Java type;

an indication as to whether the object is serializeable;

an indication as to whether the object is shareable.

12. The method as in claim 10 further comprising:

generating lines representing the references within the GUI using different graphical features based on characteristics of the references.

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein lines representing transient references are provided in different colors than lines representing non-transient references.

14. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the operations of:

receiving object graph data from a remote computing system, the object graph data representing characteristics of objects and relationships between objects in object-oriented program code executed on the remote computer system;

interpreting the object graph data to determine one or more characteristics of each of the objects; and

generating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) comprised of a plurality of graphical nodes arranged in a graph structure, each of the nodes representing one of the objects and the graph structure representing the relationships between the objects, wherein the graphical nodes are rendered with graphical characteristics representing characteristics of the objects which they represent, the graphical characteristics including at least a color and a shape.

15. The machine-readable medium as in claim 14 wherein the color of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node is referenced once or more than once by other objects.

16. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein a third color is used for nodes which are dummy nodes.

17. The machine-readable medium as in claim 14 wherein the shape of each node identifies whether the object represented by that node has children.

18. The machine-readable medium as in claim 17 wherein nodes representing objects with children are represented by a square with curved corners and wherein nodes representing objects without children are represented by a circle.

19. The machine-readable medium as in claim 14 wherein the graphical characteristics of the nodes include shape contour colors.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving object graph data from a remote computing system, the object graph data representing characteristics of objects and relationships between objects in object-oriented program code executed on the remote computer system;

interpreting the object graph data to determine one or more characteristics of each of the objects; and

generating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) comprised of a plurality of graphical nodes arranged in a graph structure, each of the nodes representing one of the objects and the graph structure representing the relationships between the objects, wherein the graphical nodes are rendered with graphical characteristics representing characteristics of the objects which they represent, the graphical characteristics including at least a shape contour color.