Contextual state-based user interface format adaptation

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• receiving a request to adapt a user interface area on a computer display in a computer application in a computer system to a current contextual user interface activity state;
• in response to the receiving of the request to adapt, adapting a user interface control format of the user interface area to fit a current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system, with the adapting of the user interface control format comprising selecting a subset of user interface controls out of a set of available user interface controls for inclusion in the user interface area, with the set of available user interface controls including additional user interface controls that are not included in the subset of user interface controls, with the selecting of the subset of user interface controls using data representing a current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system, and with the current contextual user interface activity state being a state other than a state of the computer application;
• and
• sending a user interface adaptation instruction to the computer application, with the adaptation instruction comprising one or more instructions to include the subset of user interface controls in the user interface area to be displayed on a computer display in the computer system.

One or more computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:

• receiving a first request to display a first user interface area of a type of user interface area on a computer display for a displaying computer application in a computer system;
• in response to the receiving of the first request to display, performing a first adaptation of a user interface control format of the type of user interface area to fit a first current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system, with the first adaptation of the user interface control format producing a first user interface adaptation instruction that indicates the user interface control format of the type of user interface area adapted to fit the first current contextual user interface activity state, with the first adaptation of the user interface control format using data representing the first current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system, and with the first current contextual user interface activity state being a state other than a state of the displaying computer application, wherein the first adaptation of the user interface control format comprises selecting one or more user interface controls for inclusion in the first user interface area;
• using the first user interface adaptation instruction, generating the first user interface area of the type of user interface area with the first adaptation of the user interface control format indicated in the first user interface adaptation instruction;
• and
• controlling a presentation of the generated first user interface area on the computer display for the displaying computer application in the computer system;
• receiving a second request to display a second user interface area of the type of user interface area on the computer display for the displaying computer application in the computer system;
• in response to the receiving of the second request to display, performing a second adaptation of the user interface control format of the type of user interface area to fit a second current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system at a later time than the first current contextual user interface activity state, with the second adaptation of the user interface control format producing a second user interface adaptation instruction that indicates the user interface control format of the type of user interface area adapted to fit the second current contextual user interface activity state, with the second adaptation of the user interface control format using data representing the second current contextual user interface activity state in the computer system, and with the second current contextual user interface activity state being a state other than a state of the displaying computer application;
• using the second user interface adaptation instruction, which is different from the first user interface adaptation instruction, generating the second user interface area of the type of user interface area with the second adaptation of the user interface control format indicated in the second user interface adaptation instruction, with the user interface control format being adapted differently in the second user interface area than in the first user interface area;
• and
• controlling a presentation of the generated second user interface area on the computer display for the displaying computer application in the computer system.