Process of designing user's interfaces for application programs

A method for invoking a user interface for use with an application operating in a computer system comprising the steps of:

• providing in the computer system multiple respective generic object classes that respectively correspond to respective classes of function performed with the user interface;
• specifying in the application instance data in the form of a generic object specification that corresponds to a designated one of the respective generic object classes provided in the computer system, the instance data including respective attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the instance data nd respective hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the instance data, and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the instance data;
• and
• providing in the computer system a specific user interface toolbox and controller that operates in the computer system to provide a selection of possible specific user interface implementations for use in performing the class of function of the designated generic object class;
• and
• providing in the computer system an interpreter that corresponds to the specific user interface toolbox and controller, the interpreter operating in the computer system to select a specific user interface implementation from the selection of possible specific user interface implementations, such that a selected specific user interface implementation satisfies both the respective attribute criteria and the respective hint criteria specified for the designated generic object class, except if no specific user interface implementation satisfies both the respective attribute criteria and the respective hint criteria specified for the designated generic object class then the interpreter being operable to select another specific user interface implementation that satisfies the respective attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the designated generic object class.

A method for designating a user interface for use with an application operating in a computer system comprising the steps of:

• providing in the computer system a first generic object class and a second generic object class wherein each such respective generic object class corresponds to a respective class of function to be performed using the user interface;
• specifying in the application first instance data in the form of a first generic object specification that corresponds to the first generic object class, the first instance data including first attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the first instance data, and first hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the first instance data and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specified user interface implementation that is selected using the first instance data;
• specifying in the application second instance data in the form of a second generic object specification that corresponds to the second generic object class, the second instance data including second attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the second instance data and second hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the second instance data, and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the second instance data;
• providing in the computer system a specific user interface toolbox and controller that operates in the computer system to provide, for each of the first and second generic object classes, a respective selection of multiple possible specific user interface implementations;
• providing in the computer system an interpreter that corresponds to the specific user interface toolbox and controller, the interpreter including a first generic object class interpreter and a second generic object class interpreter;
• producing a first specific user interface interpretation for the first generic object class from the specific user interface toolbox and controller using the first generic object class interpreter, such that the first specific user interface interpretation satisfies both the first attribute criteria and the first hint criteria, except if no first specific user interface interpretation satisfies both the first attribute criteria and the first hint criteria, then using the first generic object class interpreter to produce another first specific user interface interpretation that satisfies the first attribute criteria but not all of the first hint criteria that have been specified;
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• producing a second specific user interface interpretation for the second generic object class from the specific user interface toolbox and controller using the second generic object class interpreter, such that the selected second specific user interface interpretation satisfies both the second attribute criteria and the second hint criteria, except if no second specific user interface interpretation satisfies both the second attribute criteria and the second hint criteria, then using the second generic object interpreter to select another second specific user interface interpretation that satisfies the second attribute criteria but not all of the second hint criteria that have been specified.

A method for designating a user interface for use with an application operating in a computer system comprising the steps of:

• providing in the computer system a generic object class that corresponds to a class of function that is to be performed with the user interface;
• specifying in the application instance data that corresponds to the generic object class, the instance data including attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the instance data, and hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the instance data, and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the instance data;
• providing in the computer system a first specific user interface toolbox and controller that is operable in the computer system to provide a first selection of multiple possible first specific user interface implementations for use in performing the class of function;
• providing in the computer system a second specific user interface toolbox and controller that is operable in the computer system to provide a second selection of multiple possible second specific user interface implementations for use in performing the class of function;
• providing in the computer system a first interpreter that corresponds to the first specific user interface toolbox and controller, the first interpreter operable in the computer system to select a first specific user interface implementation from the first selection of possible first specific user interface implementations, such that a selected first specific user interface implementation from the first selection satisfies both the attribute criteria and the hint criteria specified for the generic object class, except if no first specific user interface implementation from the first selection satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the generic object class then the first interpreter being operable to select another first specific user interface implementation from the first selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the generic object class;
• providing in the computer system a second interpreter that corresponds to the second specific user interface toolbox and controller, the second interpreter operable in the computer system to select a second specific user interface implementation from the second selection if possible second specific user interface implementations, such that a selected second specific user interface implementation from the second selection satisfies both the attribute criteria and the hint criteria specified for the generic class, except if no second specific user interface implementation from the second selection satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the generic object class then the second interpreter being operable to select another second specific user interface implementation from the second selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the generic object class;
• selecting one of the first and second specific user interface toolbox and controllers and a corresponding one of the first and second interpreters;
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• producing one of a first specific user interface implementation and a second specific user interface implementation using the selected controller and the selected interpreter.

A method for designating a user interface for use with an application operating in a computer system comprising the steps of:

• A. providing in the computer system a first generic object class that corresponds to a first class of function and a second generic object class that corresponds to a second class of function;
• B. specifying in the application first instance data in the form of a first generic object specification that corresponds to the first generic object class, the first instance data including attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the first instance data, and hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the first instance data, and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the first instance data;
• C. specifying in the application second instance data in the form of a second generic object specification that corresponds to the second generic object class, the second instance data including attribute criteria, which are criteria that must be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the second instance data, and hint criteria, which are criteria that are permitted but not required to be specified in the second instance data, and if specified, are permitted but not required to be met by a specific user interface implementation that is selected using the second instance data;
• D. providing in the computer system a first specific user interface toolbox and controller that is operable in the computer system to provide, for each of the first and second generic object classes, a respective first selection of multiple possible first specific user interface implementations;
• E. providing in the computer system a second specific user interface toolbox and controller that is operable in the computer system to provide, for each of the first and second generic object classes, a respective second selection of multiple possible second specific user interface implementations;
• F. providing in the computer system a first interpreter that corresponds to the first specific user interface toolbox and controller,
• i. wherein the first interpreter is operable to select from the first specific user interface toolbox and controller a respective first specific user interface implementation for the first generic object class, such that a selected first specific user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the respective first generic object class, except if no first specific user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the first generic object class then the first interpreter being operable to select another first specific user interface implementation from the first selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the first generic object class, and
• ii. wherein the first interpreter is operable to select from the first specific user interface toolbox and controller a respective first specific user interface implementation for the second generic object class, such that a selected first user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the second generic object class, except if no first specific user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria specified for the second generic object class then the first interpreter being operable to select another first specific user interface implementation from the first selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the second generic object class;
• G. providing in the computer system a second interpreter that corresponds to the second specific user interface toolbox and controller,
• i. wherein second interpreter is operable to select from the second specific user interface toolbox and controller a respective second specific user interface implementation for the first generic object class, such that a selected second specific user interface implementations satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria of the respective first generic object class, except if no second specific user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria of the first generic object class then the second interpreter being operable to select another second specific user interface implementation from the second selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the first generic object class, and
• ii. wherein the second interpreter is operable to selected from the second specific user interface toolbox and controller a respective second specific user interface implementation for the second generic object class, such that a selected second user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria of the second generic object class, except if no second specific user interface implementation satisfies both the attribute criteria and hint criteria of the second generic object class then the second interpreter being operable to select another second specific user interface implementation from the second selection that satisfies the attribute criteria but not all of the hint criteria that have been specified for the second generic object class;
• H. selecting one of the first and second specific user interface toolbox and controllers;
• i. in the event of the selection of the first specific user interface toolbox and controller, using the first interpreter to select respective first specific user interface implementations for the first generic object class and the second generic object class, and
• i. in the event of the selection of the second specific user interface toolbox and controller, using the second interpreter to select respective second specific user interface implementations for the first generic object class and the second generic object class.