US 5,778,377 AGranted

Table driven graphical user interface

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsJames Warden Marlin, Raymond Lowell Knudson, Thomas Michael Ruehle, Anthony Franke Stuart, Edward Thomas Hughes, III

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Abstract

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided for workstations on a network in which a complex operation is controlled. At least one node on the network has a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) with an object oriented database for storing data objects for the complex operation. Objects are organized according to the DMI into components, groups and attributes. The GUI is generic to any complex operation but requires the DMI for access to data. The GUI enables the user to manage information in the database in whatever manner the user has interest through the provision of report definitions through which specific component, group, and attribute data are obtained in accordance with row and column definitions for table display. The DMI interface is probed with appropriate commands generated by the GUI to obtain and display the requested data. Provision is made for displaying data in chart format and a chain feature is provided to move from one report to another. Various other features are provided.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A table driven graphical user interface (GUI) method for producing a display at a local node on a network, said display being defined at said local node by a user of the GUI generating a report definition comprising row blocks and column blocks, said table driven GUI method providing for machine-implemented steps comprising:

providing for the utilization of a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) at a node on said network with an object-oriented database wherein objects are organized according to DMI standards with components in an object class, manageable attributes that have values associated with each component, and groups organizing similar attributes of the component, said row blocks and column blocks specifying those of said components, said groups and said attributes selected for display;
providing for parsing said report definition into report row definitions and report column definitions to build a parse table for driving said GUI;
providing for requesting data from said object-oriented database through said DMI to find a first component therein which matches with a report row definition, establishing a row instance array for a view table by getting row instances for said first component including matches of groups and attributes to add row instances for said display in accordance with said report definition;
providing for requesting data from said database through said DMI to find a next component therein and if it matches with a report row definition, adding row instances to said row instance array by getting row instances for said next component including matches of groups and attributes to add row instances for said display in accordance with said report definition;
providing for continuing to request data from said database until all report row definitions are processed;
providing for requesting data from said database through said DMI to find elements for said view table by matching the attributes of the first row instance in said row instance array with the report column definitions of components, groups and attributes to add elements for said display in accordance with said report definitions;
providing for requesting data from said database through said DMI to find elements for said view table by matching the attributes of a next row instance in said row instance array with report column definitions including matches of components, groups and attributes to add elements for said display in accordance with said report definitions;
and
providing for continuing to search said database until all column definitions in said report definition have been processed.

6 more elements

A table driven graphical user interface system for producing a display at a local node on a network, said display being defined at said local node by the user of the GUI in a report definition comprised of row blocks and column blocks, said system comprising:

a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) and an object-oriented database at a node on said network wherein objects are organized according to DMI standards with components in an object class, manageable attributes that have values associated with each component, and groups organizing similar attributes of the component, said row blocks and column blocks specifying those of said components, said groups and said attributes for display;
means for parsing said report definition into report row definitions and report column definitions to build a parse table for driving said Desktop Management Interface system;
means for requesting data through said DMI from said object-oriented database to find a first component therein and means for comparing said first component with a report row definition, if a match is found, means for establishing a row instance array for a view table by getting row instances for said first component including matches of groups and attributes in accordance with said report definition;
means for requesting data through said DMI from said database to find a next component therein and means for matching said next component with a report row definition, and if a match is found, means for adding row instances to said row instance array by getting row instances for said next component including matches of groups and attributes in accordance with said report definition;
means for continuing to search data from said database until all report row definitions have been processed;
means for requesting data through said DMI from said database to find elements for said view table, and comparing the attributes of said first row instance with said column definitions including matches of components, groups and attributes to add elements for said display in accordance with said report definitions;
means for requesting data through said DMI from said database to find elements for said view table by matching the attributes of a next row instance in said row instance array with said report column definitions including matches of components, groups and attributes to add elements for said display in accordance with said report definitions;
and means for continuing to search said database until all column definitions have been processed.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.