Patent Application
20080010586
There are shown in the drawings, embodiments which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
As used herein, form server 210 can be a computer including software packages that provide Web content to client software running on form client 220. Server 210 can manage and share Web based applications and Web forms to any client connected to a network to which the server 210 is also connected. The connecting network can be any network capable of conveying information encoded within a carrier wave between server 210 and client 220. For example, the connecting network can include one or more Personal Area Networks (PANs), Local Area Networks (LAN), Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), and the like. The connecting network can include one or more private, public, and virtual private (VPN) networks. The connecting network can also include line based as well as wireless networks.
Form client 220 can include any computing device capable of rendering Web forms served by server 210. Client 220 can include a mobile device, such as a smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA), portable media player, handheld entertainment device, and the like, which can have limited display space due to a relatively small embedded display screen. In one embodiment, a display screen of client 220 can be a multifunction peripheral, such as a touch screen, that is capable of accepting user input. Client 220 can accept input thorough other means, such as through voice comments, handwriting input, and key presses. Client 220 is not to be limited to mobile devices, however, and other devices including desktop computers, embedded computers, and the like are contemplated herein.
The Web forms conveyed between server 210 and client 220 can adhere to any number of markup languages and standards including any language based upon a Standard Generalized Mark-up Language (SGML), which includes derivatives, subsets, and supersets of SGML. For example, in one contemplated embodiment, the Web forms utilized herein can conform to an XForms based standard. In other contemplated embodiments, the Web forms conveyed between server 210 and client 220 can conform to Webforms standards, XUL (XML User Interface Language) standards, Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) standards, ZK User Interface Markup Language (ZUML) standards, and the like. Although for convenience, examples presented herein generally conform to an XForms standard, other standards are contemplated for which the inventive arrangements described herein can be easily applied and/or adapted.
Whichever standard the Web form of
The software engine 222 can include a Web browser, a browser plug-in, and/or other software application configured to render Web form content. Additionally, the software engine 222 can optionally transcode, transform, or adapt a repeated portion of a Web form to replace a repeated trigger (such as a button) with section controls and a trigger linked to the collection. For example, software engine 222 can automatically convert XForms code 110 so that the submit button 155 is automatically replaced by radio controls 232 or binary selection controls 242, which are linked to submit button 233 or 243. Although software engine 222 is shown as residing within form client 220, a portion of the engine 222, such as a transcoding portion, can reside within server 210 or any network element or computer linked to form client 220.
A configuration interface 260 can be used to select a desired behavior of a repeated data control. Interface 260 can allow for a selection 262 of form types for which configuration settings are to be applied. A conversion option 264 can be used to specify whether line-by-line triggers are to be automatically converted into a combination of selectors and collection level actuators, A selector type section 266 can determine what type of selector is to be placed before each row of a repeated collection. Trigger section 268 can determine which buttons or actuators are to be presented within the collection control section 234 of an associated interface.
It should be noted that configuration interface 260 can be used at design time when creating code for a Web form that is ultimately conveyed to form client 220. In such an instance, markup, applet code, plug-in modules, and the like, needed to properly render interfaces 230, 240, and 250 can be conveyed to or installed within the client 220. For example, form client 220 can include an XForms plug-in module installed within software engine 222 that includes an enhanced capability for handling repeated data.
In another embodiment, the configuration interface 260 can be a user configurable interface of client 220 that can be used at run-time. Settings in interface 260 can establish default settings for selectors and actuators. Interface 260 settings can also determine options for repeated information when conventionally implemented Web forms are transcoded by software engine 222.
Interfaces 230, 240, and 250 show how client 220 can present repeated data using radio controls 232, binary selection controls 242, and hidden selectors (interface 250). Each interface 230, 240, and 250 can include a number of collection level actuators or buttons that perform functions against selected data items.
For example, selecting the delete button in interface 230 can delete data items selected using selector 232, which as shown includes a record for Jane Doe. In another example, selecting the submit button 243 can result in selected records for John and James Doe to be submitted to form server 210 for processing
In one embodiment, the data items in the employee table can include one or more editable fields. Accordingly, a user of interface 250 can edit entries for John, Jane, and James Doe. These edits, once made, can be submitted to server 210 for processing.
In a different embodiment, fields within the employee table shown in interface 240 can contain entries that are not able to be directly edited, such as entries generated by output elements of an XForms based language. Clicking on edit button 245 can result in a popup window (not shown) being presented in which selected records can be edited. For example, a new, editable form containing records for John and James Doe can be presented, where the editable fields of the records are each associated with an input element of an XForms based language.
It should be appreciated that interfaces 230, 240, 250, and 260 are provided to demonstrate concepts described for an embodiment of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. Interfaces 230, 240, 250, and 260 are not intended to constrain the scope of the invention to a particular contemplated expression. Derivatives of interfaces 230, 240, 250, and 260 including different interface elements, arrangements, layouts, and the like are contemplated herein.
Code 310 represents a data file saved as “employee.xml.” Code 310 can be an example of component 212 that is sent to client 220. The data file of code 310 defines an employee by an identifier, a first name, and a last name. Data content in code 310 defines a first data item where: ID=1001001, FirsitName=John, and LastName=Doe. A second data item is defined where: ID=2002002, FirstName=Jane, and LastName=Doe. A third data item is defined where: ID=3003003, FirstName=James, and lastName=Doe. These data items are presented in a tabular form in interfaces 230, 240, and 250.
Code 320 represents a presentation file saved as EmployeeForm.xhtml. Code 320 can be an example of component 214 that is sent to client 220. Section 322 of code 320 binds the presentation file to the data file. Section 322 is a repeating structure that outputs tabular headings of ID, First Name, and Last Name. Section 322 also references the Employee nodeset in order to output data content contained in the data file. Code 320 can be used to generate content shown in interfaces 230, 240 and/or 250.
It should be appreciated that since the selectors appearing next to data element in interfaces 230, 240 and 250 are not defined within code 320, an externally specified collection level parameter can define display parameters for the selector and/or for the actuators shown in the interfaces 230, 240 and 250. External collection level parameters can, for example, specify a radio selector type as well as delete, submit, and add actuators, thereby resulting in interface 230. When a binary selector type is specified along with collection actuators for delete, submit, add, and edit, interface 240 can result. Similarly, when selectors are hidden and actuators of delete and edit are specified, interface 250 can result.
In one embodiment, collection level parameters can be specified by a user via interface 260. In another embodiment, a developer can use an interface (such as interface 260) to define collection level parameters. These parameters can be conveyed to client 220 in a variety of fashions, including within a separate configuration file or as specified parameters of components 212 or 214.
Code 330 represents a presentation file saved as EmployeeForm2.xhtml. Code 330 can represent a derivative of code 320, where collection level parameters are specified within presentation markup using special markup tags. Specifically, code 330 uses a special tag 332 of RepeatTable to specify a selector type of “Radio” and a collection actuator of “Submit.” In code 330, a repeating structure is nested within the RepeatTable structure, which defines collection level parameters for the repeating structure. A software engine 222 of a client 220 that interprets code 330 can be configured to recognize the RepeatTable tag.
Method 400 can begin in step 405 where a server can send a Web form to a client. The Web form can adhere to a variety of standards, including an XForms standard, a Webforms standard, an XAML standard and the like. In step 410, the client can interpret the Web form and identify a repeating structure. In step 415, the client can loop through the repeating structure that is linked to a data content source. This looping can generate a collection of data items that are to be presented in a client interface. In step 420, one or more collection level parameters that specify a type of collection selector can be identified. In step 425, the data items can be presented with corresponding selectors of the specified type in a tabular format.
In step 430, one or more buttons for performing functions against the collection can be determined. These buttons can include, for example, an add button, a delete button, a submit button, and an edit button. In step 435, the buttons can be presented in the client interface. In step 440, a user can choose one or more selector, thereby selecting corresponding data items. In step 445, a user can select one of the buttons. For example, if a user wants to delete a selected item, he/she can select a delete button. If the user wants to submit one or more selected items to a backend system for processing, he/she can select a submit button.
In step 450, an appropriate action for the selected button can be performed against the selected data items. In step 455, a determination can be made as to whether new information is available from the server. For example, a submit action can send information to the server, which causes the server to update the Web form. If new server information is available, the method can loop to step 405, where the server can send Web form information to the client. Otherwise, the method can proceed to step 460, where a user may close the Web form. If the user closes the Web form, the method can end in step 465. If the user does not close the Web form, the method can progress from step 460 to step 440, where a user can continue to interact with the Web form, such as by choosing one or more of the selectors as before.
The present invention may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present invention may be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein.
The present invention also may be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.
