Patent Application
20090187818
The present invention relates to software development, testing and documentation. More particularly, the present invention relates to Internet based software design tools for efficiently tracking web page comments.
Known methods and systems for tracking text based web page comments, such as comments in regard to test and development bugs using databases provides for quick searching, but searching for bugs in visual interfaces and graphical user interfaces is more difficult, because searching for bugs in visual interfaces cannot be easily accomplished using search techniques suited for text searches.
Therefore, the need exists for a method and system of tracking web page comments using visual and graphical user interfaces, thus allowing the defects to be referenced on the web page in the interface.
A method and system are disclosed herein for tracking web page comments using visual and graphical user interfaces. The tracking of web page comments can involve an initial web site design phase, as well as a final review phase, which can further include making editorial remarks, as well as, including notations about web page development bugs. The tracking can also be used by students to draft comments on a web page that they are browsing to identify research topics for a school research paper. The tracking of web page comments can further be used in interactive social networking web sites, an example of which is MYSPACE to allow people to make free-hand comments on a page instead of just adding comments to a database. Ultimately, the tracking of web page comments capability can be a web plug in tool that gives people the freedom to make comments and add content to web pages. The tracking is accomplished by storing comments on a web page and rendering the stored comments on a next draft site web page, in accordance with stored comment tracking policies, when the next draft site web page is loaded. Thus, there are two web applications one that is managing the comments (i.e., the application site) and one that is being commented on (i.e., the draft site). These two applications may or may not be on the same machine or the same application. The application site may run on the users local client side machine. Storing the comments on the web page can include receiving a log on request to an application web site from a local user computer. After receiving the log on request, then logging the local user computer onto the application web site. After logging the local user computer onto the application web site, receiving a uniform resource locator for a draft site, where the uniform resource locator is input from an input device on the local user computer, and where the draft web site includes a plurality of web page content. The draft web site is loaded into an inline frame object on the application web site and the content of the draft web site is loaded into a portion of the application web site. In general, web page comment tracking implementations involve comments input on a z-layer on top of a page of the drawn draft web site, by the application web site, using a prototype-based scripting language or program for web development. Examples of such an implementation can include but are not limited to comments made by students marking up a web page for research projects or individuals browsing interactive social networking web pages or web page test and development comments about known bugs. No matter what the implementation is, the comments are inputted on a z-layer on top of a page of the drawn draft web site, by the application web site, using but not limited to JavaScript on any other scripting language or program, implemented by the application web site; and the comments are submitted back to a server or any number of servers or any number of client side devices or via an application focused on a server as a series of HTTP transactions initiated by a client side script or plugin for a web browser such as, but not limited to FIREFOX, and then rendered in the next draft web page. In addition, the implementation can be run on a third party application on a desktop involving databases where the current application is synchronized with other databases or run locally. In addition, the application web site has a persistent backup storage capability for storing each comment including text, pixel location and web address and each comment is summarized by an address.
The above-described and other features will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are meant to be exemplary, and not limiting, wherein:
The exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below in detail. The disclosed exemplary embodiment is intended to be illustrative only, since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. In reference to the drawings, like numbers will indicate like parts continuously throughout the view. Further, the terms “a”, “an”, “first”, “second” and “third” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of one or more of the referenced item.
The exemplary embodiment will be understood by referring to
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The memory 103 can include any one or combinations of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), tape, compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), disk, diskette, cartridge or cassette). Moreover, the memory 103 may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memory 103 can have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remotely from one another, but can be accessed by the local computer 101 and/or network server 150.
Referring to
The tracking of web page comments can involve an initial web site design phase, as well as a final review phase, which can further include making editorial remarks, as well as, including notations about web page development bugs. The tracking can also be used by students to draft comments on a web page that they are browsing to identify research topics for a school research paper. The tracking of web page comments can further be used in interactive social networking web sites, an example of which is MYSPACE to allow people to make free-hand comments on a page instead of just adding comments to a database. Ultimately, the tracking of web page comments capability can be a web plug in tool that gives people the freedom to make comments and add a plurality of content to web pages. The tracking is accomplished by storing comments on a web page and rendering the stored comments on a next draft site web page, in accordance with stored comment tracking policies, when the next draft site web page is loaded. Thus, there are two web applications, one that is managing the comments (i.e., the application site) and one that is being commented on (i.e., the draft site). These two applications may or may not be on the same machine or the same application.
At operation store web page comments CT 22, program 140, when executed by local user computer 101, causes local user computer 101 to store web page comments by performing the sub operations CT 23 through CT 26 to track and document comments on web page 308 associated with graphical user interface 304 in browser 300 as displayed on display device 102 and accessed by a user of the local user computer 101 in the networked computer system 100. Storing the comments on the web page can include receiving a log on request to an application web site from a local user computer. After receiving the log on request, then logging the local user computer onto the application web site.
At sub operation receive URL for draft site CT 23, program 140, when executed causes local user computer 101 to receive a uniform resource locator (URL) which provides access of the local user computer 101 to a draft web site. The URL can be input into local user computer 101 by input device 195 or the URL can be transmitted from the network server 150 over network 190 and received by the local user computer 101.
At sub operation load draft site into IFRAME CT 24, program 140 causes local user computer 101 to load the draft web site into an inline frame object on the application web site and the content of the draft web site is loaded into a portion of the application web site.
Referring to
At sub operation, submit AJAX comments and locations CT 26, program 140 causes local user computer 101 to submit the web page comments back to the network server 150 or any number of servers or any number of client side devices or via an application focused on a server as a series of HTTP transactions initiated by a client side script or plugin for a web browser such as, but not limited to FIREFOX. In addition, the implementation can be run on a third party application on a desktop involving databases where the current application is synchronized with other databases or run locally. Furthermore, the application web site has a persistent backup storage capability manifested by comment locations 107, residing in comment tracker repository 104, for storing each comment including text, pixel location and web address and each comment summarized and/or identified by a location address.
Referring to
At any stage of the comment tracking method CT 20, the operations of method CT 20 can be directed to operation return/stop CT 28 by program 140, where the comment tools 105 or the comment tracking policies 106 or the comment locations 107 or the program 140 can be updated or additional iterations of any given operation or sub operation can be performed or the method CT 28 can be directed to stop when it is determined by program 140 that all iterations of the method CT 28 are complete.
Thus, the useful, practical and concrete result of tracking web page comments is accomplished by the inventive design of having two web applications, one that is managing the comments (i.e., the application site) and one that is being commented on (i.e., the draft site).
The disclosure has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiment, where for example, an external application marks up an existing web site without interfering with or having to update the code of the existing website.
The capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware or some combination thereof.
As one example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products) having, for instance, computer usable media. The media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention. The article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately.
Additionally, at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. For example, the operations and sub operations of updating and performing additional iterations at method CT 28 can be carried out by at least polling and/or interrupt operations. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to any one particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to any one particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
