Common user interface development toolkit for a system administration program
View Patent ↗A toolkit for developing user-interfaces for a system administration program. The toolkit has a server-side application-programming interface (API). The server-side has task-registry files that each describe a task group. The toolkit also has a client-side API. A developer can customize product-specific properties files for a specific product and write code that calls the server-side and client-side APIs to create a graphical user interface for the specific product.
1. A toolkit on a computer readable medium and executing on a computer for developing user-interfaces for a system administration program, comprising:
a server-side application-programming interface (API), comprising a Task-registry file, wherein the Task-registry file comprises one or more Task groups; and
a client-side API, comprising a product-specific properties file, wherein the product-specific properties file is customizable by a developer and the client-side API is callable by developer-supplied code to create a graphical user interface for a specific product.
2. The toolkit of claim 1 wherein the properties file comprises:
a title; and
a product-specific list of page links.
3. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable title.
4. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable table of contents.
5. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable display area.
6. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable button bar.
7. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a display area.
8. The toolkit of claim 7 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
one of a text page, a Task-list page, and a class page.
9. The toolkit of claim 8 , wherein the Task-list page comprises:
a list of Tasks that are related.
10. The toolkit of claim 9 , wherein the Tasks are related by a type of object on which they operate.
11. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the product-specific properties file comprises a ordered set of button tags, wherein each button has a name and a target class to be launched when the button is activated.
12. The toolkit of claim 1 , further comprising a resource file, wherein the resource file is customizable by the developer.
13. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the developer-supplied code uses the server-side API to create an Item, wherein the Item represents a system entity to be administered.
14. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the client-side API and the resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create an ItemView.
15. The toolkit of claim 14 , wherein the ItemView is launched from a ResultView.
16. The toolkit of claim 15 , wherein the ResultView displays an affected Item's name.
17. The toolkit of claim 16 , wherein the name is updated when the Item changes.
18. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the server-side API can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a Category, wherein the Category represents a collection of monitored Items of a specific type.
19. The toolkit of claim 18 , wherein the client-side API provides an Item Table, wherein the Item Table displays all Items in the Category in table form.
20. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a CategoryView.
21. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a TreeView.
22. The toolkit of claim 21 , wherein the TreeView displays a hierarchical view of Items in cascading Categories.
23. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a Task.
24. The toolkit of claim 12 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a ResultView.
25. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API provides RichTextComponents that comprise glossary links and task launchers.
26. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API provides blocking dialogs.
27. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API provides an ItemFinder, wherein the ItemFinder populates itself with names of Items in a Category.
28. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API renders icons dynamically from a vector-based icon description.
29. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API provides icons that blink to reflect the state of an object.
30. The toolkit of claim 1 , wherein the client-side API provides a splash screen, wherein the splash screen is displayed after an application is executed and before the application window is ready.
31. A tangible signal-bearing media for developing user-interfaces for a system administration program, wherein the signal-bearing media comprises instructions and data, which when read and executed by a computer comprise:
a server-side application-programming interface (API), comprising a Task-registry file, wherein the Task-registry file comprises one or more Task groups; and
a client-side API, comprising a product-specific properties file, wherein the product-specific properties file is customizable by a developer and the client-side API is callable by developer-supplied code to create a graphical user interface for a specific product.
32. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the properties file comprises
a title; and
a product-specific list of page links.
33. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable title.
34. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable table of contents.
35. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable display area.
36. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a customizable button bar.
37. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API creates a Task-manager window comprising:
a display area.
38. The signal-bearing media of claim 37 , wherein the display area comprises:
one of a text page, a Task-list page, and a class page.
39. The signal-bearing media of claim 38 , wherein the Task-list page comprises:
a list of Tasks that are related.
40. The signal-bearing media of claim 39 , wherein the Tasks are related by a type of object on which they operate.
41. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the product-specific properties file comprises a ordered set of button tags, wherein each button has a name and a target class to be launched when the button is activated.
42. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , further comprising a resource file, wherein the resource file is customizable by the developer.
43. The signal-bearing media of claim 42 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create an ItemView.
44. The signal-bearing media of claim 43 , wherein the ItemView is launched from a ResultView.
45. The signal-bearing media of claim 44 , wherein the ResultView displays an affected Item's name.
46. The signal-bearing media of claim 45 , wherein the name is updated when the Item changes.
47. The signal-bearing media of claim 42 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can he used by the developer-supplied code to create a CategoryView.
48. The signal-bearing media of claim 42 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code create a TreeView.
49. The signal-bearing media of claim 48 , wherein the TreeView displays a hierarchical view of Items in cascading Categories.
50. The signal-bearing media of claim 42 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a Task.
51. The signal-bearing media of claim 42 , wherein the client-side API and resource file can be used by the developer-supplied code to create an ResultView.
52. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the server-side API can be used by the developer-supplied code to create an Item, wherein the Item represents a system entity to be administered.
53. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the server-side API can be used by the developer-supplied code to create a Category, wherein the Category represents a collection of monitored Items of a specific type.
54. The signal-bearing media of claim 53 , wherein the client-side API provides an Item Table, wherein the Item Table displays all Items in the Category in table form.
55. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API provides RichTextComponents that comprise glossary links and task launchers.
56. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API provides blocking dialogs.
57. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API provides an ItemFinder, wherein the ItemFinder populates itself with names of Items in a Category.
58. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API renders icons dynamically from a vector-based icon description.
59. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API provides icons that blink to reflect the state of an object.
60. The signal-bearing media of claim 31 , wherein the client-side API provides a splash screen, wherein the splash screen is displayed after an application is executed and before the application window is ready.