Linking user interface frames

1 . In a computer device

1) that displays information in, and receives user input associated with, a plurality of user interface frames that are disposed within two or more user interface pages, and

2) that implements a first linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within separate user interface pages and a second linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within a common user interface page,

a method of generically linking a first user interface frame with a second user interface frame, the method comprising:

receiving developer input that selects the first user interface frame and the second user interface frame to be linked with one another;

receiving additional developer input that specifies a first user interface page within which to display the first user interface frame and a second user interface page within which to display the second user interface frame; and

associating, with the first user interface frame and with the second user interface frame, a generic linking function that causes

1) the first linking function to be executed, at runtime, if the first user interface page and the second user interface page are separate user interface pages, and

2) the second linking function to be executed, at runtime, if the first user interface page and the second user interface page are a common user interface page.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are portal pages that are displayed, one portal page at a time, in a browser window, wherein the browser window is displayed in a graphical user interface.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are screens that are displayed, one screen at a time, by a personal digital assistant device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are separate user interface pages, the method further comprising receiving input associated with the first user interface frame, and based on the received input, executing the first linking function, causing the second user interface page to be loaded, wherein the second user interface page comprises the second user interface frame.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are a common user interface page, the method further comprising receiving input associated with the first user interface frame, and based on the received input, executing the second linking function, causing information displayed in the second interface frame to be updated while information displayed outside the second user interface frame is substantially maintained.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional developer input is stored as context information that is associated with at least one of:

a) the first user interface frame, and

b) the second user interface frame.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the generic linking function comprises the first linking function and the second linking function, and wherein the generic linking function causes either the first linking function or the second linking function to be executed based on the context information.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are initially separate user interface pages, and wherein the first user interface page comprises the first user interface frame and the second user interface page comprises the second user interface frame, the method further comprising receiving user input that specifies that the second interface frame is to be subsequently displayed within the first user interface page.

9 . In a computer device

1) that displays information in, and receives user input associated with, a plurality of user interface frames that are disposed within two or more user interface pages, and

2) that implements a first linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within separate user interface pages and a second linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within a common user interface page,

a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving developer input that selects a first user interface frame and a second interface frame to be generically linked with one another;

receiving additional developer input that specifies a first user interface page within which to display the first user interface frame and a second user interface page within which to display the second user interface frame; and

associating, with the first user interface frame and with the second user interface frame, a generic linking function that causes

1) the first linking function to be executed, at runtime, if the first user interface page and the second user interface page are separate user interface pages, and

2) the second linking function to be executed, at runtime, if the first user interface page and the second user interface page are a common user interface pages.

10 . In a computer device

1) that displays information in, and receives user input associated with, a plurality of user interface frames that are disposed within two or more user interface pages,

2) that implements a first linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within separate user interface pages and a second linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within a common user interface page, and

3) that associates a generic linking function to a first user interface frame and a second user interface frame, wherein the generic linking function comprises the first linking function and the second linking function,

a method of navigating from the first user interface frame to the second user interface frame, the method comprising:

in a first user interface page comprising the first user interface frame, receiving user input that is associated with the first user interface frame, the user input being to navigate to the second user interface frame;

retrieving context information associated with the second user interface frame, wherein the context information specifies whether the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the first user interface page or within a second user interface page; and

executing the generic linking function, wherein executing the generic linking function causes the first linking function to be executed if the context information specifies that the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the second user interface page or the second linking function to be executed if the context information specifies that the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the first user interface page.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are portal pages that are displayed, one portal page at a time, in a browser window, wherein the browser window is displayed in a graphical user interface.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are screens that are displayed, one screen at a time, by a personal digital assistant device.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are separate user interface pages, the method further comprising receiving input associated with the first user interface frame, and based on the received input, executing the first linking function, causing the second user interface page to be loaded, wherein the second user interface page comprises the second user interface frame.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first user interface page and the second user interface page are a common user interface page, the method further comprising receiving input associated with the first user interface frame, and based on the received input, executing the second linking function, causing information displayed in the second interface frame to be updated while information displayed outside the second user interface frame is substantially maintained.

15 . In a computer device

1) that displays information in, and receives user input associated with, a plurality of user interface frames that are disposed within two or more user interface pages,

2) that implements a first linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within separate user interface pages and a second linking function to link user interface frames that are to be linked and displayed within a common user interface page, and

3) that associates a generic linking function to a first user interface frame that is linked to a second user interface frame, wherein the generic linking function comprises the first linking function and the second linking function,

a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

in a first user interface page comprising a first user interface frame, receiving user input that is associated with the first user interface frame, the user input being to navigate to a second user interface frame;

retrieving context information associated with the second user interface frame, wherein the context information specifies whether the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the first user interface page or within a second user interface page; and

executing the generic linking function, wherein executing the generic linking function causes the first linking function to be executed if the context information specifies that the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the second user interface page or the second linking function to be executed if the context information specifies that the second user interface frame is to be displayed within the first user interface page.