Declarative task-based user interfaces

1. A computerized method comprising:

identifying a collection of metadata associated with a business task, wherein

the collection of metadata defines

the steps to be executed for the business task, and

an execution order of the steps;

presenting a set of wizard-style user interfaces (UIs) pertaining to the business task, wherein

the set of wizard-style UIs are presented on a display of a computer system,

the presenting comprises

processing the collection of metadata at run time,

the processing is performed by a processor of the computing system,

the set of wizard-style UIs comprises a sequence of task-specific UI views

the sequence of UI views is based on the execution order of the steps,

each UI view in the sequence of UI views provides a visible division of the business task into corresponding one or more steps to be executed for the business task, and

each UI view in the sequence of UI views allows the business task to be progressed through by executing the corresponding one or more steps as per the execution order of the steps;

pausing the processing, wherein

the processing is paused at a currently-displayed UI view;

transferring the processing to another computer system; and

resuming the processing, wherein

the processing is resumed by the another computer system, and

the processing is resumed at the currently-displayed UI view.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the collection of metadata is created using a visual representation of the business task, and

the visual representation is specified using a design environment.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

the design environment is configured to allow the visual representation to be created without the need for programming code to be written.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein

the visual representation of the business task defines a flowchart,

the flowchart comprises a sequence of steps to be performed,

the business task comprises the sequence of steps to be performed, and

the steps comprise at least one of

a UI view step,

a service invocation step,

a database operation step,

a decision step,

an error step,

a subtask step,

a commit step,

a start step, and

an end step.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein

the collection of metadata comprises a set of properties associated with the business task and sets of properties associated with corresponding steps within the business task.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein

the design environment allows definition of navigation controls for the set of wizard-style UIs, and

the navigation controls comprise at least one of

a previous operation,

a next operation,

a pause operation,

a resume operation, and

a cancel operation.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

allowing the use of the navigation controls when navigating through the set of wizard-style UIs.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the allowing the use of the navigation controls comprises:

storing step instance information of each completed step in a history stack; and

in response to a previous operation request, moving from a currently displayed UI to a previously displayed UI using contents of the history stack.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the allowing the use of the navigation controls further comprises:

automatically presenting the navigation history, wherein

the automatically presenting is performed using the contents of the history stack.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the automatically presenting the navigation history comprises:

partitioning the presentation of the navigation history using chapters.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the allowing the use of the navigation controls further comprises:

re-executing non-UI steps when the non-UI steps are reached multiple times via previous and next operations;

maintaining states of UI steps across the previous and next operations; and

displaying each UI in a most current state.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein

the currently displayed UI contains partially entered data when the previous operation request is issued; and

in response to the subsequent next operation request, the previously displayed UI is returned with the partially entered data.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

upon receiving the next operation request, determining that data entered in the previously displayed UI has changed;

determining that the changed data causes a different sequence of steps; and

following the different sequence of steps when executing the next operation request.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining that the different sequence of steps leaves previously entered data non-validated; and

automatically hiding the previously entered non-validated data.

15. The method of claim 7 , wherein the allowing the use of the navigation controls comprises:

in response to a pause operation request, pausing the business task at a currently displayed UI;

storing states of UIs displayed prior to the pause operation requests; and

in response to a resume operation request, resuming the business task at the UI displayed at the time of the pause operation request based on the stored states.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein the allowing the use of the navigation controls comprises:

in response to a cancel operation request, returning the business task to a previously stored state.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting the sequence of task-specific UI views.

18. A computer system programmed to perform a method comprising:

identifying a collection of metadata associated with a business task, wherein

the collection of metadata defines the steps to be executed for the business task and an execution order of the steps;

presenting a set of wizard-style user interfaces (UIs) pertaining to the business task, wherein

the set of wizard-style UIs are presented on a display of the computer system,

the presenting comprises

processing the collection of metadata at run time,

the processing is performed by a processor of the computing system,

the set of wizard-style UIs comprises a sequence of task-specific UI views

the sequence of UI views is based on the execution order of the steps,

each UI view in the sequence of UI views provides a visible division of the business task into corresponding one or more steps to be executed for the business task, and

each UI view in the sequence of UI views allows the business task to be processed through by executing the corresponding one or more steps as per the execution order of the steps;

pausing the processing, wherein

the processing is paused at a currently-displayed UI view;

transferring the processing to another computer system; and

resuming the processing, wherein

the processing is resumed by the another computer system, and

the processing is resumed at the currently-displayed UI view.

19. The computer system of claim 18 , wherein

the collection of metadata is created using a visual representation of the business task,

the visual representation is specified using a design environment, and

the design environment is configured to allow the visual representation to be created without the need for programming code to be written.

20. A computer system comprising:

a metadata repository to store a collection of metadata associated with a business task, wherein

the collection of metadata defines the steps to be executed for the business task and an execution order of the steps; and

a runtime engine to present a set of wizard-style user interfaces (UIs) pertaining to the business task, wherein

the set of wizard-style UIs are presented on a display of the computer system,

the presenting comprises

processing the collection of metadata at run time,

the processing is performed by a processor of the computing system,

the set of wizard-style UIs comprises a sequence of task-specific UI views

the sequence of UI views is based on the execution order of the steps,

each UI view in the sequence of UI views provides a visible division of the business task into corresponding one or more steps to be executed for the business task,

each UI view in the sequence of UI views allows the business task to be processed through by executing the corresponding one or more steps as per the execution order of the steps, and

said runtime engine is configured to:

pause the processing, wherein

the processing is paused at a currently-displayed UI view,

transfer the processing to another computer system, and

resume the processing, wherein

the processing is resumed by the another computer system, and

the processing is resumed at the currently-displayed UI.

21. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:

a task UI development tool configured to allow creation of a visual representation of the business task without the need to write programming code, and to create the collection of metadata using the visual representation of the business task.