Creating multiple versions of panels from a single panel definition file

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step includes: structuring a member of said set of panel build instruction groups by looking at each said display layout parameter for determining whether it is identified with said member being structured.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said accessing step includes for each member of said set of panel build instruction groups: retrieving a copy of a panel build instruction group; dynamically creating a platform specific panel display command set; and storing in a library associated with said application program each panel display command set used by said application program.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 including the additional steps of: specifying at run time a further one of said plurality of related panels; structuring another platform specific panel build display command set, corresponding to said further one of said plurality of related panels; and storing said another platform specific panel build command set on said library.

Claim 6

The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising a step of preparing a new interactive panel at application program run time from a previously stored panel build instruction group, the preparing step comprising the steps of: specifying new panel layout parameters as a function of previously stored panel layout parameters; generating a panel display command set containing platform specific display characteristics: and dynamically developing a display in accordance with said panel build instruction group.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6 wherein said means for generating includes: means for structuring a member of said set of panel build instruction groups by looking at each said display layout parameter for determining whether it is identified with said member being structured.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7 wherein said means for accessing includes; means for retrieving a copy of a panel build instruction group; means for dynamically creating a platform specific panel display command set; and means for storing in a library associated with said application program each panel display command set used by said application program.

Claim 11

The system of claim 8 further including: means for specifying at run time a further one of said plurality of related panels; means for creating another panel display command set corresponding to said further one of said plurality of related panels; and means for storing said another panel display command set in said library.

Claim 12

The system as recited in claim 6 further comprising means for enabling real time development and display of interactive display panels at application program run time, comprising: means for making a modified version of a previously stored panel build instruction group, means for generating platform specific panel display commands corresponding to said modified version; and library means associated with said application program for storing said platform specific display commands.

Claim 13

An interactive panel display generation system for facilitating user interface to an application program comprising: a build time component having means for specifying a data file containing layout parameters for a plurality of related panels, wherein at least one layout parameter is unique to one related panel and generating from the data file and storing panel build instruction groups in the application program, each panel build instruction group containing display layout parameters for one related panel of said application program; and a run time component for dynamically developing platform specific panel display commands from said stored panel build instruction groups.

Claim 14

An interactive panel display generation system for facilitating user interface to an application program comprising: a build time component having means for specifying a data file containing layout parameters for a plurality of related panels, wherein at least one layout parameter is unique to one related panel and generating from the data file and storing panel build instruction groups in the application program, each panel build instruction group containing display layout parameters for one related panel of said application program; and a run time component for dynamically developing platform specific panel display commands from said stored panel build instruction groups.

Claim 15

The system of claim 11 wherein said run time component also includes: means for storing panel display commands in a library associated with the application program.

Claim 16

The system of claim 12 wherein said run time component additionally includes: means for creating a new panel through making modifications in a previously stored panel build instruction group; and means for dynamically developing and storing platform specific panel display commands from the run time modified panel build instruction group.

Claim 17

The system of claim 12 wherein said run time component includes: means for retrieving panel display commands from a library associated with an application program; means for immediately displaying a first panel in accord with retrieved panel display commands; and means for preparing a second panel for later display in accord with retrieved panel display commands as a function of user interaction with the first panel.

Claim 18

A computer program product for generating interactive panel displays for providing a graphical user interface to an application program comprising: a computer usable medium on which is recorded computer readable program code including: a build time component means for accepting and storing in a single source file panel build instructions for a plurality of related panel configurations, said single source file correlating each build instruction with a respective set of related panels, wherein at least one set of related panels differs from any other set of related panels generating from said data file a set of program panel build instruction groups, incorporated in the application program each one of said panel build instruction groups containing the display layout parameters for a respective one of said plurality of related panels; and a run time component means comprising; means for dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands from build time stored panel build instructions; and means for accepting modifications to build time stored panel build instructions and dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands therefrom, and means responsive to an application call for accessing during application program run time said set of panel build instruction groups for displaying application program designated ones of said related panels.

Claim 19

A computer program product for generating interactive panel displays for providing a graphical user interface to an application program comprising: a computer usable medium on which is recorded computer readable program code including: a build time component means for accepting and storing in a single source file panel build instructions for a plurality of related panel configurations, said single source file correlating each build instruction with a respective set of related panels, wherein at least one set of related panels differs from any other set of related panels generating from said data file a set of program panel build instruction groups, incorporated in the application program each one of said panel build instruction groups containing the display layout parameters for a respective one of said plurality of related panels; and a run time component means comprising; means for dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands from build time stored panel build instructions; and means for accepting modifications to build time stored panel build instructions and dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands therefrom, and means responsive to an application call for accessing during application program run time said set of panel build instruction groups for displaying application program designated ones of said related panels.

Claim 20

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said run time component means also includes: means for immediately displaying in accordance with dynamically prepared platform specific panel display commands; and means for subsequently displaying in accordance with dynamically prepared commands as a function of user response to an earlier displayed panel.