Declarative and multi-mode wizard framework

摘要

A user interface mechanism may be defined by a story from which a wizard engine may create a user interface. The engine may present the story using various user interface containers that define a layout and general functions of a user interface, along with styles that may define the ‘look and feel’ of the user interface. The story may define an action performed once data are collected from the user. The story may also define data passed to the action, as well as the data collected from a user. The story may further define translation routines or other actions that may be launched in response to receiving user action and used to generate data that may be passed to the action.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a processor; a wizard engine, said wizard engine configured to:
read a user-created declarative story,said user-created story comprising:
an action to perform defined by the user,a data collection object, said data collection object defining a data type and a name for each of one or more data items associated with said action to be performed defined by the user, andat least one section for defining user interface instructions for presenting a user input component for each of said one or more data items,
wherein user input for said one or more data items is for use in an action to be performed defined by the user;generate a user interface from said user-created declarative story,
said user interface presenting said user input component for each of said one or more data items based on corresponding data type,
wherein each user input component is used for collecting user input for a corresponding data item; present said user interface to a user; for each of said one or more data items, collect said user input for said data item through said corresponding user input component from said user; populate said data collection object with collected user input for said one or more data items; cause said action to be performed based on said populated data collection object; and modify said user interface based on said one or more of: a data item layout hint, a section item layout hint, and a story layout hint.