User Interface Element Grouping for Efficient Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customizing user interfaces is inefficient due to the possibility of user interface elements being misplaced, requiring users to expend effort to locate and replace them.
Innovation Solution
Grouping two or more user interface elements into a group element with defined spatial and semantic relationships, allowing for easier addition and customization by maintaining these relationships when the group is used in the user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual user interface elements are added separately to customize the user interface, then the user interface can be customized with specific elements, but the elements may be misplaced requiring users to expend effort to locate and replace them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple related user interface elements into a single group element that maintains their spatial relationships. When users add a group element to the user interface, all contained elements are added together in their predefined relative positions, eliminating the need to separately place and adjust individual elements. This merging approach preserves customization capability while significantly improving placement efficiency and reducing misplacement issues.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual user interface elements are added separately, then each element can be precisely positioned, but users must expend effort to locate and replace misplaced elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-establishes the spatial relationships and configurations of multiple user interface elements within a group element before the user adds it to the interface. The group element contains predefined information about the relative positions and arrangements of its contained elements. When the group is added, this preliminary configuration is automatically applied, ensuring precise positioning without requiring users to manually locate and adjust each element individually.
3Adaptability or versatility
If users add multiple individual user interface elements, then the interface can be fully customized, but the process becomes inefficient requiring effort to locate and replace misplaced elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple user interface elements into a single group element that can be added as one unit. This group element maintains the spatial relationships and configurations of its contained elements through predefined information. By adding the group element rather than individual elements separately, users achieve the same customization result with significantly improved efficiency, as the system automatically handles the placement and arrangement of all contained elements in their correct relative positions.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer implemented method of adding user interface elements within an application program. The method includes generating a user interface layout having user interface elements and database connections, where the database connections relate the user interface elements to a database. The method further includes generating a selection layout having element groups, where each of the element groups includes a first element and a second element that are spatially related. The method further includes receiving a user selection of a selected element group of the element groups, and generating the user interface layout having the user interface elements, where the user interface elements now includes the selected element group. In this manner, the user interface layout may be efficiently adjusted.