WYSIWYG UI Design Tool Runtime Behavior Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional UI design tools do not allow for runtime behaviors or user interactions with UI controls during the design time, limiting the ability of designers to experience and adjust dynamic content and properties of UI elements.
Innovation Solution
A WYSIWYG UI design tool employing a multiple layer model that represents UI controls, enabling runtime behaviors and user interactions during design time, with layers for runtime appearance, design-time adjustments, and event handling, allowing designers to select, resize, and move UI controls while seeing dynamic content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional design tools are used to design UI controls, then the design tool structure is simple and easy to operate, but runtime behaviors and user interactions cannot be experienced during design time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UI control representation into multiple layers: a design-time layer for structural manipulation and a runtime layer for behavior simulation. This segmentation allows the design tool to handle both design-time adjustments and runtime behavior experiences independently, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by enabling runtime behavior simulation during design time. The multiple layer model adds a vertical dimension where design-time controls coexist with runtime controls, allowing designers to experience runtime behaviors without leaving the design environment, thus enhancing adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If runtime behaviors are enabled during design time, then designers can experience dynamic content and interactions, but the design tool complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control model into design-time controls and runtime controls with distinct layers, the patent enables designers to interact with runtime behaviors through a simplified interface while the underlying complexity is managed separately. This segmentation improves ease of operation without requiring the entire tool architecture to become complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where design-time controls act as proxies for runtime controls. This intermediary layer allows designers to interact with simplified representations while the system handles the complexity of runtime behavior simulation in the background, improving ease of operation without exposing the full architectural complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple layer model is implemented to represent UI controls, then runtime behaviors can be simulated during design time, but the implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple layer model segments the UI control representation into distinct design-time and runtime layers, each with specific responsibilities. This segmentation improves design accuracy by ensuring that design-time operations do not interfere with runtime behavior simulations, while the modular structure manages implementation complexity through clear separation of concerns.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are technologies for a WYSIWYG user interface (UI) design tool that enables runtime behaviors (e.g., content update and user interaction) with UI controls during design time of such controls. That is, using a UI design tool in accordance with the technology described herein, the human designer can see and experience the runtime behavior of the UI controls while designing those controls. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.