Parallel front end application and workflow development

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10592082-B2
Application number	US-201514951219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for developing user applications that include workflows, and in particular, for developing the user applications and workflows in parallel. A first user interface is provided on a display screen that enables a graphical user interface (GUI) of a user application to be configured. Controls are enabled to be selected for inclusion in the GUI of the user application. Workflow logic is enabled to be associated with a control included in the GUI. A second user interface is provided on the display screen concurrent with the first user interface. The second user interface enables the workflow logic to be generated. Steps are enabled to be selected for inclusion in the workflow logic. Each step is configured to operate on data entered via the GUI and/or data of another step of the workflow logic.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method in a computing device, comprising:
providing a first user interface on a display screen that enables a graphical user interface (GUI) of a user application to be configured, the first user interface provided in a window of the user application displayed in the displayed screen, including
receiving selection of a control displayed in the first user interface provided in the window for inclusion in the GUI of the user application, and
associating workflow logic with the control based at least in part on an interaction with the control displayed inside the GUI of the user application in the first user interface provided in the window; and

providing a second user interface on the display screen that enables the workflow logic to be configured, the second user interface provided in the window of the user application concurrent with the first user interface, including
receiving selection of a step displayed as a selectable graphical object within the second user interface provided in the window concurrent with the first user interface for inclusion in the workflow logic, and
receiving selection of an object in the GUI of the user application displayed in the first user interface to use a parameter value of the object as an input to a step of the workflow logic in the second user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing a second user interface on the display screen that enables the workflow logic to be configured comprises:
receiving the selection of the step displayed as a selectable graphical object within the second user interface provided in the window concurrent with the first user interface for inclusion in the workflow logic from a library of steps, the steps including one or more network-based applications and one or more client applications.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing a second user interface on the display screen that enables the workflow logic to be configured comprises:
receiving selection of a condition for inclusion in the workflow logic.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling a variable of the workflow logic to be designated as early binding or late binding.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving selection of an object in the GUI of the user application displayed in the first user interface to use a parameter value of the object as an input to a step of the workflow logic in the second user interface comprises:
receiving, in the first user interface, selection of the object in the GUI of the user application; and
receiving an indication of dragging of the object to the second user interface, said dragging indicating the parameter value as an input to a step of the workflow logic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said associating workflow logic with the control based at least in part on an interaction with the control displayed inside the GUI of the user application in the first user interface provided in the window comprises:
receiving selection of the control in the GUI of the user application;
receiving selection of a run workflow behavior for the selected control; and
in response to receiving the selection of the run workflow behavior for the control,
displaying a control to enable a selection of new workflow logic to be created for association with the selected control, and
displaying a control to enable a selection of existing workflow logic for association with the selected control from a workflow logic library.

7. A system for developing user applications, comprising:
at least one processor circuit; and
at least one memory that stores program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor circuit, the program code comprising:
an application designer configured to provide a first user interface on a display screen that enables a graphical user interface (GUI) of a user application to be configured, the first user interface provided in a window of the user application displayed in the display screen, including, the application designer including
a control selector configured to receive selection of a control displayed in the first user interface provided in the window for inclusion in the GUI of the user application, and
a behavior assigner configured to associate workflow logic with the control based at least in part on an interaction with the control displayed inside the GUI of the user application in the first user interface provided in the window; and

a workflow generator configured to provide a second user interface on the display screen that enables the workflow logic to be configured, the second user interface provided in the window of the user application concurrent with the first user interface, the workflow generator including
a step selector configured to receive selection of a step displayed as a selectable graphical object within the second user interface provided in the window concurrent with the first user interface for inclusion in the workflow logic, and
an input data selector configured to receive selection of an object in the GUI of the user application displayed in the first user interface to use a parameter value of the object as an input to a step of the workflow logic in the second user interface.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the step selector is configured to receive selection of the step displayed as a selectable graphical object within the second user interface provided in the window concurrent with the first user interface for inclusion in the workflow logic from a library of steps, the steps including one or more network-based applications and one or more client applications.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the step selector is configured to receive selection of a condition for inclusion in the workflow logic.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the step is a network-based application that has associated network-based data and the input data selector is configured to retrieve the network-based data from the network-based application during development time, and bind the retrieved data with the workflow logic.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the input data selector is configured to receive, in the first user interface, selection of the object in the GUI of the user application, and receive an indication of dragging of the object to the second user interface, the dragging indicating the parameter value as an input to a step of the workflow logic.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the behavior assigner is configured to receive selection of the control in the GUI of the user application, and receive selection of a run workflow behavior for the selected control in the user application; and
in response to receiving the selection of the run workflow behavior for the control, the behavior assigner is configured to display a control to enable a selection of new workflow logic to be created for association with the selected control, and display a control to enable a selection of existing workflow logic for association with the selected control from a workflow logic library.

13. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
providing a first user interface on a display screen that enables a graphical user interface (GUI) of a user application to be configured, the first user interface provided in a window of the user application displayed in the displayed screen, including
receiving selection of a control displayed in the first user interface provided in the window for inclusion in the GUI of the user application, and
associating workflow with the control based at le

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Twist Jonjo
• Kumar Prashant
• Siciliano Stephen C
• Agrawal Himanshu

Classifications

• G06F8/35

  model driven · CPC title

• G06F8/20

  Software design · CPC title

• G06Q10/103

  Workflow collaboration or project management · CPC title

• G06F8/38

  for implementing user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F8/34

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title