US20060010422A1 - Common user interface development toolkit for a system administration program - Google Patents

Abstract

A toolkit for developing user-interfaces for a system administration program. The toolkit has a server-side application-programming interface (API). The server-side has task-registry files that each describe a task group. The toolkit also has a client-side API. A developer can customize product-specific properties files for a specific product and write code that calls the server-side and client-side APIs to create a graphical user interface for the specific product.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/811,345, filed Mar. 16, 2001, which is related to and claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/189,863, filed Mar. 16, 2000, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• This invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly to development of user interfaces for a computer system administration program.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE/PERMISSION
• A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the drawings hereto: Copyright© Silicon Graphics Incorporated, 2000. All Rights Reserved.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Interfaces for various system administration applications can be inconsistent, requiring the user to learn each one of a variety of different system-administration applications. Typical system administration applications are hard to use and confusing for the non-technical user. The following are examples of the problems that users face:
• Prerequisites and background knowledge. Users can get stuck when they must perform an administration task and do not know enough about the system to start or to complete the task. For example, users might want to share a file on the network, but do not know that in order to share an individual file, they must share the file's directory.
• Information overload. Users can lose patience and feel overwhelmed when they must perform an administration task and are deluged with information from many sources: “Read this first!” documents packaged in the system box, release notes, books, and the Web. Their frustration is compounded when the information is only partly relevant or consistent.
• Risk of system damage. Users can hesitate before performing an administration task that they perceive may damage the computer, whether or not there is real risk. Other users try ad hoc methods and unknowingly do system damage when trying to perform an administration task. For example, a user accustomed to a single-user system like a Macintosh might always log into the root account; to free up disk space, the user might remove large files that could be important to system operation.
• Lack of confidence in result. Users who try to perform an administration task might not be certain that what they tried had the intended effect. For example, commands in prior systems that are issued at the command line sometimes return an invisible return code, and few state in plain English what has happened and what ramifications to expect.
• Entry points difficult to find. Users and systems administrators can use different terminology when thinking about their systems, which makes it difficult for users to find and use the tools they need.
• Error recovery. When something goes wrong, users can get stuck and not know how to fix the problem. For example, a user who unwittingly removes/Unix might continue to use the system for days or weeks until the system is rebooted, at which point it can be difficult to track down what went wrong, why, and how to fix it.
• Deciding what to do next. Users might not know what to do next when they've run an unfamiliar command, whether the command seemed to have the desired effect or not. Users can become confused when there is no feedback informing them how far they've come in an administration task or what their options are at any given point.
• Thus, there is a need for an infrastructure for building common, consistent, task-based user interfaces to applications that configure, manage, and monitor hardware and software.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention provides solutions to the above-described shortcomings in conventional approaches, as well as other advantages apparent from the description and appendices below.
• The present invention provides a toolkit for developing user-interfaces for a system administration program. The toolkit has a server-side application-programming interface (API). The server-side has task-registry files that each describe a task group. The toolkit also has a client-side API. A developer can customize product-specific properties files for a specific product and write code that calls the server-side and client-side APIs to create a graphical user interface for the specific product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 depicts a pictorial example of a network of computer systems that can be used to implement an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the principal components of a client and server attached via a network, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram showing more detail of the software architecture of an example client and server, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of the relationships of tasks to task data, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of a product specific properties file, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of the format of a task data file, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of the format of a task registry file, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart of the operations of the client, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 10 depicts a flowchart of the operations of the server after the client has issued a login command, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 11 depicts a flowchart of the operations of the server after the user has selected the “OK” button, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 12 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface for a Form, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 13 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface for a Guide, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 14 depicts a pictorial representation of another example user interface for a Guide, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 15 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface for a ResultView, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 16 depicts a pictorial representation of ItemView window, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 17 depicts a pictorial representation of a TreeView window, according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
• FIG. 1 depicts an example of a network of computer systems that can be used to implement an embodiment of the invention.Client computer system110 is connected to remoteserver computer system188 vianetwork160.Computer system110 includesprocessing unit112,display device114,keyboard116, pointingdevice118.Processing unit112 receives input data from input devices such askeyboard116, pointingdevice118, andnetwork160 and presents output data to a user viadisplay device114.Pointing device118 is used in conjunction with a graphical user interface (GUI) in which hardware components and software objects are controlled through the selection and the manipulation of associated graphical objects displayed withindisplay device114. Althoughcomputer system110 is illustrated with a mouse for pointingdevice118, other graphical-pointing devices such as a graphic tablet, joystick, trackball, or track pad could also be used.
• Keyboard116 is that part ofcomputer system110 that resembles a typewriter keyboard and that enables a user to control particular aspects of the computer. Video-display terminal114 is the visual output ofcomputer system110.
• To support storage and retrieval of data, processingunit112 further includesdiskette drive122, hard-disk drive123, andtape drive124, which are interconnected with other components ofprocessing unit112. Althoughdiskette drive122, hard-disk drive123, andtape drive124 are shown incorporated intosystem unit112, they could be external tosystem unit112, either connected directly, on a local area network (LAN), onnetwork160, or attached toremote computer system188.
• Computer system110 can be implemented using any suitable computer available from a number of vendors.Computer system110 is thus a configuration that includes all functional components of a computer and its associated hardware. In general, a typical computer system includes a console or processing unit such aprocessing unit112, with one or more disk drives, a monitor such asvideo display terminal114, and a keyboard such askeyboard116.Remote computer system188 can be implemented using any suitable computer that contains non-volatile storage. But, an embodiment of the present invention can apply to any hardware configuration that allows developing a user interface for a system administration program regardless of whether the computer system is a complete, multi-user computer apparatus, a single-user workstation, or a network appliance that does not have non-volatile storage of its own.
• FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the principal components ofprocessing unit112 ofclient110 andserver188 attached vianetwork160.Client110 containsprocessor240 connected viabus255 tomemory230,diskette drive122, hard-disk drive123,tape drive124, andnetwork adapter252. Although the various components ofFIG. 2 are drawn as single entities, each may consist of multiple entities and may exist at multiple levels.
• Processor240 executes instructions and includes that portion ofclient110 that controls the operation of the entire computer system, including executing the arithmetical and logical functions contained in a particular computer program. Although not depicted inFIG. 2,processor240 typically includes a control unit that organizes data and program storage in a computer memory and transfers data and other information between the various part of the computer system.Processor240 accesses data and instructions from and stores data tomemory230.
• Any appropriate processor could be utilized forprocessor240. Althoughclient110 is shown to contain only a single processor and a single system bus, the present invention applies equally to computer systems have multiple processors and to computer system that have multiple buses that each perform different functions in different ways.
• Memory230 comprises an number of individual, volatile-memory modules that store segments of operating system and application software while power is supplied toclient110. The software segments are partitioned into one or more virtual memory pages that each contain an uniform number of virtual memory addresses. When the execution of software requires more pages of virtual memory than can be stored withinmemory230, pages that are not currently needed are swapped with the required pages, which are stored withinnon-volatile storage devices122 or123.Memory230 is a type of memory designed such that the location of data stored in it is independent of the content. Also, any location inmemory230 can be accessed directly without having to start from the beginning.
• Memory230 containsclient programs260 andservice proxy262, which contain instructions capable of being executed byprocessor240. In the alternative, they could be implemented by control circuitry though the use of logic gates programmable logic devices, or other hardware components in lieu of a processor-based system. The operation ofclient programs260 andservice proxy262 are described below with reference toFIG. 3.
• Diskette drive122 andhard disk drive123 are electro-mechanical devices that read from and write to magnetic disks, although any non-volatile storage devices could be used such as CD-ROM drives.Tape drive124 is an electro-mechanical device that reads from and writes to tape media.
• Finally,client110 includesnetwork adapter252, which facilitates communication betweenclient110 andnetwork160, which might be a local area network (LAN), an intranet, or the Internet.Network160 provides a user ofclient110 with a means of electronically communicating information, including software, with a remote computer or a network logical-storage device. In addition,network160 supports distributed processing, which enablesclient110 to share a task with other computer systems linked to the network.
• Network adapter252 could also be a modem, which supports communication betweenclient110 and another computer system over a standard telephone line. Furthermore, through a modem,client110 can access other sources such as server, an electronic bulletin board, and the Internet or World Wide Web.
• Network160 may include a plurality of networks, each of which could include a plurality of individual computers.Network160 andserver188 could be located a great geographic distance fromclient110, or they could be in the same room or even on the same desktop.Client110 could be connected to network160 via a standard telephone line, a dedicated cable, or a wireless communications link.
• Server188 containsmemory270, processor275, andstorage278, which are all connected via system bus279.Memory270 can be any type of computer memory, analogous to those described formemory230.Memory270 containssystem administration program280,port handler282, andservice284.Port handler282 handles communication overnetwork160 toclient110 via a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connection, although any suitable communications protocol could be used.
• System administration program280 handles receiving packets from and passing packets toservice284. Packets are the basic unit of communication betweenclient110 andserver188. A packet, which contains a type that identifies whichservice284 it is associated with and a selector that indicates which command or notification is being sent. Also, each packet contains key/value pairs of information that specify any additional information needed to convey the command or notification. Examples of packets are username/password packets, notification packets, and command packets. The username/password packet authenticatesclient110 to theserver188. After authentication, communication betweenclient110 andserver188 takes the form of commands fromclient110 toserver188 and notifications fromserver188 toclient110.
• In one embodiment,service284 provides four services thatclient110 can use to access server188: category service, association service, task registry service, and privilege broker service, but any number and type of services could be provided.Client110 uses the category service to retrieve information aboutserver188. The category service monitors an aspect of the system and maintains an Item for each entity. A Category represents a collection of monitored Item(s) of a specific type. For example, the collection of user account Item(s) can be represented by a Category instance.
• An Item includes a list of key value pairs and represents some system entity to be administered, e.g., a cluster, a volume, or a file system. The client is notified when Items are added, changed, or removed. The association service maintains a state representing relationships between Items on the system. The Task registry services fetches lists of Tasks from the server based on criteria. The privilege broker service enablesclient110 to run privileged commands onserver188. A privileged command is a command that is executed onserver188 with more privileges and permissions than the typical user. The functions ofsystem administration program280 andservice284 are further described below with reference toFIG. 4.
• Processor275 can be any type of computer processor, analogous to those described forprocessor240.Storage278 can be any type of non-volatile storage, analogous to those described fordiskette drive122,hard disk drive123, andtape drive124.
• The configuration depicted inFIG. 1 is but one possible implementation of the components depicted inFIG. 2. Portable computers, Laptop computers, and network computers or Internet appliances are other possible configurations. The hardware depicted inFIG. 2 may vary for specific applications. For example, other peripheral devices such as optical-disk media, audio adapters, or chip programming devices, such as PAL or EPROM programming devices may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware already depicted. Thus, an embodiment of the invention can apply to any hardware configuration that allows developing user interfaces, regardless of whether the hardware configuration is a complicated, multi-user computing apparatus, a single-user workstation, or a network appliance that does not have non-volatile storage of its own.
• As will be described in detail below, aspects of an embodiment pertain to specific method steps implementable on computers. In another embodiment, the invention can be implemented as a computer program product for use with a computer system. The programs defining the functions of the embodiment can be delivered to a computer via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, but are not limited to (a) information permanently stored on non-writeable storage media (e.g., read only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks) readable by an unillustrated CD-ROM drive; (b) alterable information stored on writeable storage media (e.g., floppy disks withindiskette drive122,tape drive124, or hard-disk drive123); or (c) information conveyed to a computer by a communications media, such as through a computer or telephone network including wireless communications. Such signal-bearing media, when carrying computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the present invention, represent embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram showing more detail of the software architecture ofclient110 andserver188, which are again connected vianetwork160.Client110 containsapplication230,service proxy262,user interface components336, andruntime338.Application230 containsTask manager341.Task manager341 containsresource file343 and product-specific properties file346. Although only oneresource file343 is shown, in another embodiment there are multiple resource files.Application230 also contains Task data365-1 and Task data365-2. Although two task data files are shown, other embodiments any number can be present. Task data is further described below with reference toFIG. 4. The format of the properties file is further described below with reference toFIG. 7. Product-specific properties file346 specifies which product's Task data must be loaded before the Task will run.Task manager341 reads product-specific properties file346 and creates Task-manager window600, as further described below with reference toFIG. 6.Task manager341 uses the functions ofUI components336 andruntime338, which make up the client-side API (Application Program Interface).
• The developer writes code (e.g., Java code) and customizesresource file343 to create, for example, ItemView, CategoryView, TreeView, Task, and ResultView, which are all items that create a common user-interface. A developer writes code onserver188, such as developer-supplied plugins355-1 and355-2, to create Items and Categories. In one embodiment, there are separate resource files for each of these items. A CategoryView is a window displaying relevant information about a Category. A ResultView is further described below with reference toFIG. 15. An ItemView is further described below with reference toFIG. 16. A TreeView is further described below with reference toFIG. 17.
• Server188 containssystem administration program280, developer-supplied plug-ins355-1 and355-2, andoperating system370.System administration program360 containsTask registry360, which is further described below with reference toFIG. 8.System administration program360 provides server-side API functions.
• FIG. 4 depicts the relationship of Tasks running onclient110 toTask data365. A Task provides one or more user interfaces that prompt the user for parameters for making a change to the system, andOK method420, which is called after the user has entered Form or Guide data, as further described below with reference toFIGS. 12, 13, and14. In one embodiment,OK method420 is an object-oriented method, which can be used to access or operate on encapsulated data within an object.OK method420 is further described below with reference toFIG. 11. Referring again toFIG. 4, since a Task can have more than one user interface,e.g. Form410 andGuide415, and since the user can switch back and forth between user interfaces, the Task data mechanism is provided so that data is not lost when the user switches between interfaces. An example user interface associated withForm410 is further described below with reference toFIG. 12. An example user interface associated withGuide415 is further described below with reference toFIGS. 13 and 14. The Task's internal representation of what the user has entered is stored as attributes inTask data365, so that when the component changes,Task data365 changes, and whenTask data365 changes, the component is changed. Thus, all input is preserved when the user switches back and forth betweenForm410 andGuide415, andOK method420 can obtain the parameters to pass toprivilege broker service425 from the common Task data rather than querying the user interface components.
• FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of product specific properties file346, whichTask manager341 uses to create the Task manager user interface, as further described below in the description forFIG. 6. Referring again toFIG. 5, product specific properties file346 containstitle data505, table ofcontents data510, start updata515, andbutton bar data520.Title data505 contains the title that the developer would like to see on the user interface. Table ofcontents data510 containstitle data525, list oflinks data530, and description ofpages540.Title data525 contains the title thatTask manager341 will display in the table of contents section of the user interface. List oflinks data530 contains the links thatTask manager341 displays in the table of contents section of the user interface. Description ofpages540 contains a list of the Tasks thatTask manager341 invokes when the user selects the associated link and may contain references to task groups.
• Startup515 contains pointers or other references to initialization code that runs whenTask manager341 starts up. For example, a product might want to set up default values forTask data365 that will be used by product-specific Tasks.
• Button bar data520 contains button data thatTask manager341 uses to create buttons in the button bar section of the user interface, as further described inFIG. 6.
• FIG. 6 depicts a pictorial representation of an example Task manager user interface.User interface600 is shown.Task manager341 buildsuser interface600 using product specific properties file346.
• User interface600 containstitle area610, table of contents area615,display area620, andbutton area630. In one embodiment, an area is a frame or window that appears separately ondisplay device114.
• Table of contents area615 containslink1642,link2644, andlinkn648. When the user selects one of the links in table of contents area615, forexample link642,client110 consults description ofpages540. If description ofpages540 indicates that the page should show a task group, thenclient110 sends a packet toserver188 indicating that a task group has been requested. In response,server188 consults the corresponding task-registry file360 and returns a list of tasks in the task group toclient110 for display indisplay area620. An example of the displayed page is shown with Tasks680-1,680-2, and680-3. When the user selects one of these Tasks, a Form or Guide window is displayed, as further described below with reference toFIGS. 12, 13, and14.
• Referring again toFIG. 6,button area630 contains productspecific button660 andclose button664. When the user selects productspecific button660, actions specific to the product are performed. When the user selectsclose button664,user interface600 is closed.
• FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of the Task data structure.Task data365 contains a set of key/value pairs705 representing the information entered by the user as well as other Task states. These key/value pairs are associated with a particular login session.Task data365 can be used to share information among different input components within a Task, as well as among different Tasks in a session.
• FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of the Task-registry data structure360, which maps task groups to Tasks. Task-registry data structure includes tables of task groups and task names810-1 and810-2. Although two tables are shown, in other embodiments, any number can be present.
• FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart of functions performed byclient110 in response to the user startingTask manager341. Atblock900, control begins. Control then5 continues to block905 whereTask manager341 reads the data in product-specific properties file346. Control then continues to block910 whereTask manager341 createsTask manager window600. Control the continues to block915 whereTask manager341 creates table ofcontents area645 using table ofcontents data510. Control then continues to block920 whereTask manager341 createsbutton bar area630 usingbutton bar data520. Control then continues to block925 whereTask manager341 createsdisplay area620. Control then continues to block927 whereTask manager341 createstitle area610 usingtitle data505. Control then continues to block930 whereTask manager341 determines whether the user has selected one of thelinks642,644, or648 in table ofcontents645.
• If the determination atblock930 is true, the control continues to block935 whereTask manager341 displays the appropriate page for the link selected. Control then continues to block940 whereTask manager341 determines whether the page contains references to a task group. If the determination atblock940 is false, then control returns to block930, as previously described above. If the determination atblock940 is true, then control continues to block945 whereclient110 sends the name of the task group toserver188. Control then continues to block947 whereclient110 receives a list of tasks associated with the task group fromserver188. Control then continues to block948 wheretask manager341 displays the task names on the page. Control then returns to block930, as previously described above.
• If the determination atblock930 is false, the control continues to block950 whereTask manager341 determines whether the user has selectedclose button664. If the determination is false, then control returns to block930, as previously described above. If the determination atblock950 is true, then control continues to block999 whereTask manager341 closesuser interface window600.
• FIG. 10 depicts a flowchart of the operations ofsystem administration program280 inserver188 in response to a user atclient110 initiating a login command. Atblock1000, control begins. Control then continues to block1005 wheresystem administration program280 creates a host context. A host context is needed in order to access system administration services and shared data. The host context is created by the login process and typically persists until the last area (in one embodiment a frame) of the session has been closed. For example, when the user launchesTask manager341, the user will only have to log in once; any subsequent Task created will share the host context created at login time.
• Control then continues to block1010 wheresystem administration program280 readsTask data365, which contains static information about the Task. Tasks are loaded in a two-step process to allow the Task to be queried for static information such as its user-readable name, icon image, and privileges needed to instantiate the Task. This is especially useful for Task clients that display information about a large number of Tasks, such asTask manager341, but which don't want the overhead of loading any Task class into memory until it is launched.
• Control then continues to block1015 wheresystem administration program280 creates the Task context usingTask data365. The Task context is used by Task subclasses and their components to share data and state information during the life of the Task. An example of data would be information entered by the user, while state could include information about the server connection.
• Control then continues to block1020 wheresystem administration program280 loads the Task class into memory and instantiates the Task class.
• Control then continues to block1025 wheresystem administration program280loads Task data365 with product attributes705. Product attributes705 are stored in the host context, so that they can be shared by all components in a given session. When the product attributes are loaded for the first time, product-specific plugin355 sets the attributes. Plugin355 brings up a area that requests information from the user. Plugin355 then copies the information to Taskdata365. Subsequent requests to load product attributes705 will not bring up a area, but will simply copy the attribute values cached in the host context intoTask data365 of the requestor's Task.
• Control then continues to block1030 wheresystem administration program280 overrides product attributes705 if the client desires. Some Task clients may wish to override product attributes705 or share Task data attributes among the Tasks. For example, a metaTask may wish to pass a Task data attribute from one Task to the next, so that the user doesn't have to enter the data twice. If Task data attributes are passed to the Task loader, it will attempt to copy those Task data attributes to the Task being loaded. Not all Task data attributes may be set by Task clients. Unless a Task has declared an attribute key public in its properties file, an attempt to retrieve attributes will cause the Task to exit with an assertion failure. This mechanism is in place to hide implementation details from Task clients.
• Control then continues to block1035 wheresystem administration program280 passes operands to the Task. Some Tasks may need an operand or operands on which to perform their operation. An operand is typically an Item selector, which is a string that uniquely identifies an administered object on the server. For example, the modify user account Task would take a single user account as an operand, while the delete user account Task might take on or more user accounts as operands, and the define user account Task would not take any operands. Operands are passed after product attributes are loaded and after Task data attributes are set to allow product attributes and Task data attributes to be overridden if desired. Because operands may be passed to Tasks by a class with no specific knowledge about the Task, no ordering of operands is required by the Task.
• Control then continues to block1040 wheresystem administration program280 verifies that all the prerequisites are in place to run the Task. This includes checking the Task data attributes, operands, privileges, and state of the system being administrated. The principle behind verifying prerequisites is to detect error conditions as early as possible. For example, a Task that requires special system software to be installed should check the system for that software at this stage of Task loading. It is annoying for users to enter data and then discover that the system is not in a state to perform the Task. The Task loader calls three different verification methods. This three-stage process is aimed at providing error feedback to the user as early as possible.
• (1) The first stage is where most verification occurs. Only checks that require privileges, such as accessing read-protected files, are deferred to the third stage.
• (2) The second stage checks the privileges that are defined in the properties file of the Task. If the user does not have the required privileges, the user is asked to enter the root password to continue.
• (3) The final verification stage is provided for those rare Tasks that need privileges to fully verify that the Task is ready to run. For example, Tasks that require access to read-protected files will need to have privileges before being able to verify that the Task prerequisites are met.
• Control then continues to block1045 wheresystem administration program280 creates the visible components of the Task. The visible components of a Task are created after the Task has been added to a visible area (a frame in one embodiment) or its frame parent becomes visible for the first time. Then, visible components are created on a just-in-time basis. Tasks are displayed within an existing area. Control then continues to block1099 where the process stops.
• FIG. 11 depicts a flowchart of the server performingOK method420. Control begins atblock1100. Control then continues to block1105 where the Task determines thatOK button1230 or1430 has been selected. Control then continues to block1110 where the Task checks attributes705 inTask data365 to determine that they are valid and consistent. Control then continues to block1115 where the Task operation is initiated. Control then continues to block1199 where the function returns.
• FIG. 12 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface for a Form.Task Form window1200 is shown displayed ondisplay device114.Task Form window1200 containsTask name1205 andlabel fields1210,1215, and1220. After the user has entered the appropriate data and selectsOK button1230, the operations previously described above with reference toFIG. 11 are performed. The purpose of the Form interface is to make the entry of Task parameters simple and fast. In one embodiment, it is suitable for Tasks of low complexity and a small number of parameters. Forms are the preferred interface when the typical users are knowledgeable and comfortable with the system being administered.
• FIG. 13 depicts a pictorial representation of an example user interface for a Guide.Task Guide window1300 is shown displayed ondisplay device114.Task Guide window1300 containsTask name1305 andlabel field1310. After the developer has entered the appropriate data and selectsnext button1330, the user interface as described below with reference toFIG. 14 is displayed. A Guide is a multi-page GUI containing explanatory text with a small set of labeled input components on each page. The purpose of the Guide interface is to provide step-by-step guidance on completing a complex task or tasks with a large number of parameters. In one embodiment, Guides are the preferred interface when the typical users are novices or not comfortable with the system being administered.
• FIG. 14 depicts a pictorial representation of another example user interface for a Guide.Task Form window1400 is shown displayed ondisplay device114.Task Form window1400 containsTask name1405 andlabel field1410. After the developer has entered the appropriate data and selectsOK button1430, the operations previously described above with reference toFIG. 11 are performed.
• FIG. 15 depicts a pictorial representation ofResultView window1500, which displays the results of a Task that has been successfully completed. (If the Task could not be performed, the user is given an error message describing the problem, and the Form or Guide remains open until the Task is successfully completed or explicitly canceled.)ResultView window1500 containsdescriptive message1510,icon1520 representing the Item that was operated on (if applicable) andTaskShelf1530 showing the related Tasks that the user may want to launch next. The user can launch the Tasks identified inTaskShelf1530 by clicking on the task name or icon. In oneembodiment TaskShelf1530 is dynamic, meaning it will update the list of Tasks based on the state of the system.
• FIG. 16 depicts a pictorial representation ofItemView window1600, which displays relevant information regarding an Item.ItemView window1600 displays the Item'sicon1610 with the icon color indicating the Item's state in one embodiment.ItemView window1600 also displays application-specific contents inItemTables1615 andTaskShelf1630.ItemTables1615 shows information about all Items in a Category.ItemView window1600 also displays Key-value pairs1620.
• FIG. 17 depicts a pictorial representation ofTreeView window1700, according to an embodiment of the invention.TreeView window1700 displays Items that have a hierarchical relationship. Inexample window1700, three different kinds of Items are shown: the cluster “fall”1710 contains tow resource groups rho1720 andxi1730, which each contain two resources.
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES
• 1. Hand Cursor Appearing in Tables
• RichTextComponents in ItemTables can contain glossary links and task launchers, which look like web links. For the component to look just like a web link, the hand cursor appears and indicates to the user that a link is available and clickable. Other components in ComponentTables may be modified to have different cursors.
• 2. Blocking Dialogs and Blocking Windows
• The UIContext class allows correct blocking behavior and busy cursors over blocked windows, modal dialogs blocking a window or the whole application, and busy dialogs over a window or the whole application.
• 3. Many objects are cached, including Category Items, Resources in ResourceStacks, Fonts, Colors, and Other Commonly Used Items.
• 4. Combination of Sysadm GUI Features.
• Prerequisites are explicitly and complete. Unnecessary details are hidden by default. The truth is told about system status whenever possible. The user is told what will happen before and after a task. Problems are identified as soon as possible. Developers can write code to easily launch ItemViews, via the runItem View method of ItemView.
• 5. ItemView Launch From ResultView
• An ItemView can be easily launched from a Result View, which appears when a Task completes. The Result View displays the affected Item's name and icon, either of which can be clicked on to launch an ItemView. This icon and the name of the Item are updated if the Item changes and are always exactly the same as would be seen in the Item View. If the Task has created an Item, but the Item is not yet in the Category when the Result View appears, the Result View will print a message indicating that the Item is pending, and when the Item appears in the Category, the name and Icon will appear.
• 6. ItemTable, Also Called CategoryView.
• A component is provided that displays all of the Items in a Category in table form, called an Item Table. The columns of the table are Attributes, and there is one Item per row. The first column of the table usually contains a small icon for the Item. The user can choose the column to sort by clicking on the column headers. Typically, there is not room in the table to display all of the Attributes on the Item, clicking on the name of the Item or Icon will launch an ItemView showing all the Attributes. The developer can choose which Attributes to display, the order in which they will be displayed, the width of the columns, the method of converting the Attribute to a string, and the height of the Table in the properties files. To allow for further customization, developers are allowed to write Java classes for each of the columns of the Table, and in that manner, any component can be displayed.
• 7. ItemFinder
• Frequently, of the inputs to a Task is the name of an existing Item in a particular Category. For this type of input, an ItemFinder is supplied, which looks to the user like a JComboBox. The developer attaches the Item Finder to a Category or Association, and the ItemFinder code takes care of populating itself with the names of the Items. The developer can also pass an ItemTester Object, which can be used to filter the Items based on the contents of their Attributes. The ItemFinder will automatically keep itself up-to-date with the contents of the Category.
• 8. TaskData binder classes enable the developer to bind the state of the ItemFinder to the Task's TaskData. TaskData Binders connect the TaskData to the selected Item's user-visible name or the Item's sector. The developer can also programmatically read and change the selected Item, either by the user-visible name of the Item or by the Item's selector.
• 9. Icons
• All of the icons displayed are rendered dynamically from vector-based icon description. This allows the developer to only create an icon once, but it can be displayed at any desired size. Once the icon description has been created, icons can be referenced by name in properties files so that developers can change any of the icons.
• The icons for Items have some special properties. The icon's appearance can change based on the state of the Attributes of the Item. The color of the icon can change, an overlay can appear on top of the icon, the icon can be make to blink, or an entirely different icon can be used, all based on the Item's state, and all controlled by a simple properties file.
• 10. The developer can pre-generate source files that compile and run, displaying a basic GUI. This is a quick way for developer to get started. The source files are useful skeletons that the developer can examine as example code, as well as flesh out with their actual application functionality.
• 11. Different Connection Methods of Security.
• The server daemon, sysadmd, can specify the authentication scheme to be used. Available schemes are Unix authentication and null. The default scheme is Unix, which requires a valid login/password pair before sysadmd will respond to further requests. The null authentication scheme does not require authentication of any kind and can be used when sysadmd is started from rshd. Since rshd implements its own authentication scheme, no further authentication is required on the part of sysadmd.
• 12. TreeView.
• The TreeView component displays a hierarchical view of Items in cascading Categories. Its is possible to provide a custom sort method to control the ordering of the display of the Items in any given category. Normally, Items in any given Category are sorted alphabetically by the Selectors of those Items.
• 13. LogViewer.
• The LogViewer component displays the contents of the /var/sysadm/salog file, but filters out, on the server for efficiency, less important messages.
• 14. Log File for all Application Changes.
• All applications automatically write their log messages to the /var/sysadm/salog file. End users can easily cut and paste form/to this log to record actions that they've taken in a GUI and that they want to be able to repeat as a script. Developers can watch this log while developing their application, to observe and correct their application's GUI behavior.
• 15. Consistent Help.
• The online end-user is provided help for all tasks that a user can accomplish using the GUI, and other related information. This help mechanism uses a platform-independent extensible help system that enables developers to incorporate online help in applications and applets. By clicking the Help button in a Task GUI, the user is able to view the detailed description of the task that the system is running. The help index window also allows a user to select a particular topic directly from the list. This feature is useful for new users or users who are not familiar with certain Tasks. The help system explains what the Tasks do.
• 16. Blinking Icons
• An object or Item can be represented by an icon that is displayed as part the GUI. This icon can be programmed to start or stop blinking to reflect the state of the object. This is an effective way to get the user's attention when immediate action is required for some situations.
• 17. Server-Side Product Attributes.
• Server-side product attributes are supported, so that the server can tell the client specific information about the product. This allows the client to detect differences in server software configurations, and thus the client can take special action if necessitated by the server configuration.
• 18. Splash Screen.
• The splash screen is an image that is displayed immediately after an application is executed and then is replaced by the application window once it is ready. This feature enables the developer to use an attractive image to give the user feedback that the GUI is starting up and to state the product's brand identity. An in-progress statement or any one-line informational text can be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
• It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Although numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments, many other embodiments and changes to details will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims (20)

1. A method of generating a system administration user interface, the method comprising:

accessing a Task-registry including one or more Task groups;

accessing a product specific properties file; and

generating a user interface as a function of the accessed Task registry and the product specific properties file.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the Task-registry is accessible on a server.

3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the product specific properties file is accessible on a client.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the product specific properties file specifies Task data to be loaded in a system performing at least a portion of the method before a Task is executed.

5. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

accessing a resource file that includes computer-executable instructions to generate a cross-platform common user interface.

6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions of the resource file includes instructions to generate an ItemView, CategoryView, TreeView, Task, and ResultView.

7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a generated user interface prompts a user for parameters to make system changes.

8. A method comprising:

generating a cross-platform, common user interface, wherein the user interface for individual platforms is generated as a function of components, wherein the components include a resource file, a product specific properties file, and a task registry.

9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the components further include one or more plugins, user interface components, and task data.

10. The method ofclaim 8, wherein one or more of the components are stored on a server and are accessible by one or more clients.

11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the one or more components stored on the server are platform independent components.

12. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the one or more components stored on the server provide the server service capabilities to communicate with one or more clients, the services including a category service, an association service, a task registry service, and a privilege broker service.

13. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the resource file can be customized.

14. A system administration program comprising:

a server-side application-programming interface comprising a Task-registry including one or more task groups, wherein the server-side application-programming interface, when executed on a suitably configured system, is accessible over a network as a component in providing a common, platform independent system administration user interface.

15. The system administration program ofclaim 14, further comprising:

two or more task registries, wherein each task registry includes one or more task groups.

16. The system administration program ofclaim 14, wherein the system administration program includes a privilege broker service, wherein the privilege broker service enables privileged commands, received over the network, to be executed.

17. A system administration program comprising:

a Task manager that includes a product-specific properties file, wherein the product specific properties file is customizable and the client-side application programming interface is callable to create a graphical user interface or a specific product.

18. The system administration program ofclaim 17, wherein the graphical user interface of the system administration program is common across products.

19. The system administration program ofclaim 17, wherein the Task manager, when executing on a suitably configured system, calls routines of a server-side application programming interface.

20. The system administration program ofclaim 17, wherein the Task-manager further includes a resource file.

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