A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture, and a memory structure for accepting data input into a computer is disclosed. The method presents an independent component and a dependent component to the user. The independent component comprises an input area for accepting independent input data. The dependent component comprises a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data and is associated with a dependent component constraint that is at least partially dependent on the independent component input data. User input is accepted into the dependent component input area, and an assistance policy associated with the dependent component is followed when the user input violates the dependent component constraint. The article of manufacture comprises a program storage device tangibly embodying instructions for performing the method steps defined above. The apparatus comprises means for presenting the independent and dependent components described above, means for accepting user input into the dependent component input area, and means for following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component when the user input violates the dependent component constraint.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following co-pending and commonly assigned patent application, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein: application Ser. No. 09/211,711, entitled "SELF-DIAGNOSING AND SELF-CORRECTING DATA ENTRY COMPONENTS," filed on same date herewith, by William H. Aiken and Fredenrck T. Sharp, issued Jan. 22, 2002 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,359; and application Ser. No. 09/211,712, entitled "FORMATTED-ITEM LIST CONTROL," filed on same date herewith, by Frederick T. Sharp.
A system and method for validating an extensible markup language (XML) document and reporting schema violations in real time. A parallel tree is maintained that includes nodes corresponding to non-native XML elements of the XML document. When changes occur to the XML document, the non-native XML elements corresponding to the changes are marked. The nodes corresponding the marked non-native XML elements are validated against an XML schema that corresponds to the non-native XML markup. The elements and nodes corresponding to errors in the non-native XML markup are then reported to the user according to display indicators in the XML document and the parallel tree.
A method for increasing efficiency of interaction by an operator with data on a computer display includes presenting the data to the operator on the computer display, and providing multiple instances of an on-screen control at different locations on the display for selection by the operator using a pointing device linked to the display. The control is actuated responsive to the selection by the operator of any of the instances of the control on the display.
There is provided a form processing method enabling overlaying of field data without processing the field data, in form processing for overlaying field data onto a field in a form. In particular, the form processing method includes a step of setting an input picture for each of the fields as field attribute information, the input picture being composed of characters indicating a format of field data to be overlaid. In the method, picture words are cut (step S305) based on the input picture and field data words are cut (step S306), and the field data is overlaid onto a field (step S312).
A method for increasing efficiency of interaction by an operator with data on a computer display includes presenting the data to the operator on the computer display, and providing multiple instances of an on-screen control at different locations on the display for selection by the operator using a pointing device linked to the display. The control is actuated responsive to the selection by the operator of any of the instances of the control on the display.
A system and method that enables a designer to build electronic forms and corresponding hierarchical schemas are described. Displays of hierarchical schemas, electronic forms, and components used to build the hierarchical schemas and electronic forms are provided to the designer. The designer selects components and arranges them on a display to visually build an electronic form. As the form is built, the corresponding hierarchical schema is incrementally updated to reflect changes made to the electronic form.
