Showing papers on "Graphical user interface published in 1985"

Squeak: a language for communicating with mice

Abstract: Graphical user interfaces are difficult to implement because of the essential concurrency among multiple interaction devices, such as mice, buttons, and keyboards. Squeak is a user interface implementation language that exploits this concurrency rather than hiding it, helping the programmer to express interactions using multiple devices. We present the motivation, design and semantics of squeak. The language is based on concurrent programming constructs but can be compiled into a conventional sequential language; our implementation generates C code. We discuss how squeak programs can be integrated into a graphics system written in a conventional language to implement large but regular user interfaces, and close with a description of the formal semantics.

Database design tools: an expert system approach

Abstract: In this paper, we report on the implementation of SECSI, an expert system for database design written in Prolog. Starting from an application description given with either a subset of the natural language, or a formal language, or a graphical interface, the system generates a specific semantic network portraying the application. Then, using a set of design rules, it completes and simplifies the semantic network up to reach flat normalized relations. All the design is interactively done with the end-user. The system is evolutive in the sense that it also offers an interactive interface which allows the database design expert to modify or add design rules.

There's more to menu systems than meets the screen

Abstract: Love playing with those fancy menu-based graphical user interfaces, but afraid to program one yourself for your own application? Do windows seem opaque to you? Are you scared of mice? Like what-you-see-is-what-you-get but don't know how to get what you want to see on the screen?Everyone agrees using systems like graphical document illustrators, circuit designers, and iconic file systems is fun, but programming user interfaces for these systems isn't as much fun as it should be. Systems like the Lisp Machines, Xerox D-Machines, and Apple Macintosh provide powerful graphics primitives, but the casual applications designer is often stymied by the difficulty of mastering the details of window specification, multiple processes, interpreting mouse input, etc.This paper presents a kit called EZWin, which provides many services common to implementing a wide variety of interfaces, described as generalized editors for sets of graphical objects. An individual application is programmed simply by creating objects to represent the interface itself, each kind of graphical object, and each command. A unique interaction style is established which is insensitive to whether commands are chosen before or after their arguments. The system anticipates the types of arguments needed by commands, preventing selection mistakes which are a common source of frustrating errors. Displayed objects are made "mouse-sensitive" only if selection of the object is appropriate in the current context. The implementation of a graphical interface for a computer network simulation is described to illustrate how EZWin works.

ASSPEGIQUE: an integrated environment for algebraic specifications

Abstract: In this paper, we describe ASSPEGIQUE, an integrated environment for the development of large algebraic specifications. We first describe the underlying specification language, PLUSS-E, based on the specification-building primitives of ASL and E,R-algebras, a formal framework for exception handling. We then describe the design and organization of the specification environment. This environment allows the user to introduce specifications in a hierarchized library, to edit them through a special purpose editor (with a graphical interface), to compile them and to debug them. A symbolic evaluator and theorem proving tools completes ASSPEGIQUE into an environment suitable for rapid prototyping.

Computer performance evaluation with GIST: a tool for specifying extended queueing network models

Abstract: GIST (Graphical Input Simulation Tool) is a powerful and user-friendly performance evaluation tool for the specification and simulation of Extended Queueing Network models of computer and other systems. It includes a number of modeling abstractions for active and passive resource management, job creation and destruction, synchronization, routing, and statistics collection. Two interfaces are provided: a graphical interface (GUIDE) that allows the user to describe much of the simulation model pictorially; and a textual interface (TIDE) that has the same modeling capabilities but uses a menu-driven, window-oriented approach for use on non-graphics terminals. Object and run-time parameters in both interfaces are specified through menus that reduce the probability of specification-time errors. A number of extensions planned for GIST are also described.

CINEMA tutorial

Abstract: CINEMA is a general purpose, micro-computer based animation system designed to work with the SIMAN simulation language. A sophisticated yet easy to use graphical interface allows users with little or no programming skills to build highly detailed animations of any SIMAN simulation model.

How map designers can represent their ideas in thematic maps

Abstract: Problem analysis in designing thematic maps and user interfaces which assist map designers in incorporating their ideas into maps are presented. Problems in designing choropleth maps are analyzed from the map designers point of view. A graphical user interface, called "Histogram Interface", is implemented as countermeasure for problems in designing choropleth maps. The user interface can assist map designers in representing their ideas and achieving the desired maps through the designing process. The user interface operations, which correspond to the map designer's ideas, are explained. The user interface effectiveness is confirmed by resulting map examples and the corresponding graphical patterns on the interface. A concept is proposed concerning the importance in any computer graphics field, which the designers should consider in determining how to incorporate their ideas into pictures.

An interactive graphical interface for REDUCE

Abstract: The availability of workstations with bit-mapped displays opens up new possibilities for displaying and interacting with mathematical expressions. This paper describes an interactive graphical interface to Reduce. This system displays the output from Reduce in its natural, two dimensional form. The interactivity of the workstation is used to advantage in several ways, including allowing subexpressions to be selected using a mouse and reentered into Reduce.

SPADES—a specification and design system and its graphical interface

Abstract: SPADES is a specification system consisting of a method, a language, and a set of tools. These components are based on a set of concepts, which forms its abstract kernel. SPADES supports the specification of software systems, in particular of real time software. The system to be developed is modelled using the Entity-Relationship-concept. While this seems to be the best way for storing specifications in a computer, it does not automatically lead to representations equally comfortable for humans. This is why SPADES, which has been available for some time, has recently been extended by a graphical interface. This paper gives a brief survey of the system, in particular of its new component.

Workstations in science.

Abstract: Recent advances in microprocessor technology are making a new generation of personal computers feasible and affordable. These computers, called "workstations," can be connected with other workstations, with mainframe computers, with supercomputers, and with remote networks. Workstations provide the graphical interface to supercomputers and can run applications that formerly required the use of mainframe computers. Emerging standards for communications, graphics, databases, numerical algorithms, and languages allow workstations to share programs with various types of computers, including mainframe and personal computers.

GUIDE: Graphical User Interfaced Development Environment

Abstract: GUIDE is an interactive graphical system for designing and generating graphical user interfaces. It provides flexibility to the system designer while minimizing the amount of code which the designer must write. The GUIDE methodology includes the notions of "tool," "task," and "context." GUIDE encourages designers to tailor their systems to individual users by inclusion of "user profiles," allowing different control paths based on the user's characteristics. GUIDE also provides a method for invoking application routines with parameters. Parameters may be based on user inputs and are computed at invocation time. Help messages are created along with the objects to which they refer. GUIDE handles the overhead required to display help messages. Disciplines Computer Engineering | Computer Sciences Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-85-19. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/cis_reports/1010 GUIDE: Graphical User Interface Development Environment Tamar E. Granor Norman I. Badler MS-CIS-85-19 Department of Computer and Information Science Moore School/D2 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104 May 1985 .-Acknowledgem-;nt:-ThiS reseuch ~._;;supported in part by NSF grants MCS82HH96-CER, MCS-82-07294, 1 R01-HL-29985-01, U.S. Army grants DAAt>-29-84-K-0061, U.S. Air Force grant 82-NM-299, AI Center grants NSF-MCS-83-05221, US Army Research orrice grant ARO-DAA29-84-9-0027, Lord Corporation, RCA, and Digital Equipment Corporation. GUIDE: GRAPillCAL USER INTERFACE DEVELOPMENTE~ONMENT Tamar E. Granor Norman I. Badler Department of Computer and Information Science Moore School of Electrical Engineering University or Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104 Appeared in Trends and Applications 1985, IEEE Computer Sociey, Washington Chapter and National Bureau or Standards, Silver Spring, Md., May, 1985.

Distributed software prototyping with ADS

Abstract: The difficulties ordinarily experienced in designing and developing large software systems are greatly increased in the case of distributed data processing (DDP) systems. Thus there is an urgent need to support the software life cycle activities with effective prototyping tools and techniques. The Architecture Development System (ADS) is being developed for use in prototyping DDP systems within a distributed testbed. ADS features an interactive graphical user interface, a distributed runtime environment, and a prototyping framework based on the concept of abstract DDP objects with attributes and relationships. This paper presents the ADS prototyping features and the user interface to describe, synthesize, execute and analyze system representations. Then a discussion is presented of the applicability of ADS support to the distributed software life cycle. The current implementation status of ADS is also summarized.

An Interactive Graphical Interface for Symbolic Algebra Systems

Abstract: Given the large number of symbolic algebra systems being offered that run on workstations it is unfortunate, and perhaps a bit surprising, that not much work has been done on improving the user interface. We have designed and implemented a program that displays mathematical expressions in much the same way a user would write them. The ability to interact with the displayed form opens up new solutions to the problems of displaying mathematical expressions. We hope that our work encourages others to tackle the problems involved in designing and implementing a general, graphical environment for interacting with symbolic algebra systems, and other systems that use mathematical expressions.