Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Pavel R Karimov

Clinton Dee Covington

Zachary P Woodall

Stephen I Lesser

Robert Scott Cooper

Michael J McCormack

Kumar Srinivasamurthy

Steven Miles Greenberg

Andrew Robert Miller

Christopher Warren Bryant

Brian Eugene Kihneman

Dan Jacob Hough

Nishant Kumar

Vijay Mital

Suraj T Poozhiyil

Brian Scott Ruble

Gregory Scott Lindhorst

Neil Warren Black

Arthur Charles Leonard

Timothy E Getsch

Konrad Tupaj

Jay L Massena

Vitore Selca

Ryan Christopher McMinn

Amarinder Singh Grewal

Nilanjan Banerjee

Abigail Elisabeth Short

Michael J Eatough

Michael Tucker

Lieh T Han

Tosh Kawai

Laura Catherine Toliver

Ryan Mcminn

Technologies are described herein for generating a platform-independent data application. In one method, a definition of a data schema is received for defining data types. A definition of a user interface is also received for access data stored in the data types. Further, a definition of business logic is received for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the data types. The definitions of the data schema, the user interface, and the business logic are each received in a platform-independent format and used to generate the platform-independent data application.

Platform-independent data application description language

A palette of representations that can be generated by an application for database, spreadsheet, word processing, and the like, is provided in response to a request for a new object within the application. If the application already has one or more objects open at the time of the request, the representations are also determined based on the context of the data such as from any currently open object(s). The new object is then generated based on the selected representation from the palette, the context of the data, and a structure of data consumed by the application. The layout parameters for the new object are automatically set based on the current context, the structure of the data, and the selected representation.

Quick-creating objects in an application

Embodiments are provided for displaying components for visually designing logical structures or macros. In one embodiment, a logical surface component is displayed which may include a design surface. The design surface may be utilized to display data which make up one or more macros. The design surface may be selected for receiving macro data. The received data, which represents a macro design, may then be displayed in the design surface on a display device. In another embodiment, controls for navigating within logical surface components utilized for designing macros may be displayed on a display device. A logical surface component which includes a hierarchical grouping of macro actions may be displayed. One more actions may be selected and an instruction may be received in a visual interface to move selected actions among the hierarchical grouping. In response to receiving the move instruction, the selected actions which were moved may be displayed.

Logical structure design surface

A database server application program is provided that is configured to provide a programmable interface into a database application by way of database services uniform resource locators (URLs). A database services URL utilized by the database application can be updated programmatically by program code executing within or under control of the database server application program. A macro action for use in conjunction with a database server application that provides functionality for displaying a database object, such as a form or report, in-place in a Web browser is also disclosed.

Database application navigation

A method and system for the graphical specification and modification of reports is disclosed which enables data reports to be easily created via a report design dialogue. The report design dialogue includes a group-level outline panel containing controls for grouping, as well as other report controls such as those for sorting and aggregating. A method and system for creating a group-level outline panel using an existing database report is also disclosed. Finally, a computer-readable medium storing a computer-interpretable data structure that stores one or more report specifications is disclosed.

Easy-to-use data report specification

A tool pane is included in a markup language document, such as a web page, that allows web page and web parts included in the web page to be modified. The tool pane allows a user to select among various modes for the tool pane including a gallery mode, a properties mode, and a customization mode. During the gallery mode the user may select from additional web parts to add to the page or remove web parts. The properties mode allows the user to adjust the properties of the web parts included in the page. The customization mode allows for customizing the tool pane itself to allow additional functions or restrict selected functions. A tool pane may be partially customized or fully customizes as selected by a user.

System and method for a tool pane within a markup language document

A browse mode designer allows an average user of a database application program to easily design reports. The user can use the browse mode designer to build meaningful reports that aggregate data and that combine related data into shaped patterns for easier consumption of information. The browse mode designer can interpret a user's actions and extrapolate what actions are to be performed. A user interface can be used to let the user change the resulting views while being designed.

Dynamically generating a database report during a report building process

A page is accessed in a computer-based environment. A user interface gallery that includes at least one computer-based module from a remote source is opened on or in the vicinity of the page. The computer-based module can be inserted on the page from the gallery. The gallery can be dynamically populated with one or more computer-based modules from various sources remote to the page. A pointer that represents a computer-based module can be populated to the gallery as an alternative. The computer-based module can then be inserted on the page from the remote source when the pointer is selected and placed on the page. The computer-based module can also be stored in a database for future use after it has been inserted on the page.

Method and system for providing page control content

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Pavel R Karimov