A software model and specification language for non-WIMP user interfaces

• Published in: ACM transactions on computer-human interaction 1999-03, Vol.6 (1), p.1-46
• Main Authors: Jacob, Robert J. K., Deligiannidis, Leonidas, Morrison, Stephen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computer graphics; Computing methodologies; Development frameworks and environments; Graphics systems and interfaces; Human computer interaction (HCI); Human-centered computing; Integrated and visual development environments; Program reasoning; Program specifications; Semantics and reasoning; Software and its engineering; Software notations and tools; Theory of computation; Virtual reality
• ISSN: 1073-0516; 1557-7325
• DOI: 10.1145/310641.310642

We present a software model and language for describing and programming the fine-grained aspects of interaction in a non-WIMP user interface, such as a virtual environment. Our approach is based on our view that the essence of a non-WIMP dialogue is a set of continuous relationships-most of which are temporary. The model combines a data-flow or constraint-like component for the continuous relationships with an event-based component for discrete interactions, which can enable or diable individual continuous relationships. To demonstrate our approach, we present the PMIW user interface management system for non-WIMP interactions, a set of examples running under it, a visual editor for our user interface description language, and a discussion of our implemantation and our restricted use of constraints for a performance-driven interactive situation. Our goal is to provide a model and language that captures the formal structure of non-WIMP interactions in the way that various previous techniques have captured command-based, textual, and event-based styles and to suggest that using it need and not compromise real-time performance.