Graphics programming independent of interaction techniques and styles

ABSTRACT

The Information Display Systems project is seeking, among other goals, to apply the principles of top-down design and functional abstraction to the design of interactive systems, particularly those involving interactive computer graphics. An important part of this effort is to develop a methodology and a programming environment to facilitate the functional separation of program modules handling a set of application semantics from program modules handling user interaction.We have developed a model for such an environment, and implemented a prototype version with a number of components:• an interaction language (IL) adapted from augmented transition networks, in which the syntax of interactive dialogs can be written;• an interpreter for the IL;• a set of "style modules" to handle such interaction style-dependent attributes as level of prompting and amount of information to be input in a "transaction";• a library of user profiles to carry information on users' preferred styles of interaction;• a logical-screen handler to handle distribution of different types of output onto logical viewing surfaces;• a library of interaction techniques.Graphics support is provided by a standard device-independent graphics package, in our case the ACM/SIGGRAPH/GSPC Core System. We have called this environment the Abstract Interaction Handler (AIH).This paper provides an overview of our system model, and descriptions of the various components of the current implementation. A number of interesting open questions are raised; proposals for improvements to the system are offered.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.3 Language Constructs and Features

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.4 Graphics Utilities
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques

Keywords:
computer graphics, device independence, interaction abstraction, interaction style, interactive systems, user interface management systems