Methods and Apparatuses For Providing Message Information In Graphical User Interfaces Based On User Inputs

Abstract

Improved methods and apparatuses are provided for determining when and how to display non-modal messages relating to user input portions of a graphical user interface (GUI). One method includes displaying at least one user input portion within a GUI and determining if the user input portion is in an invalid state by determining that valid user input associated with the user input portion has not been received. The method further includes displaying a non-modal message within the GUI. The non-modal message is visibly graphically associated with the user input portion. The method also includes automatically applying a focus of the GUI on the user input portion. As long as the focus of the GUI remains on the user input portion, the method includes displaying the non-modal message until the user input portion is determined to be in a valid state.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a plurality of mechanisms for accepting user input;   receiving user input entered via one of the plurality of mechanisms;   determining whether the user input entered via the mechanism is valid; and   generating one or more non-modal messages for display with the mechanism that are configured to guide a user to enter valid user input via the mechanism in response to determining that the user input entered via the mechanism is not valid.   
     
     
         2 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising ascertaining whether the mechanism is required to have valid user input, and determining that the user input entered via the mechanism is valid if the mechanism is not required to have the valid user input. 
     
     
         3 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-modal messages for display are configured to remain visible while receiving a subsequent user input entered via the mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of highlighting the user input entered via the mechanism or visibly changing the user input entered via the mechanism to identify the mechanism for which the one or more non-modal messages are generated. 
     
     
         5 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying at least one said non-modal message until a subsequent non-modal message is displayed, a GUI focus applied to the mechanism is moved/removed from the mechanism, or valid user input is received. 
     
     
         6 . A method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a particular error with receiving the user input entered via the mechanism, and determining that the user input entered via the mechanism is invalid in response to detecting the particular error. 
     
     
         7 . A method as described in  claim 6 , wherein at least one said non-modal message generated for display includes error message information indicating that the particular error was detected. 
     
     
         8 . A method as described in  claim 7 , wherein the at least one said non-modal message generated for display includes the error message information combined with guidance message information that guides the user to enter valid user input. 
     
     
         9 . A method as described in  claim 6 , wherein another said non-modal message generated for display does not include error message information indicating that the particular error was detected. 
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-modal messages for display are configured to include at least one of a graphical icon visibly identifying that an error occurred with receiving the user input entered via the mechanism, an identifier that provides a summary or title of the error, and guidance message information that guides the user to enter valid user input. 
     
     
         11 . One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 determining whether an input entered via a mechanism for accepting input in a graphical user interface (GUI) is valid; and   generating one or more non-modal messages for display with the mechanism that are configured to guide a user to enter valid input via the mechanism in response to determining that the input entered via the mechanism is not valid.   
     
     
         12 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the determining whether the input entered via the mechanism is valid includes ascertaining whether the mechanism is required to have valid input, and determining that the input entered via the mechanism is valid if the mechanism is not required to have valid input. 
     
     
         13 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the one or more non-modal messages generated for display are configured to remain visible while receiving a subsequent input entered via the mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the computing device to perform operations further comprising at least one of highlighting the input entered via the mechanism or visibly changing the input entered via the mechanism to identify the mechanism for which the one or more non-modal messages are generated. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the computing device to perform operations further comprising displaying at least one said non-modal message until a subsequent non-modal message is displayed, a GUI focus applied to the mechanism is moved/removed from the mechanism, or valid user input is received. 
     
     
         16 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the one or more non-modal messages generated for display are configured to include error message information indicating that a particular error was detected with receiving the input and guidance message information that guides the user to enter valid input. 
     
     
         17 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the computing device to perform operations further comprising receiving valid input information for storage by the computing device, the valid input information utilized in the determining of whether the input entered via the mechanism is valid. 
     
     
         18 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 17 , wherein the valid input information includes definitions of valid/invalid types of input and validation/invalidation parameters that are compared to the input entered via the mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . A system, implemented in multiple hardware devices with software stored thereon, comprising:
 a graphical user interface (GUI) module configured to display a GUI that includes one or more mechanisms for accepting input;   a valid user input module configured to determine whether input received via at least one of the mechanisms is valid; and   a message module configured to generate one or more non-modal messages for display by the GUI module to guide a user to enter valid input via the one or more mechanisms in response to determining that the input entered via the mechanism is not valid.   
     
     
         20 . A system as described in  claim 19 , wherein the non-modal messages generated for display are configured to include error message information indicating that a particular error was detected with receiving the input via the mechanism and guidance message information that guides the user to enter valid input.