6 Lecture Series 5:
Platform-independent User Interface Construction Using the Mjølner System

The purpose of this Lecture Series is to learn how design and implement platform-independent user interfaces using the Lidskjalv user interface framework.

6.1 Topics

6.2 Lectures

6.2.1 Event-based programming

Readings: ...

Notes: If the students have not previously been confronted with event-based programming, they should have a short introduction to this, before starting user interface programming. If they have been used to sequential programming, user interface programming is somewhat 'upside-down', since they are no longer in full control of the sequence of actions being executed in the program, due to the non-deterministic nature of user interfaces.

6.2.2 Lidskjalv Introduction: Purpose, Overview and Structure of a Lidskjalv Application

Readings: [MIA 95-30]

Notes: Lidskjalv is a set of libraries, containing an object-oriented BETA framework for the construction of advanced user interfaces for BETA programs. In this lecture, the architecture of Lidskjalv is presented along with the general approach to handling events etc. from the user interface. Furthermore, the patterns of Lidskjalv are shortly presented.

6.2.3 Lidskjalv Patterns

Readings: [MIA 94-27]

Notes: This lecture will present the various Lidskjalv patterns in details, and present several applications using the guienv interface. The examples are found in e.g. [MIA 95-30].

6.2.4 Bifrost Graphics System

Readings: [MIA 91-13], [MIA 91-19], [Knudsen 94, chap. 16]

Notes: Dependent on the previous graphics knowledge among the students, it might be advisable to split this lecture into two lectures, with the first lecture focusing on the basic graphics model (Stencil & Paint) and the second focusing on the graphics modelling and object-oriented structures in Bifrost.

6.2.5 Frigg: the User Interface Editor for BETA

Readings: [MIA 99-34]

Notes: This is a presentation of the BETA user interface editor. This editor is an extension of the Sif editor, enabling direct manipulation editing of the user interface aspects of the application being edited..


Teaching Package
© 1991-2002 Mjølner Informatics
[Modified: Friday October 20th 2000 at 13:18]