Interaction in Really Graphical User Interfaces

Employing diagrams in the UI causes problems that don't exist in so called Graphical User Interfaces. We are implementing a tool for generating editors for a certain class of diagrams from a speci cation. Diagram Editors are needed in really graphical UIs and interactive visual language environments. This paper addresses three aspects of the speci cation of diagram editors. After highlighting di culties in user interaction with diagrams event automata are suggested as a model for speci cation of dialogs. Furthermore, it is discussed how objects selected by the user can automatically be assembled into semantically meaningful groups. These are needed for more complex editing operations. An easy and versatile way of specifying layout for diagram editors by constraints has been introduced in 1 and is generalized here.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1994
• Where: VL
• Authors: Gerhard Viehstaedt, Mark Minas
• Keywords: Diagram Editors, Graphical User Interfaces, Speci Cation, Visual Languages, VL 1994