Smoothly integrating rule-based techniques into a direct manipulation interface builder

Abstract

Work in automating the production of user interface software has recently concentrated on two distinct approaches: systems that provide a direct manipulation editor for specifying user interfaces and systems that attempt to automatically generate much or all of the interface. This paper considers how a middle ground between these approaches can be constructed. It presents a technique whereby the rule-base inference methods used in many automatic generation systems can be smoothly integrated into a direct manipulation interface builder. This integration is achieved by explicitly representing the results of inference rules in the direct manipulation framework and by using semantic snapping techniques to give the user direct feedback and interactive control over the application of rules.