A Framework for Inter-Widget Communication across Widget Engines

• Main Authors: Lu, Chih-Ying, 呂芷瑩
• Other Authors: Tseng, Chien-Chao
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/51425348989493809743

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 資訊學院資訊學程 === 99 === In this thesis, we propose a framework for inter-Widget communicate across Widget Engines so Widgets can communicate with each other across Widget Engines. Widgets are small-scale client-side applications that are authored using Web standards, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS etc. Widget Engine is a software application and a runtime environment of Widgets. Widget Engine provides APIs, Web-related technologies, and work out the proprietary Widget development specifications. Since the specifications of Widget have not yet been standardized, Widgets are incompatible with different Widget Engines. It means that Widgets can not be performed on other Widget Engines. The text of the controls on Widget UI can not be selected and copied except the control of input field, because of Widget is a graphical user interface presented on the desktop, resulting in difficulty of information sharing between Widgets. In order to achieve Widget interoperability for sharing information (called Inter-Widget Communication, IWC), and integrate the functions of Widgets among various Widget Engines, this thesis designs and implements a framework for inter-Widget communication across Yahoo! Widgets, Google Desktop, and Windows Sidebar three target Widget Engines, and provide a user setting interface for easily building interactive relationship between Widgets. Then, we design and implement a Component Object Model (COM) component which provides different interfaces for Widgets to send and receive messages about IWC according to target Widget Engines, and we illustrate the mechanism of inter-Widget communication. Finally, we demonstrate the process of inter-Widget communication with practical examples.