Abstract: A dial controller for a vehicle comprises: (a) a rotatable dial that is (i) rotatable about an axis of rotation. (ii) linearly movable along a line parallel to the axis of rotation, and (iii) movable along a plane parallel to the axis of rotation: (b) a first sensor operably connected to the rotatable dial, the first sensor producing an output that is a function of rotation of the rotatable dial about the axis of rotation: (c) a second sensor operably connected to the rotatable dial, the second sensor producing an output that is a function of movement of the rotatable dial along the line parallel to the axis of rotation; and (d) a third sensor operably connected to rotatable dial, the third sensor producing an output that is a function of movement of the rotatable dial along the plane parallel to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: Various techniques for implementing computer dashboards as cloud-based services are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a dashboard file at a server via a computer network, the dashboard file identifying a dashboard having one or more graphical user interface elements individually configured to display and dynamically update data associated with a cloud-based service. The dashboard file further contains metadata indicating a cloud-based subscription. The method also includes associating the received dashboard file with the cloud-based subscription, identifying one or more entities allowed to access the dashboard based on the cloud-based subscription, and displaying, via the computer network, the dashboard identified by the dashboard file to the one or more entities upon verification of the cloud-based subscription.

Abstract: An organization mode in a user interface that displays multiple user interface elements. The multiple user interface elements fit over a grid positions that are at least conceptually imposed over a canvas. In organization mode, the grid positions are displayed, allowing the user to more easily see where user interface elements may be placed. As the user moves and/or resizes a user interface element, one or more corresponding grid positions are highlighted to show where the user interface element would be placed if the move or resize operation were to conclude at that moment. The organization mode may also provide a contextual actions menu with respect to a particular user interface element. The contextual actions menu includes multiple organization mode commands, including one or more that may be directed selected from the contextual actions menu to invoke the command.

Abstract: Various techniques for implementing computer dashboards as cloud-based services are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a dashboard file at a server via a computer network, the dashboard file identifying a dashboard having one or more graphical user interface elements individually configured to display and dynamically update data associated with a cloud-based service. The dashboard file further contains metadata indicating a cloud-based subscription. The method also includes associating the received dashboard file with the cloud-based subscription, identifying one or more entities allowed to access the dashboard based on the cloud-based subscription, and displaying, via the computer network, the dashboard identified by the dashboard file to the one or more entities upon verification of the cloud-based subscription.

Abstract: Various techniques for implementing computer dashboards as cloud-based services are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a dashboard file at a server via a computer network, the dashboard file identifying a dashboard having one or more graphical user interface elements individually configured to display and dynamically update data associated with a cloud-based service. The dashboard file further contains metadata indicating a cloud-based subscription. The method also includes associating the received dashboard file with the cloud-based subscription, identifying one or more entities allowed to access the dashboard based on the cloud-based subscription, and displaying, via the computer network, the dashboard identified by the dashboard file to the one or more entities upon verification of the cloud-based subscription.

Abstract: An organization mode in a user interface that displays multiple user interface elements. The multiple user interface elements fit over a grid positions that are at least conceptually imposed over a canvas. In organization mode, the grid positions are displayed, allowing the user to more easily see where user interface elements may be placed. As the user moves and/or resizes a user interface element, one or more corresponding grid positions are highlighted to show where the user interface element would be placed if the move or resize operation were to conclude at that moment. The organization mode may also provide a contextual actions menu with respect to a particular user interface element. The contextual actions menu includes multiple organization mode commands, including one or more that may be directed selected from the contextual actions menu to invoke the command.

Abstract: An organization mode in a user interface that displays multiple user interface elements. The multiple user interface elements fit over a grid positions that are at least conceptually imposed over a canvas. In organization mode, the grid positions are displayed, allowing the user to more easily see where user interface elements may be placed. As the user moves and/or resizes a user interface element, one or more corresponding grid positions are highlighted to show where the user interface element would be placed if the move or resize operation were to conclude at that moment. The organization mode may also provide a contextual actions menu with respect to a particular user interface element. The contextual actions menu includes multiple organization mode commands, including one or more that may be directed selected from the contextual actions menu to invoke the command.

Abstract: A gallery user interface element that includes multiple selectable service user interface elements. Each of the selectable service user interface elements, when selected, initiates a corresponding predetermined action. Thus, the gallery may be used to initiate any number of predetermined actions by selecting appropriate service user interface elements. The predetermined actions may be performed by a number of user interface elements that are collectively offered by a variety of different applications, application extensions, or the system itself. The predetermined actions may include at least one predetermined action that extends an extendible canvas with one or more additional user interface elements. The gallery may include multiple pinnable elements and have different versions depending on a context in which the gallery was opened.

Abstract: A multi-act creation user interface element that is displayed when a user instructs a computing system to initiate creation of a resource that has multiple associated creation processing acts. For each of some or all of the creation processing acts, the multi-act creation user interface element causes a set of one or more controls to appear, which the user may then enter creation information into. The multi-step creation user interface element persists creation information so entered so that the creation information is available for further creation processing acts.

Abstract: Various techniques for implementing computer dashboards as cloud-based services are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a dashboard file at a server via a computer network, the dashboard file identifying a dashboard having one or more graphical user interface elements individually configured to display and dynamically update data associated with a cloud-based service. The dashboard file further contains metadata indicating a cloud-based subscription. The method also includes associating the received dashboard file with the cloud-based subscription, identifying one or more entities allowed to access the dashboard based on the cloud-based subscription, and displaying, via the computer network, the dashboard identified by the dashboard file to the one or more entities upon verification of the cloud-based subscription.

Abstract: An organization mode in a user interface that displays multiple user interface elements. The multiple user interface elements fit over a grid positions that are at least conceptually imposed over a canvas. In organization mode, the grid positions are displayed, allowing the user to more easily see where user interface elements may be placed. As the user moves and/or resizes a user interface element, one or more corresponding grid positions are highlighted to show where the user interface element would be placed if the move or resize operation were to conclude at that moment. The organization mode may also provide a contextual actions menu with respect to a particular user interface element. The contextual actions menu includes multiple organization mode commands, including one or more that may be directed selected from the contextual actions menu to invoke the command.

Abstract: A gallery user interface element that includes multiple selectable service user interface elements. Each of the selectable service user interface elements, when selected, initiates a corresponding predetermined action. Thus, the gallery may be used to initiate any number of predetermined actions by selecting appropriate service user interface elements. The predetermined actions may be performed by a number of user interface elements that are collectively offered by a variety of different applications, application extensions, or the system itself. The predetermined actions may include at least one predetermined action that extends an extendible canvas with one or more additional user interface elements. The gallery may include multiple pinnable elements and have different versions depending on a context in which the gallery was opened.

Abstract: A multi-act creation user interface element that is displayed when a user instructs a computing system to initiate creation of a resource that has multiple associated creation processing acts. For each of some or all of the creation processing acts, the multi-act creation user interface element causes a set of one or more controls to appear, which the user may then enter creation information into. The multi-step creation user interface element persists creation information so entered so that the creation information is available for further creation processing acts.

Abstract: A user interface that includes a canvas that extends in one direction. An activation mechanism may be used to generate an initial blade in the canvas. A blade is a user interface element that occupies a portion of the canvas in the dimension along which the canvas extends. The blade includes multiple selectable elements that each have a corresponding blade. The user interface includes an extension mechanism configured to present a corresponding subsequent blade on the canvas perhaps adjacent to the prior blade when a selected element from a prior blade is selected, the subsequent blade also including multiple selectable elements that may be hierarchically structured. In this manner, blade chains may be created representative of a journey that the user has taken since initiating the first blade.

Abstract: A query building mechanism in which a query builder component assists a user in generating queries to be used to populate user interface elements. A control provides a query schema to the query builder component. The query schema identifies available query parameters that the control is capable of using to populate a corresponding user interface element. The query builder component presents at least some of the available query parameters the user, such that the user may edit these parameters. The query builder component gathers those edits and generates a query therefrom. The query parameters may be provided to the query builder component in consistent manner across a wide variety of possible user interface controls. Furthermore, the resulting query is provided in a uniform query format.