Abstract: The described embodiments present methods and systems for manipulating user interface (UI) controls after the controls have been designed by a control designer. Flexibility is provided through an inventive architecture that employs style class objects that are programmed or programmable to manipulate the appearance and/or behavior of the controls. Various themes can also be employed to manipulate the appearance of controls across the system in a uniform, standardized manner. Manipulation of the controls can thus take place at run time and on a system wide basis, e.g. across multiple applications. The inventive systems and methods can be employed in the context of third parties such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to provide the ability to “brand” products, e.g. consumer embedded products.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for scaling a graphical user interface (GUI) to fit proportionally in displays of different sizes. Bounds of display objects to be displayed in the graphical user interface are defined in terms of position relative to horizontal and vertical dimensions of a display on which the GUI is rendered. An application defines the GUI in relative terms, but an end user may alter the look and feel of controls in the GUI. A tiered sizing schema is described that provides size constraints for display objects. The end user is limited as to how much a size of a display object can be altered in order to preserve the integrity of the original specifications of the GUI when the GUI is displayed on displays of various dimensions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing a standard list function to create a graphical user interface list and list manager while allowing the graphical user interface to vary by appearance. An application developer can include a list manager control in an application. Properties are set that link the list manager to display controls, a data source and a scrolling behavior source. The list manager provides the appropriate content to the display controls in response to user selections of the display controls. The display controls and a user interface that contains them may vary without altering the basic functionality of the list manager.