TIDL: mixed presence groupware support for legacy and custom applications

  • Authors:

  • Peter Hutterer;Benjamin S. Close;Bruce H. Thomas

  • Affiliations:

  • Wearable Computer Laboratory, School of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA and National ICT Australia, Australia Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW;Wearable Computer Laboratory, School of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA and National ICT Australia, Australia Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW;Wearable Computer Laboratory, School of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA and National ICT Australia, Australia Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW

  • Venue:
  • AUIC '06 Proceedings of the 7th Australasian User interface conference - Volume 50
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

In this paper, we present a framework to use an arbitrary number of mouse and keyboard input devices controlling Swing based Java applications. These devices can be distributed amongst any number of host computers on a network. We use this framework to provide independent input devices to a number of users on different host computers. These users can then work collaboratively on applications.A major limitation for current real-time groupware is that contemporary graphic environments do not support more than one system cursor and keyboard. The Transparent Input Device Layer (TIDL) is a framework we have developed that provides an easy-to-use API for Java applications to gain support for multiple independent input devices. We have also created a wrapper application to retrofit legacy applications with support for multiple distributed input devices at runtime. This support can be injected without altering or recompiling the application's source code. TIDL allows multiple devices to work across window and application boundaries. Applications supporting multiple input devices can employ features such as simultaneous drag-and-drop and the entry of text in multiple textboxes. In addition, different applications running simultaneously can use multi-device support independently and at the same time. We present four applications that use TIDL to enable distributed groups to work collaboratively. One of these applications has been developed to make active use of TIDL, the other three applications are applications we have found on the web and gain support for multiple independent devices through the wrapper application.