Incorporating fisheyeing into a visual programming environment

Abstract

Fisheyeing, in combination with zooming, addresses the scalability problem in visual languages by allowing the user to see a portion of a large visual program in detail while at the same time viewing the remainder of the program in somewhat less detail. We describe how fisheye views have been incorporated in the VIPR (VIsual PRogramming) environment. We begin by discussing the ways in which VIPR is amenable to fisheyeing techniques, and present a scenario illustrating the ways in which fisheyeing may be used in navigating and comprehending a VIPR program. We then discuss the particular requirements placed on a fisheyeing technique by VIPR, and present an implementation that meets those requirements.