Prefab layers and prefab annotations: extensible pixel-based interpretation of graphical interfaces

Abstract

Pixel-based methods have the potential to fundamentally change how we build graphical interfaces, but remain difficult to implement. We introduce a new toolkit for pixel based enhancements, focused on two areas of support. Prefab Layers helps developers write interpretation logic that can be composed, reused, and shared to manage the multi-faceted nature of pixel-based interpretation. Prefab Annotations supports robustly annotating interface elements with metadata needed to enable runtime enhancements. Together, these help developers overcome subtle but critical dependencies between code and data. We validate our toolkit with (1) demonstrative applications and (2) a lab study that compares how developers build an enhancement using our toolkit versus state of the art methods. Our toolkit addresses core challenges faced by developers when building pixel based enhancements, potentially opening up pixel based systems to broader adoption.