A Framework for Constructing Animations via Declarative Mapping Rules

Animation is useful in user interfaces, especially for representing dynamic features. However, it is often difficult and laborious to create animation in an existing user interface environment. In this research, we extend our bi-directional translation model to deal with animations. The new model incorporates the notion of time, and includes operations defined for each representation in the model. Using this model, animation is basically achieved by interpolating successive visualized pictures of application data. Other than specifying the way of visualizing application data, programmers have only to provide mapping rules between abstract operations and interpolating methods, and as a result, complex animation effects can be easily specified. We have developed a prototype system based on this model, and applied it to several algorithm animations, such as sorting algorithms, the tower of Hanoi, and Kruskal’s algorithm.