# User Interface Design Patterns

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/user-interface-design-patterns/168924>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 27, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/user-interface-design-patterns/168924 "2009-05-27T13:01:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![deadinplastic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@deadinplastic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/deadinplastic)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/user-interface-design-patterns/168924/1 "2009-05-27T13:01:28Z")

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Hi,

I don’t have a specific ROR question but since clear design is on of  
ROR’s main principles i’m hoping that some design folks can answer my  
question :).

I’m working on a webbased application which uses a lot of classic  
javascript. There are several screens with a lot of controls and the  
problem is that a modification to one controls (for example a  
dropdownlist) has influence on several other controls, which in turn can  
influence other controls.

For example I change dropdown A, this should load other values in  
dropdown B and C, because there are now other values in dropdown B and  
C, textbox D and E should be disabled, and checkbox F should be hidden.

I have several of these scenario’s in the screens I’m working on and the  
code is slowly turning into “Big Ball of Mud” code.

Does anyone know if there are patterns/principles/books to solve this  
problem in a structured way so that I can prevent my code from becoming  
a unmaintainable mess?