Efficient list traversal

• US 10,394,423 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bastide, Paul R., Broomhall, Matthew E., Loredo, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US15/234,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20180046681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

With respect to data items presented in structured, sorted listing having an initial arrangement positioning of the data items relative to each other, aspects select a subset group of the data items having values in a data field selected within one of the items and that share a common value within a different data field. The selected data field is replaced within the selected data item by a roller widget having data values of the selected field of each of the first data item and of the subset of data items. Thus, the roller widget is enabled to scroll through the data values while the unselected data items of the structured list are continually displayed in their initial arrangement positioning relative to each other and to the roller widget in place of the selected data field.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising executing on a computer processor:

presenting, via a graphical user interface display, a display of a structured listing of a plurality of data items sorted into an initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with respect to a sorting criteria, wherein each of the plurality of data items comprises a plurality of data fields;

in response to a selection of a first of the data fields of a first of the data items within the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other, selecting a subset group of the plurality of data items that each have values in the selected first data field and that share a common value within a second of the data fields that is different from the first data field;

replacing the selected data field of the first data item within a display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with a display of a roller widget, wherein the roller widget is associated to data values of the selected first field of the first data item and of each of the generated subset group of the data items;

presenting, via the graphical user interface display, a display of the roller widget within the selected data field of the first data item that is configured to scroll through displays of the associated roller widget data values in response to an input from the user, while continually displaying the remainder of unselected data items of the structured list in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data field;

in response to a roller widget closing input, driving the graphical user interface display to close the roller widget and to revert back to the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other; and

generating the roller widget closing input in response to determining that the roller widget has scrolled through and displayed all of the roller widget data values, and that none of the displayed roller widget data values have been selected by a user input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

integrating computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising a processor, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable program code is embodied on the computer readable storage medium and comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor via the computer readable memory, cause the processor to perform the presenting via the graphical user interface the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other, the selecting the subset group of the plurality of data items in response to the selection of the first of the data fields of the first of the data items, the replacing the selected data field within the first data item with the roller widget, the presenting via the graphical user interface display the roller widget within the presented revised structured listing that is configured to scroll through the roller widget data values in response to an input from the user, the driving the graphical user interface display to close the roller widget and to revert back to the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other, and the generating the roller widget closing input in response to determining that the roller widget has scrolled through and displayed all of the roller widget data values, and that none of the displayed roller widget data values have been selected by a user input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer-readable program code is provided as a service in a cloud environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating the roller widget to scroll through the first field data values of the selected data item and the generated subset group of data items in response to distinguishing a specific graphical user interface input from another, different graphical user interface input, as a function of a relative difference in input motion direction data or in speed of input motion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a selection of one of the field data values presented in the roller widget, opening a data item of the selected field data value presented in the roller widget via a default application behavior, while continually displaying the remainder unselected data items in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data item.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the second of the data fields having the common value in response to a predefined relationship of the second data field to the selected first data field.

7. A system, comprising:

a processor that is in communication with a graphical user interface display;

a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the processor; and

a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor;

wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby;

drives the graphical user interface display to present a display of a structured listing of a plurality of data items sorted into an initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with respect to a sorting criteria, wherein each of the plurality of data items comprises a plurality of data fields;

in response to a selection of a first of the data fields of a first of the data items within the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other, selects a subset group of the plurality of data items that each have values in the selected first data field and that share a common value within a second of the data fields that is different from the first data field;

replaces the selected data field of the first data item within a display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with a display of a roller widget, wherein the roller widget is associated to data values of the selected first field of the first data item and of each of the generated subset group of the data items;

drive the graphical user interface display to present a display of the roller widget within the selected data field of the first data item that is configured to scroll through displays of the associated roller widget data values in response to an input from the user, while continually displaying the remainder of unselected data items of the structured list in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data field;

in response to a roller widget closing input, drive the graphical user interface display to close the roller widget and to revert back to the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other; and

generate the roller widget closing input in response to determining that the roller widget has scrolled through and displayed all of the roller widget data values, and that none of the displayed roller widget data values have been selected by a user input.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

activates the roller widget to scroll through the first field data values of the selected data item and the generated subset group of data items in response to distinguishing a specific graphical user interface input from another, different graphical user interface input, as a function of a relative difference in input motion direction data or in speed of input motion.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

in response to a selection of one of the field data values presented in the roller widget, opens a data item of the selected field data value presented in the roller widget via a default application behavior, while continually displaying the remainder unselected data items in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data item.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

selects the second of the data fields having the common value in response to a predefined relationship of the second data field to the selected first data field.

11. A computer program product for optimizing competitive bidding processes for energy suppliers as a function of energy block denominations, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to;

drive a graphical user interface display to present a display of a structured listing of a plurality of data items sorted into an initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with respect to a sorting criteria, wherein each of the plurality of data items comprises a plurality of data fields;

in response to a selection of a first of the data fields of a first of the data items within the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other, select a subset group of the plurality of data items that each have values in the selected first data field and that share a common value within a second of the data fields that is different from the first data field;

replace the selected data field of the first data item within a display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other with a display of a roller widget, wherein the roller widget is associated to data values of the selected first field of the first data item and of each of the generated subset group of the data items; and

drive the graphical user interface display to present a display of the roller widget within the selected data field of the first data item that is configured to scroll through displays of the associated roller widget data values in response to an input from the user, while continually displaying the remainder of unselected data items of the structured list in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data field;

in response to a roller widget closing input, drive the graphical user interface display to close the roller widget and to revert back to the display of the structured listing of the plurality of data items sorted into the initial arrangement positioning relative to each other; and

generate the roller widget closing input in response to determining that the roller widget has scrolled through and displayed all of the roller widget data values, and that none of the displayed roller widget data values have been selected by a user input.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by the processor that cause the processor to:

activate the roller widget to scroll through the first field data values of the selected data item and the generated subset group of data items in response to distinguishing a specific graphical user interface input from another, different graphical user interface input, as a function of a relative difference in input motion direction data or in speed of input motion.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by the processor that cause the processor to:

in response to a selection of one of the field data values presented in the roller widget, open a data item of the selected field data value presented in the roller widget via a default application behavior, while continually displaying the remainder unselected data items in the initial arrangement positioning in the displayed structured list relative to each other and to the first data item comprising the roller widget in place of the selected data item.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program code comprises instructions for execution by the processor that cause the processor to:

select the second of the data fields having the common value in response to a predefined relationship of the second data field to the selected first data field.