System and method for smart drag-and-drop functionality

• US 20030160825A1
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Weber, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for providing smart file import and drag-and-drop functionality in a graphical user interface environment. As a file is dragged and dropped onto a set of folders using an explorer-like interface, the system automatically determines into which folder the file should be placed. If the folder does not already exist, then it is automatically created. A similar process can be used for file imports. The system is particularly useful for manipulating Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source files (including JAVA, JWS, CTRL, JWI, JAR, class files, etc.) in a Java application development environment, since in this type of environment the location of the file within the folder tree can be very important. Other embodiments of the invention include an icon-display mechanism which denotes to the user that the Smart Drop processing will take precedence over the normal drop behavior.

Claims

1. A method of providing a smart drag-and-drop mechanism for use in a graphical user interface environment, comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction to drop a file object into an explorer tree;

determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

, one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining the type of file object being dropped.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

searching for a package statement within said file object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

using information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

25. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

monitoring the file object to be dropped to a folder in the explorer tree.

39. The method of claim 1 including:

using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

7. A method of providing a smart import mechanism for use in a hierarchical file system environment, comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction to import a file object into a file hierarchy;

determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

,

one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

determining the type of file object being imported.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

searching for a package statement within said file object.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

using information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

40. The method of claim 7 including:

using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

13. Computer readable media including instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an instruction to drop a file object into an explorer tree;

determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

,

one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

determining the type of file object being dragged.

15. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

16. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

searching for a package statement within said file object.

17. The computer readable media of claim 16 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

using the information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

18. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

26. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

monitoring the file object to be dropped to a folder in the explorer tree.

41. The computer readable media of claim 13 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

19. Computer readable media including instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an instruction to import a file object into a file hierarchy;

determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

,

one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

20. The computer readable media of claim 19 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

determining the type of file object being imported.

21. The computer readable media of claim 19 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

22. The computer readable media of claim 19 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

searching for a package statement within said file object.

23. The computer readable media of claim 22 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

using the information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

24. The computer readable media of claim 19 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

42. The computer readable media of claim 19 further including one or more instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional step of:

using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

27. A system for providing a smart drag-and-drop mechanism for use in a graphical user interface environment, comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to drop a file object into an explorer tree;

means for determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

means for one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

28. The system of claim 27 including:

means for determining the type of file object being dropped.

29. The system of claim 27 including:

means for determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

30. The system of claim 27 including:

means for searching for a package statement within said file object.

31. The system of claim 30 including:

means for using information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

32. The system of claim 27 including:

means for creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

43. The system of claim 27 including:

means for using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

33. A system for providing a smart drag-and-drop mechanism for use in a hierarchical file system environment, comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to import a file object into a file hierarchy;

means for determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

means for one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

34. The system of claim 33 including:

means for determining the type of file object being dropped.

35. The system of claim 33 including:

means for determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

36. The system of claim 33 including:

means for searching for a package statement within said file object.

37. The system of claim 36 including:

means for using information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

38. The system of claim 33 including:

means for creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.

44. The system of claim 33 including:

means for using an icon to indicate when a smart drop mechanism is being employed.

45. A method of providing a smart drag-and-drop mechanism for use in a graphical user interface environment, comprising the steps of:

(A) monitoring a file object being dragged onto an explorer tree;

(B) determining if the file should be dropped using a normal drop or a smart drop;

(C) receiving an instruction to drop a file object into an explorer tree; and

, (D) if the file should be dropped using a smart drop, then the substeps of

(D.1) determining a destination directory hierarchy; and

,

(D.2) one of copying or moving said file object into a determined destination directory within said directory hierarchy.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of determining if the file should be dropped using a normal drop or a smart drop includes checking to see if the file object is dragged to a position over a destination folder, or not over a destination folder, and using a smart drop if the file object is dragged to a position not over a destination folder.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

determining the type of file object being dropped.

48. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

determining if the file object is one of a Java, Java derivative, or Java-related source file.

49. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

searching for a package statement within said file object.

50. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

using information within said package statement in said step of determining a destination directory hierarchy.

51. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

creating a destination directory hierarchy if one does not already exist.