Dockable drop-down dialogs

• US 20030210274A1
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corel Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: Corel Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Reid, Robert, Subramanian, Ramesh, Mereu, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,397,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A user interface dialog is provided. The user interface dialog comprises tear-off functionality for being torn-off from a drop-down selection, and docking functionality for docking onto a docker.

Claims

1. A user interface dialog comprising:

tear-off functionality for being torn-off from a drop-down selection; and

docking functionality for docking onto a docker.

2. The dialog as claimed in claim 1, further comprising floating functionality for floating on an application window.

3. The dialog as claimed in claim 1, further comprising drop-down functionality for dropping from a drop-down selection.

4. The dialog as claimed in claim 1, further comprising dock settings for enabling and disabling dockable features of the dialog.

5. The dialog as claimed in claim 1, further comprising drop-down settings for enabling and disabling drop-down features of the dialog.

6. The dialog as claimed in claim 1, further comprising float settings for enabling and disabling floating features of the dialog.

7. A user interface dialog system comprising:

a tear-off function for tearing-off a dialog from a drop-down selection; and

a dock function for docking the dialog on a docker.

8. The user interface dialog system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a merge function for converting a drop-down dialog into a dockable dialog.

9. The user interface dialog system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a float function for removing the dialog from the docker and floating the dialog on the application window or desktop.

10. The user interface dialog system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a drop-down function for dropping the dialog from a drop-down selection.

11. An application framework comprising:

an application window;

a drop-down system for dropping a dialog from a drop-down selection and for tearing-off the dialog from the drop-down selection;

a docking system for docking the dialog on a docker and for floating the dialog on the window; and

a merge function for converting a drop-down dialog into a dockable dialog.

12. The application framework as claimed in claim 11, wherein the application window comprises the merging function.

13. The application framework as claimed in claim 11, wherein the drop-down system comprises the merging function.

14. The application framework as claimed in claim 11, wherein the docking system comprises the merge function.

15. A method for providing user interface dialog, the method comprising steps of:

providing tear-off functionality for tearing-off the dialog from a drop-down system; and

providing docking functionality for docking the dialog in a docker.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of providing merging functionality for converting a drop-down dialog into a dockable dialog.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of providing floating functionality for removing the dialog from the docker and floating the dialog on the application window or desktop.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of providing drop-down functionality for dropping the dialog from a drop-down selection.

19. A method for providing a user interface dialog system, the method comprising steps of:

providing an application window for a user;

providing a drop-down system for dropping a dialog from a drop-down selection and for tearing-off the dialog from the drop-down selection;

providing a docking system for docking the dialog in a docker and for floating the dialog on the window; and

providing a merge function for converting a drop-down dialog into a dockable dialog.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the merge function is provided in the application window.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the merge function is provided in the drop-down system.

22. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the merge function is provided in the docking system.

23. A method for adding a dialog to a docker, the method comprising steps of:

tearing-off the dialog from a drop-down selection; and

docking the dialog to the docker.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising steps of:

clicking on the dialog in the drop-down selection;

dragging the dialog to the docker; and

releasing the dialog to dock onto the docker.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising steps of:

dragging the dialog to the application window or desktop;

releasing the dialog to float on the application window or desktop; and

clicking on the dialog on the application window or desktop.

26. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for providing a user interface dialog system, the method comprising steps of:

providing a tear-off function for tearing-off a dialog from a drop-down selection; and

providing a dock function for docking the dialog in a docker.

27. Computer-readable media for storing instructions or statements for use in the execution in a computer of a method for providing a user interface dialog system, the method comprising steps of:

providing a tear-off function for tearing-off the dialog from a drop-down selection; and

providing a dock function for docking the dialog in a docker.

28. A computer program product for use in the execution in a computer for providing a user interface dialog system, the user interface framework management comprising:

a tear-off function for tearing-off a dialog from a drop-down selection;

a dock function for docking the dialog in a docker.