Enhanced data tip system and method
First Claim
1. A method for indicating the values of variables in a program under development, the method comprising:
- detecting the position of a pointer on a computer display associated with an expression in the program under development;
reading and evaluating the expression;
displaying at least one item value in a first window, the item value associated with a variable in the expression, wherein an indication of at least one sub-item value associated with the variable is present; and
responding to a pointer request for a first sub-item value by displaying a first sub-item window containing the first sub-item value, the first sub-item window being separate from the first item window.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Displaying data sub-items corresponding to a cursor-selected object displayed on a computer screen involves determining that a cursor is positioned to point at an object on the computer screen, loading the cursor-selected object, evaluating the cursor-selected object to determine it has a fixed value, has related data sub-items or if the related data sub-items are capable of expansion into lower-tier sub-items. The values for the object and the related data sub-items are assembled and displayed in a window that indicates the values of the object and the related data sub-items along with an indication of a presence of lower-tier sub-items which can in turn be further examined.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for indicating the values of variables in a program under development, the method comprising:
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detecting the position of a pointer on a computer display associated with an expression in the program under development;
reading and evaluating the expression;
displaying at least one item value in a first window, the item value associated with a variable in the expression, wherein an indication of at least one sub-item value associated with the variable is present; and
responding to a pointer request for a first sub-item value by displaying a first sub-item window containing the first sub-item value, the first sub-item window being separate from the first item window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of displaying related data sub-items corresponding to a cursor-selected object displayed on a computer screen, the method comprising:
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determining that a cursor is positioned to point at the cursor-selected object on the computer screen;
loading the cursor-selected object;
evaluating the cursor-selected object to determine if the cursor-selected object;
has a variable value;
has related data sub-items; and
if the related data sub-items are capable of expansion into lower-tier sub-items;
assembling values for the cursor-selected object and the related data sub-items; and
displaying the values of the cursor-selected object and the related data sub-items along with an indication of a presence of the lower-tier sub-items. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for displaying data tips related to a cursor-selected object displayed on a computer screen, the system comprising:
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a computer screen to display a cursor-selected object and the data tips;
a processor for executing instructions corresponding to the method of;
determining that a cursor is positioned to point at the cursor-selected object on the computer screen;
loading and evaluating the cursor-selected object to determine if the cursor-selected object;
has a variable value;
has related data sub-items; and
if the related data sub-items are capable of expansion into lower-tier sub-items;
assembling values for the cursor-selected object and the related data sub-items; and
displaying the values of the cursor-selected object and related sub-items in the data tips using a window located adjacent to the cursor selected object, the window having an indication of the lower-tier sub items if the lower-tier sub-items exist. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A machine-readable medium having instructions therein, executable by a machine to perform a method comprising:
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determining that a cursor is positioned to point at the cursor-selected object on the computer screen;
loading the cursor-selected object;
evaluating the cursor-selected object to determine if the cursor-selected object;
has a variable value;
has related data sub-items; and
if the related data sub-items are capable of expansion into lower-tier sub-items;
assembling values for the cursor-selected object and the related data sub-items; and
displaying the values of the cursor-selected object and the related data sub-items along with an indication of a presence of the lower-tier sub-items.
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Specification