Method, system, and program for generating a tree view of elements in a graphical user interface (GUI)

• US 20060085765A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Ningning, Peterson, Trenten, Underkofler, Erik Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and program for generating a tree view of elements in a graphical user interface (GUI). Hierarchical information is processed including information on elements at different hierarchical levels. A tree view is generated in response to processing the hierarchical information enabled to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) including graphical indicators representing elements at different hierarchical levels. In the tree view for at least one hierarchical level, graphical indicators for a subset of the elements at the hierarchical level and a graphical paging control enabling user selection of one of a plurality subset of elements at the hierarchical level are generated. In the tree view, graphical indicators representing elements in a selected subset of elements at one hierarchical level are generated in response to selection of the selected subset through the graphical paging control.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

processing hierarchical information including information on elements at different hierarchical levels;

generating a tree view in response to processing the hierarchical information enabled to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) including graphical indicators representing elements at different hierarchical levels; and

generating in the tree view for at least one hierarchical level;

graphical indicators for a subset of the elements at the hierarchical level; and

a graphical paging control enabling user selection of one of a plurality subset of elements at the hierarchical level; and

generating in the tree view graphical indicators representing elements in a selected subset of elements at one hierarchical level in response to selection of the selected subset through the graphical paging control.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset causes the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and not elements in other subsets at the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical indicators for the selected subset for display in the GUI does not affect the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements displayed at hierarchical levels other than the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical paging control for a hierarchical level comprises a plurality of graphical subset indicators representing subsets of elements for the hierarchical level, wherein one subset is selected in response to receiving user selection of the graphical subset indicator representing the selected subset.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical paging control is displayed within the displayed hierarchical level in the tree view for which the graphical paging control is generated, and wherein the graphical subset indicators comprise selectable dots displayed within the graphical paging control.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving user selection of one graphical subset indicator displayed in the GUI; and

generating for display in the GUI information on a number of elements in the subset represented by the selected graphical subset indicator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selection comprises a first user selection to display information on the number of elements, further comprising:

receiving a second user selection of one graphical subset indicator, wherein the second user selection causes the generating of the display of the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user locating a graphical pointer in a defined selection area of the selected graphical subset indicator and wherein the second user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user performing a selection operation while the graphical pointer is located in the defined selection area of the selected graphical subset area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the elements comprise groups and objects, wherein groups and objects at one hierarchical level below a first hierarchical level are included within one group at a higher hierarchical level, and wherein the graphical indicators representing groups are displayed as a folder icon.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a first page including the tree view to a user system to display in the GUI at the user system;

receiving from the user system user selection of the selected subset of elements;

transmitting a second page including the tree view including the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and the graphical paging control; and

transmitting the elements in the selected subset to the user system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first page including the tree view from a server;

displaying in the GUI the tree view in the first page including the graphical indicators representing elements;

selecting one hierarchical level displayed in the first page;

transmitting a request for elements at the selected hierarchical level;

receiving a second page including the tree view including the graphical elements representing one subset of elements at the selected hierarchical level and the graphical paging control enabling selection of other subsets of elements at the selected hierarchical levels; and

receiving the elements in the subset whose elements are represented by graphical elements in the tree view in response to the request.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, in data communication with the processor, including hierarchical information including information on elements at different hierarchical levels;

a computer readable medium including code executed by the processor to perform;

generating a tree view in response to processing the hierarchical information enabled to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) including graphical indicators representing elements at different hierarchical levels; and

generating in the tree view for at least one hierarchical level;

graphical indicators for a subset of the elements at the hierarchical level and a graphical paging control enabling user selection of one of a plurality subset of elements at the hierarchical level; and

generating in the tree view graphical indicators representing elements in a selected subset of elements at one hierarchical level in response to selection of the selected subset through the graphical paging control.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein generating the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset causes the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and not elements in other subsets at the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein generating the graphical indicators for the selected subset for display in the GUI does not affect the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements displayed at hierarchical levels other than the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the graphical paging control for a hierarchical level comprises a plurality of graphical subset indicators representing subsets of elements for the hierarchical level, wherein one subset is selected in response to receiving user selection of the graphical subset indicator representing the selected subset.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical paging control is displayed within the displayed hierarchical level in the tree view for which the graphical paging control is generated, and wherein the graphical subset indicators comprise selectable dots displayed within the graphical paging control.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the code is executed by the processor to further perform:

receiving user selection of one graphical subset indicator displayed in the GUI; and

generating for display in the GUI information on a number of elements in the subset represented by the selected graphical subset indicator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user selection comprises a first user selection to display information on the number of elements, wherein the code is executed to further perform:

receiving a second user selection of one graphical subset indicator, wherein the second user selection causes the generating of the display of the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user locating a graphical pointer in a defined selection area of the selected graphical subset indicator and wherein the second user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user performing a selection operation while the graphical pointer is located in the defined selection area of the selected graphical subset area.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the elements comprise groups and objects, wherein groups and objects at one hierarchical level below a first hierarchical level are included within one group at a higher hierarchical level, and wherein the graphical indicators representing groups are displayed as a folder icon.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the code is executed by the processor to further perform:

transmitting a first page including the tree view to a user system to display in the GUI at the user system;

receiving from the user system user selection of the selected subset of elements;

transmitting a second page including the tree view including the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and the graphical paging control; and

transmitting the elements in the selected subset to the user system.

22. An article of manufacture, wherein the article of manufacture is enabled to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

processing hierarchical information including information on elements at different hierarchical levels;

generating a tree view in response to processing the hierarchical information enabled to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) including graphical indicators representing elements at different hierarchical levels; and

generating in the tree view for at least one hierarchical level;

graphical indicators for a subset of the elements at the hierarchical level; and

a graphical paging control enabling user selection of one of a plurality subset of elements at the hierarchical level; and

generating in the tree view graphical indicators representing elements in a selected subset of elements at one hierarchical level in response to selection of the selected subset through the graphical paging control.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein generating the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset causes the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and not elements in other subsets at the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein generating the graphical indicators for the selected subset for display in the GUI does not affect the display in the GUI of graphical indicators representing elements displayed at hierarchical levels other than the hierarchical level including the selected subset.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the graphical paging control for a hierarchical level comprises a plurality of graphical subset indicators representing subsets of elements for the hierarchical level, wherein one subset is selected in response to receiving user selection of the graphical subset indicator representing the selected subset.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the graphical paging control is displayed within the displayed hierarchical level in the tree view for which the graphical paging control is generated, and wherein the graphical subset indicators comprise selectable dots displayed within the graphical paging control.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user selection of one graphical subset indicator displayed in the GUI; and

generating for display in the GUI information on a number of elements in the subset represented by the selected graphical subset indicator.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the user selection comprises a first user selection to display information on the number of elements, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second user selection of one graphical subset indicator, wherein the second user selection causes the generating of the display of the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28, wherein the first user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user locating a graphical pointer in a defined selection area of the selected graphical subset indicator and wherein the second user selection of one graphical subset indicator comprises the user performing a selection operation while the graphical pointer is located in the defined selection area of the selected graphical subset area.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the elements comprise groups and objects, wherein groups and objects at one hierarchical level below a first hierarchical level are included within one group at a higher hierarchical level, and wherein the graphical indicators representing groups are displayed as a folder icon.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the article of manufacture is in communication with a user system, and wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting a first page including the tree view to the user system to display in the GUI at the user system;

receiving from the user system user selection of the selected subset of elements;

transmitting a second page including the tree view including the graphical indicators representing elements in the selected subset and the graphical paging control; and

transmitting the elements in the selected subset to the user system.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the article of manufacture is in communication with a server, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a first page including the tree view from the server;

displaying in the GUI the tree view in the first page including the graphical indicators representing elements;

selecting one hierarchical level displayed in the first page;

transmitting a request for elements at the selected hierarchical level;

receiving a second page including the tree view including the graphical elements representing one subset of elements at the selected hierarchical level and the graphical paging control enabling selection of other subsets of elements at the selected hierarchical levels; and

receiving the elements in the subset whose elements are represented by graphical elements in the tree view in response to the request.