System and methods for inline property editing in tree view based editors

• US 20060153097A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schultz, Kristoffer
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method directed to inline property editing for tree view based editors is provided. A user selects a desired node within a tree view and then hover the mouse cursor over the node causing a smart tag anchor to appear. When the use clicks on the smart tag anchor an object property panel appears injected into the tree showing property and attributes for the selected node. The panel appears in direct visual proximity to the node, such as directly below the node while the node appears in its location within the tree with. The tree is expanded such that the property panel does not visually obscure any part of the tree. Multiple panel may be opened simultaneously such that property and attribute information may be visually compared for various nodes.

Claims

1. A method for managing information pertaining to a node of a tree comprising:

indicating a node for which information is desired; and

upon said indication, displaying information regarding the node in direct visual proximity to the node, wherein the node visually appears in the tree with the displayed information in direct visual proximity to the node, and wherein the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising editing the information of the node via changing the displayed information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the information of the node comprises at least one property of a node of a software data structure.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the act of editing comprises:

using a mouse to indicate changes to the information by clicking in an appropriate location inside an area of the displayed information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of displaying information comprises:

inserting information regarding the node visually below the node while the node visually appears in the tree; and

expanding the tree below the node to make a space for the displayed information such that the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of indicating a node comprises:

hovering a mouse pointer over the node;

displaying an indication next to the node that there is information about the node available for display; and

clicking on the indication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of indicating a node comprises:

selecting a node with a mouse; and

typing at least one key on a keyboard to indicate a desire to display information pertaining to the node.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

indicating at least a second node for which information is desired; and

upon said indication, displaying information regarding the at least second node in direct visual proximity to the at least second node, wherein the at least second node visually appears in the tree with the displayed information in direct visual proximity to the at least second node, and wherein the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree; and

simultaneously displaying information for another node than the at least second node.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

closing the displayed information for any and all nodes at once by mouse-clicking in a single designated area.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

closing the displayed information for any and all nodes at once by typing a designated key sequence on a keyboard.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

closing the displayed information for the node by indicating in the same fashion as indicating the node for which information is desired.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the act of closing comprises:

displaying an indication visually next to the node that there is information about the node currently being displayed;

clicking on the indication;

removing the displayed information; and

restoring the tree such that there is no visual gap where the displayed information was previously displayed.

13. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing a method for managing information pertaining to a node of a tree comprising:

indicating a node for which information is desired; and

upon said indication, displaying information regarding the node in direct visual proximity to the node, wherein the node visually appears in the tree with the displayed information in direct visual proximity to the node, and wherein the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 further comprising having instructions thereon for editing the information of the node via changing the displayed information.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein the information of the node comprises at least one property of a node of a software data structure.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 14 wherein the act of editing comprises using a mouse to indicate changes to the information by clicking in an appropriate location inside an area of the displayed information.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein the act of displaying information comprises:

inserting information regarding the node visually below the node while the node visually appears in the tree; and

expanding the tree below the node to make a space for the displayed information such that the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein the act of indicating a node comprises:

hovering a mouse pointer over the node;

displaying an indication next to the node that there is information about the node available for display; and

clicking on the indication.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein the act of indicating a node comprises:

selecting a node with a mouse; and

typing at least one key on a keyboard to indicate a desire to display information pertaining to the node.

20. A modulated data signal carrying computer readable instructions for performing a method for managing information pertaining to a node of a tree comprising:

indicating a node for which information is desired; and

upon said indication, displaying information regarding the node in direct visual proximity to the node, wherein the node visually appears in the tree with the displayed information in direct visual proximity to the node, and wherein the displayed information does not visually obscure any part of the tree.