Global window management for parent/child relationships
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, in a data processing system, for managing a hierarchy of related windows, the method comprising:
- associating a current window with a first set of child windows, wherein the current window has a parent/child relationship with each window in the first set of child windows; and
responsive to selection of a child menu control, presenting a child window menu within the current window, wherein the child window menu lists the first set of child windows.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mechanism is provided for maintaining some global windowing context to parent/child relationships. When a current window spawns a child window, a data structure stores the parent/child relationship within the window hierarchy. A cascading menu indicates to the user the contextual relationship of a current window to related windows. The user may then navigate among related windows using the cascading menu.
68 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method, in a data processing system, for managing a hierarchy of related windows, the method comprising:
-
associating a current window with a first set of child windows, wherein the current window has a parent/child relationship with each window in the first set of child windows; and
responsive to selection of a child menu control, presenting a child window menu within the current window, wherein the child window menu lists the first set of child windows. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for managing a hierarchy of related windows, the computer program product comprising:
-
instructions for associating a current window with a first set of child windows, wherein the current window has a parent/child relationship with each window in the first set of child windows; and
instructions, responsive to selection of a child menu control, for presenting a child window menu within the current window, wherein the child window menu lists the first set of child windows. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus, in a data processing system, for managing a hierarchy of related windows, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for associating a current window with a first set of child windows, wherein the current window has a parent/child relationship with each window in the first set of child windows; and
means, responsive to selection of a child menu control, for presenting a child window menu within the current window, wherein the child window menu lists the first set of child windows. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification