Organizing elements on a web page via drag and drop operations

• US 20060212790A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fink, Nathan James, Perantatos, George, Li, Boxin, White, Christopher Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer-readable media are provided for organizing links on a web page via drag and drop operations. Single web page links or groups of web page links may be dragged from one location on a web page to another location on a web page or to another group of links on the web page. Links may also be dragged from a first web page or first client application document and may be dropped to a second web page on a same or separate web browsing application.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium on which is stored computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer perform a method of organizing links on a web page, comprising:

receiving a dragging of a web page link from a first position on a web page to a second position on a web page;

at the second position on the web page, displaying a visual indicator on the web page as to where the dragged web page link will be positioned if the dragged web page is dropped at the second position; and

upon receiving a dropping of the dragged web page link, reordering any group of links into which the dragged web page link is dropped based on the position of the dropped web page link.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, prior to dragging the web page link from a first position on the web page to a second position of the web page, further comprising:

receiving a selection a web page editing mode; and

receiving a cursor selection of the web page link.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, upon receiving a cursor selection of the web page link, transforming the cursor into a four-way arrow shaped cursor for providing a visual indication that the focused-on web page link will be moved upon dragging.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, upon dragging the selected web page link, providing a translucent image of the dragged web page link for following the cursor as the cursor moves across the web page.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving a dragging of the web page link, capturing any view-level data associated with the web page link, any metadata associated with the web page link, and any programming coding associated with the web page link;

and

upon receiving a dragging of the web page, dragging the captured view-level data associated with the web page link, the any metadata associated with the web page link, and the any programming coding associated with the web page link with the dragged web page link from the first position on the web page to the second position on the web page.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, whereby capturing any view-level data associated with the web page link, any metadata associated with the web page link, and any programming coding associated with the web page link includes capturing any view-level data associated with the web page link, any metadata associated with the web page link, and any programming coding associated with the web page link via a dynamic HTML behavior model.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, whereby displaying a visual indicator on the web page as to where the dragged web page link will be positioned if the dragged web page is dropped at the second position includes providing a horizontal line on the web page at a position on the web page where the dragged link will be positioned if the dragged web page link is dropped at the second position.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, whereby if the second position on the web page is within a target group of web page links that are ordered according to a group-level ordering, highlighting the target group of web page links to provide a visual indication that the target group of web page links may not be reordered by dropping the web page link into the target group of web page links.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, upon receiving a dropping of the web page link into the target group of web page links, positioning the dropped web page link in the target group of web page links according to the group-level ordering applied to the target group of web page links.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, whereby if dropping the web page link into the target group of web page links is incompatible with a group-level ordering applied to the target group of web page links, disallowing dropping of the web page link into the target group of web page links.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, whereby upon disallowing dropping of the web page link into the target group of web page links, providing a visual indication that dropping the dragged web page link into the target group of web page links is disallowed.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, whereby dragging the web page link from a first position on the web page to second position on the web page includes dragging the web page link from a first position on a first web page to a second position on a second web page.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, whereby dragging the web page link to a second web page includes dragging the web page link from a first web page operated by a first web browsing application to a second web page operated by a second web browsing application.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, whereby dragging the web page link from a first position on the web page to second position on the web page includes dragging content from a first position on a first client application document to a second position on the web page.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, whereby dragging the web page link includes dragging a group of web page links.

16. A method of organizing links on a web page, comprising:

receiving a dragging of a web page link from a first position on a web page to a second position on a web page;

at the second position on the web page, displaying a visual indicator on the web page as to where the dragged web page link will be positioned if the dragged web page is dropped at the second position;

upon receiving a dropping of the dragged web page link, reordering any group of links into which the dragged web page link is dropped based on the position of the dropped web page link; and

if the second position on the web page is within a target group of web page links that are ordered according to a group-level ordering, highlighting the target group of web page links to provide a visual indication that the target group of web page links may not be reordered by dropping the web page link into the target group of web page links

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising upon receiving a dragging of the web page link, capturing any view-level data associated with the web page link, any metadata associated with the web page link, and any programming coding associated with the web page link;

and

upon receiving a dragging of the web page, dragging the captured view-level data associated with the web page link, the any metadata associated with the web page link, and the any programming coding associated with the web page link with the dragged web page link from the first position on the web page to the second position on the web page.

18. The method of claim 16, whereby if dropping the web page link into the target group of web page links is incompatible with a group-level ordering applied to the target group of web page links, disallowing dropping of the web page link into the target group of web page links.

19. A computer-readable medium on which is stored computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer perform a method of organizing links on a web page, comprising:

receiving a selection a web page editing mode;

receiving a dragging of a web page link from a first position on a web page to a second position on a web page, including a dragging of any data view-level data associated with the web page link and any metadata associated with the web page link;

at the second position on the web page, displaying a horizontal line on the web page for showing where the dragged web page link will be positioned if the dragged web page is dropped at the second position;

upon receiving a dropping of the dragged web page link, reordering any group of links into which the dragged web page link is dropped based on the position of the dropped web page link; and

if the second position on the web page is within a target group of web page links that are ordered according to a group-level ordering, highlighting the target group of web page links to provide a visual indication that the target group of web page links may not be reordered by dropping the web page link into the target group of web page links.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, whereby dragging the web page link from a first position on the web page to second position on the web page includes dragging the web page link from a first position on a first web page to a second position on a second web page.