PRESENTATION OF ITEMS ARRANGED IN A HIERARCHY

• US 20100125794A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: HAMPTON, MARK, IZARD, WILLIAM
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention provides a computer-implemented method for presenting items in a hierarchy comprising parent items and sub-items. The method comprises the steps of: identifying one or more parent items in the hierarchy, wherein all sub-items of the identified parent items possess a particular property; and presenting the hierarchy in a manner to indicate that all sub-items of the identified parent items possess the particular property.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting items in a hierarchy comprising parent and sub-items, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more parent items in said hierarchy, wherein all sub-items of said identified parent items possess a particular property; and

presenting said hierarchy in a manner to indicate that all sub-items of said identified parent items possess said particular property.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said identified parent items also possess said particular property and said hierarchy is presenting in a manner to indicate that said identified parent items and all sub-items of said parent items possess said particular property.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, comprising the step of displaying said identified parent items using a display characteristic that is different to that used to display other parent items in said hierarchy.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein:

said parent items and sub-items comprise parent folders and sub-folders; and

said particular property is that said identified parent folders and all sub-folders of said identified parent folders are read-only.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, comprising the step of displaying said identified parent folders using a first display characteristic that is different to one or more display characteristics used to display other folders in said hierarchy that are writable.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein said first display characteristic comprises a display characteristic selected from the group of display characteristics consisting of:

a selected color;

a selected font;

a selected font size;

a strikethrough;

boldface; and

underlining

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein display of said identified parent items is suppressed.

8. A computer system comprising:

memory for storing data and instructions;

an audio-video interface for presenting data; and

at least one processor unit coupled to said memory and said audio-video interface;

wherein said at least one processor unit is programmed to;

identify one or more parent items in said hierarchy, wherein all sub-items of said identified parent items possess a particular property; and

present said hierarchy in a manner to indicate that all sub-items of said identified parent items possess said particular property.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said identified parent items also possess said particular property and said at least one processor unit is programmed to present said hierarchy in a manner to indicate that said identified parent items and all sub-items of said parent items possess said particular property.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said at least one processor unit is programmed to display said identified parent items using a display characteristic that is different to that used to display other parent items in said hierarchy.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein:

said parent items and sub-items comprise parent folders and sub-folders; and

said particular property is that said identified parent folders and all sub-folders of said identified parent folders are read-only.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein at least one processor unit is programmed to display said identified parent folders using a first display characteristic that is different to one or more other display characteristics used to display other folders in said hierarchy that are writable.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said first display characteristic comprises a display characteristic selected from the group of display characteristics consisting of:

a selected color;

a selected font;

a selected font size;

is a strikethrough;

boldface; and

underlining.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said at least one processor unit is programmed to suppress display of said identified parent items.

15. A computer program product comprising computer program software stored thereon for presenting items in a hierarchy comprising parent and sub-items, said computer software comprising:

computer program code for identifying one or more parent items in said hierarchy, wherein all sub-items of said identified parent items possess a particular property; and

computer program code for presenting said hierarchy in a manner to indicate that all sub-items of said identified parent items possess said particular property.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said identified parent items also possess said particular property and said computer program product comprises computer program code for presenting said hierarchy in a manner to indicate that said identified parent items and all sub-items of said parent items possess said particular property.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, comprising computer program code for displaying said identified parent items using a display characteristic that is different to that used to display other parent items in said hierarchy.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

said parent items and sub-items comprise parent folders and sub-folders; and

said particular property is that said identified parent folders and all sub-folders of said identified parent folders are read-only.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, comprising computer program code for displaying said identified parent folders using a first display characteristic that is different to one or more display characteristics used to display other folders in said hierarchy that are writable.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein said first display characteristic comprises a display characteristic selected from the group of display characteristics consisting of:

a selected color;

a selected font;

a selected font size;

a strikethrough;

boldface; and

underlining.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, comprising computer program code for suppressing display of said identified parent items.

22. A computer-implemented method for presenting folders in a hierarchy, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more parent folders in said hierarchy, wherein all sub-folders of said one or more parent folder are read-only; and

presenting said hierarchy of folders in a manner to enable a user to differentiate between said identified one or more parent folders and other parent folders in said hierarchy.