Method and apparatus for facilitating direct icon manipulation operations in a data processing system
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating icon-based operations in a data processing system which displays for operator selection a plurality of icon types, each icon type representing and identifying data arranged in a plurality of data fields, said data processing system being capable of performing icon manipulation operations which may utilize data from selected ones of said plurality of data fields, comprising the method steps of:
- allowing operator selection of particular ones of said plurality of data fields of a particular icon type for utilization in particular icon manipulation operations;
recording said operator selection and generating a visual template selection representation which is indicative thereof which is subject to icon manipulation operations;
utilizing said visual template selection representation as a template to perform icon manipulation operations to automatically apply a template representative of said operator selection to include or exclude from said icon manipulation operations data from particular ones of said plurality of data fields, in accordance with said operator selection; and
applying said visual template selection representation to selected ones of said plurality of software objects in response to operator selection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating direct icon manipulation operations in a data processing system. A selection icon is generated which corresponds to an operator'"'"'s selection of data fields from a plurality of data fields. The selection icon may be applied to a particular category of software objects to automatically include or exclude selected data fields in a direct icon manipulation operation, such as a drag-and-drop operation.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating icon-based operations in a data processing system which displays for operator selection a plurality of icon types, each icon type representing and identifying data arranged in a plurality of data fields, said data processing system being capable of performing icon manipulation operations which may utilize data from selected ones of said plurality of data fields, comprising the method steps of:
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allowing operator selection of particular ones of said plurality of data fields of a particular icon type for utilization in particular icon manipulation operations; recording said operator selection and generating a visual template selection representation which is indicative thereof which is subject to icon manipulation operations; utilizing said visual template selection representation as a template to perform icon manipulation operations to automatically apply a template representative of said operator selection to include or exclude from said icon manipulation operations data from particular ones of said plurality of data fields, in accordance with said operator selection; and applying said visual template selection representation to selected ones of said plurality of software objects in response to operator selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of facilitating icon-based operations in a data processing system which displays for operator selection a plurality of icon types, each icon type being representative of a plurality of software objects, each software object including data arranged in a plurality of data fields, said data processing system being capable of performing icon manipulation operations, comprising the method steps of:
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with respect to a particular software object represented by a particular icon type, selecting particular ones of said plurality of data fields which contain data which is useful in a particular icon manipulation operation; automatically generating a selection icon which is representative of said particular ones of said plurality of data fields which were selected; automatically generating a data template which may be called through said selection icon; applying said selection icon to selected ones of said plurality of software objects; and automatically including and excluding selected data fields from said selected ones of said plurality of software objects in icon manipulation operations in accordance with said data template. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A data processing system for improved icon-manipulation operations involving at least one icon type, each being representative of a plurality of software objects composed of data arranged in a plurality of fields, comprising:
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selection means for allowing operator selection of particular ones of said plurality of data fields which contain data useful in a particular icon manipulation operation; selection icon generation means for automatically generating a selection icon which is representative of said particular ones of said plurality of data fields which were selected; template generation means for automatically generating a data template which may be called through said selection icon; and means for applying said selection icon to selected ones of said plurality of software objects to result in inclusion and exclusion of data from selected fields in said icon manipulation operations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification