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Method and apparatus for facilitating direct icon manipulation operations in a data processing system

  • US 5,416,901 A
  • Filed: 12/17/1992
  • Issued: 05/16/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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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:

  • 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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