Graphical user interface for creating a new notebook with a dragged page

• US 5,668,964 A
• Filed: 08/24/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wall Data, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Jenny, Patrick D., Mortensen, Mark A., Lemire, John P., Helsel, Brett L., Gindin, Jay R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/518,914
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326-358, 345/117-120, 370/62
• US Class Current: 715/776
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

A graphical user interface designed as a notebook with tabs used to control operation of multiple applications and multiple operations within the applications. Each page of a notebook represents a different application all within an Object Linking and Embedding (OLE 2.0™) environment. Each page has an associated tab that is used to access the application by clicking on it. A dragging feature allows a user to drag an entire application from one notebook to a second notebook without closing that application. Also this application can be dragged to the desktop and placed in new folder or thrown away. There also are design features which allow the user to change the look of the notebook.

Claims

1. A method of increasing the capabilities of an object, linking and embedding (OLE) graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in a GUI system, said GUI system including a personal computer consisting of a display, a user input device for control of a display cursor, and a central processing unit (CPLD, said method including the steps of:

(a) representing said GUI on said display as a first notebook consisting of at least one page with a tab, said page representing an OLE object of a loaded application;

(b) initiating a drag-drop operation of a selected page of said first notebook by using said user input device;

(c) dragging the selected page to a location outside of said notebook, said location of the selected page determined by the position of said cursor on said display;

(d) releasing the dragged page onto an area outside of said first notebook and within a second notebook;

(e) displaying the dragged page in said second notebook and removing the dragged page from said first notebook;

(f) maintaining said first notebook as an active window; and

wherein the step of releasing the dragged page further includes creating a new notebook containing the dragged page if the dragged page is released outside of the window'"'"'s boundary of said first notebook and outside of a window of any other user created notebooks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said user input device is a mouse with an activating button.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of changing the style and location of the tab.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of displaying a notebook with a user definable binder style.

5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of changing the location of the binder of the notebook.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of changing the style .of a notebook cover that appears for a brief period of time when a notebook is initially activated.

7. An apparatus for increasing the capabilities of an object, linking and embedding (OLE) graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in a GUI system, said GUI system including a personal computer consisting of a display, a user input device for control of a display cursor, and a central processing unit (CPU), said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for representing said GUI on said display as a first notebook consisting of at least one page with a tab, said page representing an OLE object of a loaded application;

(b) means for initiating a drag drop operation of a selected page of said first notebook by using said user input device;

(c) means for dragging the selected page to a location outside of said first notebook, said location of the selected page determined by the position of the cursor on said display;

(d) means for releasing the dragged page onto an area outside of said first notebook and within a second notebook;

(e) means for displaying the dragged page in said second notebook and removing the dragged page from said first notebook;

(f) means for maintaining said first notebook as an active window; and

wherein the means of releasing the dragged page further comprises means for creating a new notebook containing the dragged page if the dragged page is released outside of the window'"'"'s boundary of said first notebook and outside of a window of any other user created notebooks.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said user input device is a mouse with an activating button.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a means for changing the style and location of said tab.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for displaying a binder of a notebook.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for changing the style and location of said binder.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a means for changing a notebook cover that appears for a brief period of time when a notebook is initially activated.

13. A computer program product for increasing the capabilities of an object, linking and embedding (OLE) graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in a GUI system, said GUI system including a personal computer consisting of a display, a user input device for control of a display cursor, and a central processing unit (CPU), said computer program product comprising:

(a) means for representing said GUI on said display as a first notebook consisting of at least one page with a tab, said page representing an OLE object of a loaded application;

(b) means for initiating a drag drop operation of a selected page of said first notebook by using said user input device;

(c) means for dragging the selected page to a location outside of said first notebook, said location of the selected page determined by the position of the cursor on said display;

(d) means for releasing the dragged page onto an area outside of said first notebook and within a second notebook;

(e) means for displaying the dragged page in said second notebook and removing the dragged page from said first notebook;

(f) means for maintaining said first notebook as an active window; and

wherein the means of releasing the dragged page further comprises means for creating a new notebook containing the dragged page if the dragged page is released outside of the window'"'"'s boundary of said first notebook and outside of a window of any other user created notebooks.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said user input device is a mouse with an activating button.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

a means for changing the style and location of said tab.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

means for displaying a binder of a notebook.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

means for changing the style and location of said binder.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

a means for changing a notebook cover that appears for a brief period of time when a notebook is initially activated.