Effectively locating an object within a compound document using an elevator

• US 5,680,561 A
• Filed: 08/26/1996
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dodson, John Paul, Amro, Hatim Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/703,217
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 395/341, 395/973, 364/927.62, 345/123
• US Class Current: 715/787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A method, apparatus and memory direct a computer system, having at least a processor, display, and user controls, to locate at least one portion (e.g., page containing one or more objects and text) of a compound document. The method includes creating an outline for each portion of the compound document, displaying on the display an elevator in a first position, wherein the first position of the elevator corresponds to a first portion of the compound document, in response to invoking a command by user controls, displaying on the display a display container, wherein the display container displays the outline of the portion corresponding to the first position of the elevator, and in response to scrolling the elevator to at least a second position, displaying the outline for the second portion corresponding to the second position of the elevator in the display container on the display.

Claims

1. A method for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, display, user controls, and memory, to locate at least one portion within a compound document, comprising the steps of:

creating an outline for each portion of the compound document;

displaying on the display an elevator in a first position, wherein the first position of the elevator corresponds to a first portion of the compound document;

in response to invoking a command by user controls, displaying on the display a display container, wherein the display container displays the outline of the first portion corresponding to the first position of the elevator; and

in response to scrolling the elevator to at least a second position, displaying the outline for a second portion of the compound document, corresponding to the second position of the elevator, in the display container on the display.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of creating an outline for each portion of the compound document comprises the following steps:

scanning each line of each portion of the compound document for indicators designating a beginning and end of text and object sections;

storing screen coordinates for each indicator into a database table;

defining a box around each text and object section;

storing screen coordinates for each corner of each box in the database table; and

storing a unique symbol for text and each type of object into the database table.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of displaying the outline comprises the step of:

(a) connecting the corners of each box on the display; and

(b) displaying the unique symbol in each box corresponding to the type of object or text represented by the box.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein each portion corresponds to one page of the compound document.

5. An apparatus for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, display, and user controls, to locate at least one portion of a compound document, comprising:

means for creating an outline for each portion of the compound document;

means for displaying on the display an elevator in a first position, wherein the first position of the elevator corresponds to a first portion of the compound document;

in response to invoking a command by user controls, means for displaying on the display a display container, wherein the display container displays the outline of the first portion corresponding to the first position of the elevator; and

in response to scrolling the elevator to at least a second position, means for displaying the outline for a second portion of the compound document, corresponding to the second position of the elevator, in the display container on the display.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:

means for scanning each line of each portion of the compound document for indicators designating a beginning and end of text and object sections;

means for storing screen coordinates for each indicator into a database table;

means for defining a box around each text and object section;

means for storing screen coordinates for each corner of each box in the database table; and

means for storing a unique symbol for text and each type of object into the database table.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising:

means for connecting the corners of each box; and

means for displaying the unique symbol in each box corresponding to the type of object or text represented by the box.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each portion corresponds to one page of the compound document.

9. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, display, and user controls, to locate at least one portion in a compound document, the computer readable program code means comprising;

computer readable program code means for creating an outline for each portion of the compound document;

computer readable program code means for displaying on the display an elevator in a first position, wherein the first position of the elevator corresponds to a first portion of the compound document;

in response to invoking a command by user controls, computer readable program code means for displaying on the display a display container, wherein the display container displays the outline of the first portion corresponding to the first position of the elevator; and

in response to scrolling the elevator to at least a second position, computer readable program code means for displaying the outline of the second portion, corresponding to the second position of the elevator, in the display container on the display.