Method and apparatus for docking re-sizeable interface boxes

• US 5,819,055 A
• Filed: 12/13/1994
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Christian, Bradford A., MacLean, Brendan X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/354,543
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155-161, 395/152, 395/326-358, 345/117-120, 345/127
• US Class Current: 715/798
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for docking re-sizeable graphical user interface (GUI) boxes to a docking region located along a side of a primary GUI box with which the dock is associated. When a first GUI box becomes associated with a dock so that at least one resizeable GUI box is associated with a row of the dock to which the first GUI box is to be added, the dimensions of at least one GUI box associated with the row of the dock are altered automatically so that the docked GUI box occupies a prescribed length of a row of the dock.

In a row containing at least two re-sizeable GUI boxes, a row minor splitter detection region is provided for simultaneously altering the along dimension of at least two of the re-sizeable GUI boxes. In a row containing at least one re-sizeable GUI box, a row major splitter detection region is provided for modifying the across dimension of the row and all re-sizeable windows contained in the row.

Claims

1. A method for arranging re-sizeable graphical user interface (GUI) boxes on a GUI having at least one dock, the size of the re-sizeable GUI boxes being alterable by means of re-sizing zones associated with edges of the re-sizeable GUI boxes, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first docking region on the at least one dock to receive a first GUI box;

determining an interval on one dimension of the first docking region for displaying the first GUI box on the GUI; and

re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock without manipulation by a user of a re-sizing zone associated with the re-sizeable GUI box in order to display the first GUI box within the interval.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box step comprises modifying an along dimension of the re-sizeable GUI box.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box step comprises modifying an across dimension of the re-sizeable GUI box.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock is the first GUI box.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock is a second GUI box associated with the at least one dock.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first and second GUI boxes occupy a first dock row, the method further comprising the steps of:

selecting a minor splitter detection region disposed in a first location on the first dock row;

re-positioning the minor splitter detection region to a second location on the first dock row in accordance with a user initiated command;

determining a new along dimension for the second GUI box and a new set of boundaries for the first and second GUI boxes in accordance with the re-positioning of the minor splitter detection region to the second location.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a third GUI box is disposed on the first dock row, further comprising the step of:

determining a new along dimension and set of boundaries for the third GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the minor splitter detection region to the second location.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first GUI box has a re-sizeable along dimension and a minimum along dimension, the third GUI box is disposed next to the first GUI box, and the third GUI box is not disposed next to the second GUI box, further comprising the step of reducing the along dimension of the first GUI box to the minimum along dimension in accordance with the re-positioning of the minor splitter detection region to the second location.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the first GUI box has a fixed along dimension, the third GUI box is disposed next to the first GUI box, and the third GUI box is not disposed next to the second GUI box, further comprising the steps of moving the borders of the first GUI box and maintaining a same set of dimensions for the first GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the minor splitter detection region to the second location.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

selecting a major splitter detection region disposed in a first location;

re-positioning the major splitter detection region to a second location in accordance with a user initiated command; and

determining a new across dimension for the second GUI box and a new set of absolute GUI boundaries for the first GUI box and the second GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the major splitter detection region to the second location.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first GUI box includes a first display mode for displaying the first GUI box on the graphical user interface when the first GUI box is not associated with a docking region, and a second display mode for displaying the first GUI box when the first GUI box associates with a docking region, and wherein said method further comprises the step of switching from the first display mode to the second display mode when the first GUI box becomes associated with a docking region.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein both the first display mode and second display mode include a document space.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first display mode for the first GUI box includes a title bar and the second display mode for the first GUI box does not include the title bar.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first display mode for the first GUI box includes a re-size border and the second display mode for the first GUI box does not include the re-size border.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the first display mode for the first GUI box includes a close box for closing the process associated with the first GUI box and the second display mode does not include the close box.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the second display mode for the first GUI box includes a border for moving the first GUI box and the first display mode for the first GUI box does not include the border for moving the first GUI box.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of re-defining a work area region of a parent GUI box containing the at least one dock to exclude from a maximum work area region of the parent GUI box the portion of the parent GUI box occupied by GUI boxes associated with the at least one dock.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one dock comprises a plurality of docks, and wherein the selecting a first docking region step comprises determining a first dock of the plurality of docks to which the first GUI box is to be added.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one dock includes a first dock comprising a set of rows, and wherein the selecting a first docking region step comprises determining a first row of the set of rows to which the first GUI box is to be added.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first row comprises at least one previously docked GUI box, and further comprising the step of determining a relative order in the row for placing the first GUI box in relation to the at least one previously docked GUI box.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the first GUI box includes a dock placement field and wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

transforming the display state of the first GUI box to a hidden state and storing in the dock placement field information identifying a first display region;

receiving a user command signal indicating that the first GUI box is to be transformed back to a displayed state from the hidden state and in response displaying the first GUI box in accordance with the information identifying the first display region.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises a dock identification.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the information identifying the first display region further comprises a row identification for a row within the identified dock.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the information identifying the first display region further comprises a position of the first GUI box within the identified row.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises size information associated with the first GUI box.

26. A method for modifying a set of boundaries associated with a plurality of GUI boxes by executing a single user initiated GUI re-sizing operation, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a re-sizing detection region disposed in a first location adjacent to a first GUI box and a second GUI box;

re-positioning the re-sizing detection region to a second location in accordance with a user initiated command; and

defining a new set of boundaries for the first GUI box and the second GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the re-sizing detection region is disposed between the first GUI box and the second GUI box in a row, and further comprising the step of determining a new along dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the re-sizing detection region is disposed along a row including both the first GUI box and the second GUI box, further comprising the step of determining a new across dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first GUI box is associated with a first dock disposed on a first boundary of a primary GUI box, the second GUI box is associated with a second dock disposed on a second boundary of the primary GUI box perpendicular to the first boundary, and the re-sizing detection region is disposed on an edge of the second GUI box parallel to the second boundary of the primary GUI box, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining a new along dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with the repositioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command re-sizing the dimension of the primary GUI box; and

re-sizing the along dimension of at least a one of the first and second docks while maintaining the across dimension of both the first and second docks.

31. A computer system including a graphical user interface (GUI) having at least one dock facilitating the arranging of re-sizeable GUI boxes, the size of the re-sizeable GUI boxes being alterable by means of re-sizing zones associated with edges of the re-sizeable GUI boxes when the re-sizable GUI boxes are not associated with the at least one dock, the GUI comprising:

a first docking region on the at least one dock for accepting a first GUI box;

an interval on one dimension of the first docking region for displaying the first GUI box on the GUI; and

means for re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock without manipulation by a user of a one of the re-sizing zones associated with the re-sizeable GUI box in order to display the first GUI box within the interval.

32. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the means for re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box comprises means for modifying an along dimension of the re-sizeable GUI box.

33. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the means for re-sizing a re-sizeable GUI box comprises means for modifying an across dimension of the re-sizeable GUI box.

34. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock is the first GUI box.

35. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the re-sizeable GUI box associated with the at least one dock is a second GUI box associated with the at least one dock.

36. The computer system of claim 35 further comprising:

a minor splitter detection region disposed in a first location on a first dock row containing the first and second GUI boxes;

means for re-positioning the minor splitter detection region to a second location on the first dock row in accordance with a user initiated command;

means for calculating new along dimensions for GUI boxes within the first dock row including;

means for determining a new along dimension for the second GUI box and a new set of boundaries for the first and second GUI boxes in accordance with the re-positioning of the minor splitter detection region to the second location.

37. The computer system of claim 35 further comprising:

a major splitter detection region disposed in a first location;

means for re-positioning the major splitter detection region to a second location in accordance with a user initiated command; and

means for calculating a new across dimension for the second GUI box and a new set of absolute GUI positions for the boundaries of the first GUI box and the second GUI box in accordance with the re-positioning of the major splitter detection region to the second location.

38. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the first GUI box includes a first display mode for displaying the first GUI box on the graphical user interface when the first GUI box is not associated with a docking region, and a second display mode for displaying the first GUI box when the first GUI box associates with a docking region, and wherein said computer system further comprises means for switching from the first display mode to the second display mode when the first GUI box becomes associated with a docking region.

39. The computer system of claim 38 wherein the first display mode for the first GUI box includes a title bar and the second display mode for the first GUI box does not include the title bar.

40. The computer system of claim 38 wherein the first display mode for the first GUI box includes a re-size border and the second display mode for the first GUI box does not include the re-size border.

41. The computer system of claim 38 wherein the second display mode for the first GUI box includes a border for moving the first GUI box and the first display mode for the first GUI box does not include the border for moving the first GUI box.

42. The computer system of claim 31 further comprising means for re-defining a work area region of a parent GUI box containing the at least one dock to exclude from a maximum work area region of the parent GUI box the portion of the parent GUI box occupied by GUI boxes associated with the at least one dock.

43. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the at least one dock comprises a plurality of docks, and wherein the computer system further comprises means for determining a first dock of the plurality of docks to which the first GUI box is to be added.

44. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the at least one dock includes a first dock comprising a set of rows, and wherein the computer system further comprises means for determining a first row of the set of rows to which the first GUI box is to be added.

45. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the first GUI box includes a dock placement field and wherein the computer system further comprises:

means for transforming the display state of the first GUI box to a hidden state and storing in the dock placement field information identifying a first display region;

means for receiving a user command signal indicating that the first GUI box is to be transformed back to a displayed state from the hidden state and in response displaying the first GUI box in accordance with the information identifying the first display region.

46. The computer system of claim 45 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises a dock identification.

47. The computer system of claim 46 wherein the information identifying the first display region further comprises a row identification for a row within the identified dock.

48. The computer system of claim 47 wherein the information identifying the first display region further comprises a position of the first GUI box within the identified row.

49. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises size information associated with the first GUI box.

50. A computer system for modifying a set of boundaries associated with a plurality of GUI boxes by executing a single user initiated GUI re-sizing operation, the computer system comprising:

means for selecting a re-sizing detection region disposed in a first location adjacent to a first GUI box and a second GUI box;

means for re-positioning the re-sizing detection region to a second location in accordance with a user initiated command; and

means for defining a new set of boundaries for the first GUI box and the second GUI box in accordance with a value corresponding to the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

51. The computer system of claim 50 wherein the re-sizing detection region is disposed between the first GUI box and the second GUI box in a row, and wherein the computer system further comprises means for determining a new along dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with a value corresponding to the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

52. The computer system of claim 50 wherein the re-sizing detection region is disposed along a row including both the first GUI box and the second GUI box, and wherein the computer system further comprises means for determining a new across dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with a value corresponding to the re-positioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

53. The computer system of claim 50 wherein the first GUI box is associated with a first dock disposed on a first boundary of a primary GUI box, the second GUI box is associated with a second dock disposed on a second boundary of the primary GUI box perpendicular to the first boundary, and the re-sizing detection region is disposed on an edge of the second GUI box parallel to the second boundary of the primary GUI box, said computer system further comprising means for determining a new along dimension for the first GUI box in accordance with a value corresponding to the repositioning of the re-sizing detection region to the second location.

54. The computer system of claim 53 further comprising the steps of:

means for receiving a command re-sizing the dimension of the primary GUI box; and

means for re-sizing the along dimension of at least a one of the first and second docks while maintaining the across dimension of both the first and second docks.

55. A graphical user interface (GUI) box dock, associated with a primary GUI box, for facilitating sizing and placement of a plurality of GUI boxes within the primary GUI box by executing a single user interface re-sizing operation, the GUI box dock comprising:

a first docking region containing a re-sizeable first GUI box and a second GUI box associated with the dock; and

a first re-sizing detection region disposed adjacent the re-sizeable first GUI box enabling a user to modify a dimension of the re-sizeable first GUI box as well as the absolute GUI positions of boundaries for the re-sizeable first GUI box and the second GUI box by re-positioning the first re-sizing detection region.

56. The GUI box dock of claim 55 wherein the first re-sizing detection region comprises a major splitter detection region disposed along a row containing both the re-sizeable first GUI box and the second GUI box, said major splitter detection region facilitating the adjusting of the across dimension of all re-sizeable GUI boxes via a single re-positioning of the major splitter detection region in accordance with a user command.

57. The GUI box dock of claim 55 wherein the first re-sizing detection region comprises a minor splitter detection region disposed between the re-sizeable first GUI box and a second GUI box, said minor splitter detection region adjusting the along dimension of at least the re-sizeable first GUI box.

58. A method for arranging re-sizeable graphical user interface (GUI) boxes on a GUI having at least one dock, the size of the re-sizeable GUI boxes being alterable by means of re-sizing zones associated with edges of the GUI boxes when the GUI boxes are not associated with a dock, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an interval on one dimension of a first docking region on a dock for displaying a first GUI box; and

re-sizing a GUI box associated with the at least one dock without manipulation by a user of a one of the re-sizing zones associated with the GUI box in order to display the first GUI box within the interval.

59. A method for arranging graphical user interface (GUI) display elements on a GUI having at least one automatic GUI display element arrangement region, the size of the GUI display elements being alterable by means of re-sizing zones associated with edges of the GUI display elements when the GUI display elements are not associated with an automatic GUI display element arrangement region, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an interval on one dimension of a first region on an automated GUI display element arrangement region for displaying a first GUI box; and

re-sizing a GUI display element associated with the at least one automatic GUI display element arrangement region without manipulation by a user of a one of the re-sizing zones associated with the GUI display element in order to display the first GUI display element within the interval.

60. A method for hiding and replacing a GUI box associated with an automatic GUI box arrangement region comprising the steps of:

transforming the display state of the GUI box to a hidden state and storing in a dock placement field information identifying a first display region for the GUI box, the information identifying a first display region including at least a row identification;

receiving a user command signal indicating that the GUI box is to be transformed back to a displayed state from the hidden state and in response displaying the first GUI box in accordance with the information identifying the first display region.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises a dock identification.

62. The method of claim 60 wherein the information identifying the first display region further comprises a position of the first GUI box within the identified row.

63. The method of claim 60 wherein the information identifying the first display region comprises size information associated with the first GUI box.