Process for identifying and capturing text

• US 5,960,114 A
• Filed: 10/28/1996
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Motika, Franco, Forlenza, Donato O., Dauerer, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US08/739,136
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 382/229, 382/231, 382/290, 382/310, 382/311, 395/600, 364/419.17, 364/192, 707/500, 707/513, 707/516, 707/524, 707/530, 707/531, 707/539
• US Class Current: 382/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A process for identifying and capturing text comprising the steps of identifying delimiters in the text, selecting delimiters from the identified delimiters to be delimiters to the left and right of the selected text, indicating only one character of the text between the left and right delimiters, and automatically blocking and capturing the text having the indicated character. In an alternate embodiment, the process comprises the steps of identifying delimiters in the text that are to the left and to the right of a cursor and identifying the position of the delimiters relative to the cursor, specifying at least one particular delimiter position relative to the cursor, indicating only one character of the text between the cursor and the specified delimiter position, and automatically blocking and capturing the text having the indicated character.

Claims

1. A process for identifying and capturing text comprising the steps of:

a) identifying delimiters in the text;

b) defining and selecting at least two unmatched delimiters different from the delimiters identified in step (a) to be delimiters to the left and right of a cursor,

wherein the plurality of delimiters between the cursor and the selected delimiter to the left of the cursor may not equal the plurality of delimiters between the cursor and the selected delimiter to the right of the cursor;

c) indicating only one character of selected text between the selected delimiters; and

d) automatically blocking and capturing the selected text between the selected delimiters.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein identifying step (a) includes displaying the delimiters to the left and right of the selected text.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein indicating step (c) comprises pointing to the character with a pointing device.

4. A process for identifying and capturing text comprising the steps of:

a) identifying delimiters in the text;

b) specifying at least one delimiter different from the delimiters identified in step (a) relative to the cursor;

c) indicating only one character of the text between the cursor and the delimiter specified in step (b); and

d) automatically blocking and capturing the text having the character indicated in step (c).

5. The process according to claim 4 wherein specifying step (b) comprises specifying the at least one delimiter relative to the cursor.

6. The process according to claim 4 further comprising the following steps:

e) indicating only one character of the text between the delimiters specified in step (b); and

f) automatically blocking the text to include only the text between the cursor and the delimiters specified in step (b) and automatically capturing the blocked text.

7. The process according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

e) specifying an additional delimiter relative to the cursor such that the additional delimiter is between the cursor and the delimiter specified in step (b);

f) indicating only one character of the text between the additional delimiter and the cursor; and

g) automatically contracting the blocked text to include only the text between the cursor and the additional delimiter and automatically capturing the blocked text.

8. The process according to claim 4 wherein expanding step (f) comprises activating a pointing device to automatically expand and capture the blocked text to include the text up to the additional delimiter.

9. A process for identifying and capturing at least one character string or at least one group of character strings, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting various types of logic for identifying a predetermined set of conditions of the identified character strings and groups of character strings, wherein said logic identifies at least one character string or at least one group of character strings;

b) selecting a character string or a group of character strings from the character strings or group character strings identified in step (a), wherein the character string selected is a variation of the character string identified;

c) indicating only one character of the selected character string or group of character strings within the text; and

d) automatically blocking and capturing the entire selected character string or group of character strings having any one of the predetermined set of conditions.

10. The process according to claim 9 wherein indicating step (c) comprises pointing to the character with a pointing device.

11. The process according to claim 10 wherein the pointing step comprises positioning a cursor on the character.

12. The process according to claim 9 wherein step (d) comprises automatically blocking and capturing only the character string or group of character strings having the character indicated in step (c).

13. The process according to claim 9 wherein step (d) comprises automatically blocking and capturing all character strings or groups of character strings identified in step (a).

14. The process according to claim 9 wherein identifying step (a) includes displaying the character string or group of character strings.

15. The process according to claim 9 further including the step of deleting the character string or group of character strings automatically blocked and captured in step (d).

16. The process according to claim 9 further including the step of moving the character string or group of character strings automatically blocked and captured in step (d).

17. The process according to claim 9 further including the step of copying the character string or group of character strings automatically blocked and captured in step (d).

18. A process for identifying and capturing text comprising the steps of:

a) determining if delimiters are to be identified in the text;

b) implementing a first sub-process if in step (a), it is determined that delimiters are not to be identified, the first sub-process comprising the steps of;

identifying at least one character string or at least one group of character strings and selecting various types of logic for identifying a predetermined set of conditions of the identified character strings and groups of character strings,

selecting a character string or a group of character strings from the identified character strings or identified group of character strings,

indicating only one character of the selected character string or group of character strings within the text, and

automatically blocking and capturing the entire selected character string or group of character strings having any one of the predetermined set of conditions;

c) determining if delimiters are to define the selected text to be identified and captured;

d) implementing a second sub-process if it is determined in step (c) that delimiters are to define the selected text, the second sub-process comprising the steps of;

identifying delimiters in the text,

defining and selecting at least two unmatched delimiters different from the delimiters identified in step (a) to be delimiters to the left and right of a cursor, wherein the plurality of delimiters between the cursor and the selected delimiter to the left of the cursor may not equal the plurality of delimiters between the cursor and the selected delimiter to the right of the cursor,

indicating only one character of selected text between the selected delimiters, and

automatically blocking and capturing the selected text between the selected delimiters; and

e) implementing a third sub-process if it is determined in step (d) delimiters are not to define the selected text, the third sub-process comprising the steps of;

identifying delimiters in the text;

specifying at least one delimiter relative to the cursor;

indicating only one character of the text between the cursor and the delimiter specified in step (b), and

automatically blocking and capturing the text having the character indicated in step (c).