Graphical interface method, apparatus and application for creating a list from pre-defined and user-defined values

• US 5,982,367 A
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Neuhard, Deborah E., Goddard, Joan Stagaman, Wittig, James Philip, Yang, Rachel Youngran, Vo, Minh Trong, Alimpich, Claudia C., Steinmeyer, Cheryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US09/097,448
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters

Abstract

A graphical user interface may used to construct a list from pre-defined and user-defined printer values. Predefined values may be added or removed through a dialog box by selecting or deselecting values. New user-defined values may added by filling in a value in the add value dialog. An existing value may be modified by selecting a modify push-button. In response to selecting the modify push-button, a value may be edited in a modify value dialog. Adding, removing, modifying, and deleting printer values may be performed by user interaction with various push-buttons and dialog boxes.

Claims

1. A method for creating a window displaying user defined printer values in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a computer monitor attached to a computer, wherein an input device in communication with the computer is used to control display operations in the GUI, wherein a printer is in communication with the computer, comprising the steps of:

displaying a first window of pre-defined printer values;

selecting, with the input device, at least one pre-defined printer value displayed in the first window;

displaying in a second window the selected pre-defined printer value;

modifying, with the input device, the pre-defined printer value displayed in the second window;

displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window; and

processing with the computer the modified pre-defined printer value to control printer operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the pre-defined printer value comprises changing the displayed name of the modified pre-defined printer value from a first name to a second name, and wherein the step of displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window comprises displaying the second name of the modified pre-defined printer value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of processing the modified pre-defined printer value having the second name generates the same printer operation outcome as processing the pre-defined printer value having the first name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the pre-defined printer value comprises creating a copy of the predefined printer value, wherein the step of displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window comprises displaying both the copy of the pre-defined printer value and the pre-defined printer value in the second window.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of changing a displayed name of the copy of the predefined printer value from a first name to a second name, wherein the step of displaying both the copy of the pre-defined printer value and the pre-defined printer value comprises displaying the pre-defined printer value with the first name and displaying the copy of the pre-defined printer value with the second name.

6. A system for modifying user defined printer values, comprising:

a computer;

an input device in communication with the computer for entering data into the computer;

a display screen in communication with the computer, wherein the display screen displays a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the input device is capable of controlling display operations in the GUI;

a printer in communication with the computer;

program logic executed by the computer, including;

(i) means for displaying a first window of pre-defined printer values;

(ii) means for accepting a selection, with the input device, of at least one pre-defined printer value displayed in the first window;

(iii) means for displaying in a second window the selected pre-defined printer values;

(iv) means for modifying the pre-defined printer value displayed in the second window;

(v) means for displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window; and

(vi) means for processing the modified pre-defined printer value to control printer operations.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the program logic further comprises:

means for changing the displayed name of the pre-defined printer value from a first name to a second name; and

means for displaying the second name of the pre-defined printer value.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for processing the modified pre-defined printer value having the second name generates the same printer operation outcome as processing the pre-defined printer value having the first name.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the program logic further comprises:

means for creating a copy of the predefined printer value; and

means for displaying both the copy of the pre-defined printer value and the pre-defined printer value in the second window.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the program logic further includes:

means for changing a displayed name of the copy of the predefined printer value from a first name to a second name; and

means for displaying the pre-defined printer value with the first name and displaying the copy of the pre-defined printer value with the second name in the second window.

11. An article of manufacture for use in programming a computer to allow a user to control the display of printer values in a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display monitor controlled by the computer, the article of manufacture comprising at least one computer readable storage device including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform the steps of:

displaying a first window of pre-defined printer values;

indicating the selection, in response to data entered by an input device in communication with the computer, of at least one pre-defined printer value displayed in the first window;

displaying in a second window the selected pre-defined printer value;

modifying, in response to data entered by the input device, the pre-defined printer value displayed in the second window;

displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window; and

processing the modified pre-defined printer value to control the operation of the printer.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the step of modifying the pre-defined printer value comprises causing the computer, in response to data entered by the input device, to change the displayed name of the modified pre-defined printer value from a first name to a second name, and wherein the step of displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window comprises the computer displaying the second name of the modified pre-defined printer value.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the step of the computer processing the modified pre-defined printer value having the second name comprises the computer generating the same printer operation outcome as processing the pre-defined printer value having the first name would cause the computer to generate.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the step of modifying the predefined printer value comprises causing the computer, in response to data entered by the input device, to create a copy of the predefined printer value, wherein the step of displaying the modified pre-defined printer value in the second window comprises displaying both the copy of the pre-defined printer value and the pre-defined printer value in the second window.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, further comprises causing the computer, in response to data entered by the input device, to change a displayed name of the copy of the predefined printer value from a first name to a second name, wherein the step of displaying both the copy of the pre-defined printer value and the pre-defined printer value comprises displaying the pre-defined printer value with the first name abd displaying the copy of the pre-defined printer value with the second name.