System and method for producing a drag-and-drop object from a popup menu item
DCFirst Claim
1. A machine-implemented method for using choice-items presented in a choice-listing menu for functions other than choice-item selection or choice-item activation, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting selection of a presented choice-item;
(b) identifying object specifications of the selected choice-item;
(c) detecting special keying on the selected choice-item, where the special keying indicates a request for producing a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item; and
(d) using the identified object specifications of the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on to generate a drag-and-drop object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided in conjunction with a graphical user interface (GUI) for producing drag-and-drop objects (317b) from one or more choice-items (317a) presented in a choice-listing menu of a source application program (314). The so-produced drag-and-drop object is dropped onto a receiving area (312c) and acquires new functionality based on the source of the choice-item and on the nature of the receiving area. A filename presented as a choice-item in a history portion of a FILE menu for example may be converted into a drag-and-drop object and dropped on an open desktop area. The dropped object (319) may be then activated to automatically launch the source application program and to automatically open the file identified by the original choice-item.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented method for using choice-items presented in a choice-listing menu for functions other than choice-item selection or choice-item activation, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting selection of a presented choice-item; (b) identifying object specifications of the selected choice-item; (c) detecting special keying on the selected choice-item, where the special keying indicates a request for producing a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item; and (d) using the identified object specifications of the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on to generate a drag-and-drop object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A machine-implemented method for use with a plurality of choice-items presented in one or more choice-listing menus, wherein choice-items can be normally keyed on to invoke respective normal functions associated with the choice-items, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; and (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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11. A machine-implemented method for use with a plurality of choice-items presented in one or more choice-listing menus, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on; (c) allowing the generated drag-and-drop object to be dropped on a user-selected receiving area; and (d) producing in the user-selected receiving area, a dropped object having properties defined by the user-selected receiving area and by the source area. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An instructing device adapted for passing execution instructions to an instructable machine, wherein the instructable machine uses choice-items presented in one or more choice-listing menus, wherein choice-items can be normally keyed on to invoke respective normal functions associated with the choice-items, said execution instructions including instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; and (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on.
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21. A computer system comprising:
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(a) display means for displaying a plurality of graphical items including a graphical desktop layer, one or more overlying, graphical windows and a user-movable cursor, wherein at least one of the windows occasionally contains a choice-listing menu presenting a plurality of selectable choice-items; (b) a graphically-oriented user input device for manipulating one or more of said graphical items; and (c) graphical user interface means for detecting and processing graphically oriented manipulations and producing corresponding results, said graphical user interface means including; (c.1) hot key detecting means for detecting special keying by a user on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; and (c.2) object generating means for generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on.
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31. A machine-implemented method for use with a plurality of choice-items presented in one or more, popped choice-listing menus, wherein said popped choice-listing menus are each temporarily presented in a display area and retracted after use, and wherein such use can include a normal keying on one of the presented choice-items for invoking a respective normal function associated with the normally keyed-on choice-item, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a presented choice-item, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the specially-keyed-on choice-item away from the corresponding choice-listing menu; and (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A manufactured instructing signal for conveying instructions to an instructable machine, wherein the instructable machine displays choice-items presented in one or more choice-listing menus, wherein choice-items can be normally keyed on to invoke respective normal functions associated with the choice-items, said conveyed instructions including instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; and (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on.
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42. A manufactured instructing signal for conveying instructions to an instructable machine, wherein the instructable machine provides a plurality of choice-items presented in one or more, popped choice-listing menus, wherein said popped choice-listing menus are each temporarily presented in a display area and retracted after use, and wherein such use can include a normal keying on one of the presented choice-items for invoking a respective normal function associated with the normally keyed-on choice-item, said conveyed instructions including instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a presented choice-item, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the specially-keyed-on choice-item away from the corresponding choice-listing menu; and (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on.
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43. A machine-implemented method for use with a plurality of choice-items presented in one or more choice-listing menus of a first application program, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting special keying on a selected choice-item that is displayed in a source area within an opened choice-listing menu of the first application program, where the special keying indicates a request for dragging the selected choice-item away from of the opened choice-listing menu; (b) generating a drag-and-drop object from the selected choice-item that was specially keyed on; (c) allowing the generated drag-and-drop object to be dropped on a receiving area of a second application program; and (d) producing in the receiving area of the second application program, a dropped object having properties defined by the receiving area. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification