Graphical interface method, apparatus and application for opening window of all designated container objects

• US 6,104,395 A
• Filed: 08/14/1996
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Alimpich, Claudia C., Goddard, Joan Stagaman, Wittig, James Philip, Yang, Rachel Youngran, Vo, Minh Trong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/696,749
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 345/340, 345/343, 345/348, 345/346, 345/356, 345/342, 345/345
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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

The invention is carried out in the following environment. The computer system has at least a visual operator interface, an operating system for operating applications within the computer system, and memory for storing at least part, preferably all, of an application. The present invention is of an application, apparatus, and method for selecting multiple container objects whose contents are to be viewed, and displaying in one window the contents of all of the selected container objects, as opposed to displaying one window for objects associated with each selected container object.

Claims

1. A computer system for displaying in one window contents of multiple selected container objects comprising:

a display device;

storage areas storing device objects and data objects accessible to the computer system;

a visual operator interface, comprising;

(i) means for defining a container object by selectively grouping, with the visual operator interface means, at least one object that is a member of the set of user selectable objects comprising device objects and data objects stored in any storage area accessible to the computer system; and

(ii) means for selecting container objects; and

means for displaying in a single window displayed on the display device the objects grouped by all of the selected container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects, and wherein at least two objects from the first and second container objects are capable of being selected and operated upon at the same time while displayed in the single window.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the visual operator interface further comprises means for performing operations on at least one of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the visual operator interface further comprises means for performing operations on all of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the visual operator interface further comprises means for scrolling contents of the single window to display all the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the visual operator interface further comprises means for including a device object in more than one container object.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein there are at least three container objects, wherein the means for selecting container objects further comprises means for selecting two of the at least three container objects.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the means for displaying the objects grouped by the selected container objects further comprises means for displaying each object grouped in the selected container object such that no displayed object obstructs the display of another object.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a same operation is selected to be performed on the selected at least two objects from the first and second container objects selected at the same time.

9. A method for displaying in one window the contents of multiple selected container objects implemented within a computer system having at least a visual operator interface, an operating system for controlling the operation of applications within the computer system, memory for storing at least part of an application, and storage areas storing device objects and data objects accessible to the computer system, the method comprising:

defining, in response to user input from the visual operator interface, a container object by selectively grouping at least one object that is a member of the set of user selectable objects comprising device objects and data objects stored in any storage area accessible to the computer system;

selecting, in response user input from the visual operator interface, container objects; and

displaying in a single window the objects grouped by all of the selected container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects, and wherein at least two objects from the first and second container objects are capable of being selected and operated upon at the same time while displayed in the single window.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of performing operations on at least one of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of performing operations on all of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of scrolling contents of the single window to display all the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of including a device object in more than one container object.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein there are at least three container objects, wherein the step of selecting container objects comprises the step of selecting two of the at least three container objects.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the objects grouped by the selected container objects further comprises the step of displaying each object grouped in the selected container object such that no displayed object obstructs the display of another object.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein a same operation is selected to be performed on the selected at least two objects from the first and second container objects selected at the same time.

17. An application program for use in programming a computer system to display in one graphical window displayed on a display device contents of multiple selected container objects, wherein the application program is comprised of a computer usable medium that includes at least one computer program that causes the computer system to perform:

defining, in response to input from a visual operator interface, a container object by selectively grouping at least one object that is a member of the set of user selectable objects comprising device objects and data objects stored in any storage area accessible to the computer system;

selecting, in response to input from the visual operator interface, container objects; and

displaying in a single window the objects grouped by all of the selected container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects, and wherein at least two objects from the first and second container objects are capable of being selected and operated upon at the same time while displayed in the single window.

18. The application program of claim 17, further comprising the step of performing operations on at least one of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

19. The application program of claim 17, further comprising the step of performing operations on all of the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

20. The application program of claim 17, further comprising the step of scrolling contents of the single window to display all the objects grouped by the selected container objects.

21. The application program of claim 17, further comprising the step of including a device object in more than one container object.

22. The application program of claim 17, wherein there are at least three container objects, wherein the step of selecting container objects comprises the step of selecting two of the at least three container objects.

23. The application program of claim 17, wherein the step of displaying the objects grouped by the selected container objects further comprises the step of displaying each object grouped in the selected container object such that no displayed object obstructs the display of another object.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein a same operation is selected to be performed on the selected at least two objects from the first and second container objects selected at the same time.

25. A computer system for displaying in one window contents of multiple selected container objects comprising:

a display device;

storage areas storing device objects and data objects accessible to the computer system;

a visual operator interface, comprising;

(i) means for defining, with the visual operator interface means, a first container object including objects associated with a first application program and a second container object including objects associated with a second application program; and

(ii) means for selecting the first and second container objects; and

means for displaying in a single window displayed on the display device all the objects grouped within the selected first and second container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects associated with one of the first and second application programs are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects.

26. A method for displaying in one window the contents of multiple selected container objects implemented within a computer system having at least a visual operator interface, an operating system for controlling the operation of applications within the computer system, memory for storing at least part of an application, and storage areas storing device objects and data objects accessible to the computer system, the method comprising:

defining, in response to input from the visual operator interface, a first container object including objects associated with a first application program and a second container object including objects associated with a second application program; and

selecting, in response to input from the visual operator interface, the first and second container objects; and

displaying in a single window displayed on the display device all the objects grouped within the selected first and second container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects associated with one of the first and second application programs are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects.

27. An application program for use in programming a computer system to display in one graphical window displayed on a display device contents of multiple selected container objects, wherein the application program is comprised of a computer usable medium that includes at least one computer program that causes the computer system to perform:

defining, in response to input from the visual operator interface, a first container object including objects associated with a first application program and a second container object including objects associated with a second application program; and

selecting, in response to input from the visual operator interface, the first and second container objects; and

displaying in a single window displayed on the display device all the objects grouped within the selected first and second container objects, wherein no two of the displayed objects associated with one of the first and second application programs are displayed in separate sub-windows within the single window displaying all of the objects.