Method and apparatus for manipulating graphical objects in a data processing system

• US 6,137,487 A
• Filed: 02/24/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mantha, Murthy Lakshmana
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/806,230
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/173, 345/354, 345/348, 345/349, 382/187, 382/145, 382/173, 382/326, 382/334, 382/339, 382/348, 382/349, 382/351-54, 382/357
• US Class Current: 715/767
• 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 for providing visual cues for a graphical object displayed in a graphical user interface in a data processing system. The graphical object is displayed in a first state in which the graphical object includes text and a first color. The graphical object is displayed in a second state in response to a pointer being placed or displayed on the graphical object. In the second state, the graphical object is displayed with a second color in place of the first color, and the text has a variation in physical appearance. Additionally, a process for navigating graphical objects is provided in which the pointer is displayed on a graphical object and the pointer moves from one graphical object to another graphical object in response to the manipulation of a pointing device. The pointer, however, clips or jumps from graphical object to graphical object, rather than in a smooth movement in response to manipulation of the pointing device.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for displaying a graphical object, the method comprising:

displaying the graphical object in a first state wherein the graphical object in the first state includes text having a first shape, and further wherein the text having the first shape is a handwriting; and

displaying the graphical object in a second state, responsive to a pointer being moved over the graphical object, wherein the graphical object in the second state includes text having a second shape in place of the first shape.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical object in a first state is a first bitmap.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical object in a second state is a second bitmap.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the graphical object in a first state occurs in response to an absence of a pointer being displayed on the graphical object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of displaying the graphical object in a second state occurs in response to the pointer being displayed on the graphical object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical object is a button.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the graphical object in the first state includes a first color;

and

the graphical object in the second state includes a second color in place of the first color.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first size;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second size in place of the first size.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first font;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second font in place of the first font.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first handwriting;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second handwriting in place of the first handwriting.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first position;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second position in place of the first position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first size;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second size in place of the first size.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first font;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second font in place of the first font.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein

the text of the first state is displayed using a first handwriting;

and

the text of the second state is displayed using a second handwriting in place of the first handwriting.

15. A method in a data processing system for navigating a plurality of graphical objects, wherein each of the plurality of graphical objects includes at least one legend, and wherein the legend is hand written text and displayed within a graphical user interface using a pointer controlled by a pointing device, the method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

clipping the pointer to the first graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects;

displaying the pointer on a first graphical object; and

causing the pointer to jump, moving incongruent with respect to control exerted on the pointing device, from the first graphical object to a second graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects in response to a selected amount of manipulation of the pointing device used to move the pointer away from the first graphical object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects has normal state and a highlighted state, wherein in the normal state, each graphical object includes a first color and an unaltered legend and in the highlighted state, each graphical objects includes a second color in place of the first color and an altered legend.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the altered legend and the unaltered legend both include text in which the text in the altered legend has a variation in physical appearance from the unaltered legend.

18. A data processing system for displaying a graphical object, in graphical user interface, the data processing system comprising:

first display means for displaying the graphical object in a first state, wherein the graphical object in the first state includes text having a first shape and further wherein the text having the first shape is a handwriting;

second display means for displaying the graphical object in a second state, wherein the graphical object in the second state, includes text having a second shape in place of the first shape.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the first display means comprises means for displaying a first bitmap including text and a first color.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the second display means comprises means for displaying a second bitmap differing from the first bitmap in that text has a second shape in place of the first shape and the first color is replaced with a second color.

21. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the first display means in responsive to an absence of a pointer being displayed on the graphical object.

22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein second display means is responsive to a pointer being displayed on the graphical object.

23. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the graphical object is a button.

24. A data processing system for navigating a plurality of graphical objects, wherein each of the plurality of graphical objects includes at least one legend, and wherein the legend is hand written text and displayed within a graphical user interface using a pointer controlled by a pointing device comprising:

clipping means for clipping the pointer to the first graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects;

display means for displaying the pointer on a first graphical object; and

means for causing the pointer to jump, moving incongruent with respect to control exerted on the pointing device, from the first graphical object to a second graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects in response to a selected amount of manipulation of the pointing device used to move the pointer away from the first graphical object.

25. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein each graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects has normal state and a highlighted state, wherein in the normal state, each graphical object includes a first color and an unaltered legend and in the highlighted state, each graphical objects includes a second color in place of the first color and an altered legend.

26. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein the altered legend and the unaltered legend both include handwritten text in which the handwritten text in the altered legend has a variation in physical appearance from the unaltered legend.

27. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein the pointing device is a mouse.

28. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein each graphical object within the plurality of graphical objects has normal state and an active state, and further comprising:

means for changing states of a graphical object in response to manipulation of the pointing device used to move the pointer away from the first graphical object wherein the amount of manipulation is less than the selected amount of manipulation.

29. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein in the normal state, each graphical object includes a first color and an unaltered legend and in the active state, each graphical object includes an animated legend.

30. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein in the normal state, each graphical object includes a first color and an unaltered legend and in the active state, each graphical object includes a second color and an altered legend.

31. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein in the normal state, each graphical object includes a first color and an unaltered legend and in the active state, each graphical object includes a second color and an altered legend.

32. A computer program product for use with a data processing system for displaying a graphical object, in a graphical user interface, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium;

first instruction for displaying the graphical object in a first state, wherein the graphical object in the first state, includes text having a first shape and further wherein the text having the first shape is a handwriting; and

second instructions for displaying the graphical object in a second state, wherein the graphical object in the second state, includes text having a second shape in place of the first shape, wherein the instructions are embedded within the computer usable medium.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the computer useable medium is a hard disk drive.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the computer useable medium is a floppy disk.

35. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the computer useable medium is a digital communications link.

36. A method in a data processing system for displaying a graphical object, the method comprising:

displaying the graphical object in a first state wherein the graphical object in the first state includes text having a first origin and set of attributes, wherein the first origin includes at least one of hand written and machine generated; and

the attributes include at least one of text color, background color, animation, style, vector format, bit mapped, and transparency;

identifying pointer device movement;

responsive to a pointer device movement, moving a display pointer;

responsive to display pointer movement directed toward the graphical object, changing the first state of the graphical object to a second state;

determining if the display pointer position is on the graphical object; and

responsive to the display pointer position on the graphical object and responsive to a pointer device movement, changing the state of the graphical object to the third state; and

displaying the graphical object in a third state, wherein the graphical object in the third state includes text having a third an origin and a set of attributes, wherein the third origin includes one of hand written and machine generated, and the attributes include animation and at least one of text color, background color, stylized, vector format, bit mapped and transparency.

37. The method of claim 36, changing the state of the graphic object further comprises:

determining if the display pointer position is on the graphical object;

responsive to the display pointer moving on the graphical object, changing the state of the graphical object; and

responsive to the display pointer moving off the graphical object, changing the state of the graphical object.

38. The method of claim 36, changing the state of the graphic object further comprises:

determining if the display pointer position is on the graphical object; and

responsive to the display pointer position on the graphical object and responsive to a pointer device movement, changing the state of the graphical object.