Method and apparatus for improved interaction with an application program according to data types and actions performed by the application program

• US 6,212,577 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson Moller, Elizabeth Ann, Johnston, Robert George Jr., Stern, Mark Ludwig
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/003,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 709/300, 709/302, 709/310-332
• US Class Current: 719/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing actions while selecting objects on a user interface display. A user may select a first item in an area of a display controlled by a first process and drag that item to a second area on a display controlled by a second process. The second process may negotiate with the first process to provide certain data types, and based upon those data types, the second process will determine a list of actions in hierarchical fashion which may be performed upon the data. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, printing, sending electronic mail, and performing other actions in the computer system. Alternative and primary actions may also be specified by a user, such as by selecting various keys on a keyboard or other input device. Further, a user may specify that the second process display a list of actions which may be performed upon the selected item and allow the user to select an action from a list.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating data between application programs in a computer-controlled display system comprising:

a. a user selecting a first item in a first window, said first window under control of a first process, said first process capable of providing data from the first item to a receiving process a plurality of formats, the first process capable of using data for a purpose other than conversion;

b. said user dragging said selected first item to a second window, said second window under control of a second process, said second process comprising at least one action the second process is capable of performing, each action specified to perform using data in at least one associated format, one of the at least one action identified as a primary action, the second process capable of utilizing data for purposes other than conversion of data;

c. said user deselecting said selected first item while said first item is located at said second window;

d. communicating to the second process formats in which first data from said first item can be provided by the first process;

e. said second process receiving an identification of the formats in which first data from said first item can be provided and determining if said second process can perform the primary action based upon a first data from the first item in the first format of the formats in which first data from said first item cane provide; and

f. if the second process can perform the primary action based upon the first data from the first item in the first format,

i. notifying the first process to communicate the first data in the first format to the second process,

ii. said first process communicating the first data in the first format to the second process, and

iii. said second process receiving first data from said first process in said first format and performing said primary action using the first data in said first format received from said first process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second process comprises a plurality of different actions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises a primary state and an alternate state of operation, parts e and f performed only when the method is in the primary state, and when the method is in the alternate state, the method further comprising:

g. the second process receiving an identification of the formats in which first data from the first item can be provided, and determining if the second process can perform an alternate action based upon the first data from the first item in a second format of the formats in which first data from the first item can be provided; and

h. if the second process can perform the alternate action based upon the first data from the first item in the second format,

i. notifying the first process to communicate the first data in the second format to the second process,

ii. the first process communicating the first data in the second format to the second process, and

iii. the second process receiving first data from the first process in the second format and performing the alternate action using the first data in the second format received from the first process.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

g. if the second process cannot perform the primary action based upon the first data from the first item in the first format and the second process can perform the alternate action based upon the first data from the first item in the first format,

i. notifying the first process to communicate the first data in the first format to the second process,

ii. the first process communicating the first data in the first format to the second process, and

iii. the second process receiving the first data in the first format and performing the alternate action using the first data in the first format.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said second process further comprises an alternate action the second process is capable of performing, said alternate action performed using data in a second format.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises a first state and a second state of operation, said steps e and f performed only when said method is in said first state, and when said method is in the second state, said method further comprising:

g. displaying a list of executable actions, said executable actions determined from said plurality of actions which can be performed by said second process using said formats communicated by the first process;

h. said user selecting a desired action from said list of plurality of actions; and

i. said second process performing said desired action using the first data in the associated format.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the alternate action state is specified by said user using an input means.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said formats communicated to the second process include the second format, said method further comprising

g. if the second process cannot perform the primary action base upon the first data from the first item in the first format and the second process can perform the alternate action based upon the first data from the first item in the second format

i. notifying the first process to communicate the first data in the second format to the second process,

ii. said first process communicating the first data in the second format to the second process, and

iii. said second process receiving the first data in the second format and performing the alternate action using the first data in the second format.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said primary action moves said first item in a file system of said computer-controlled display system, and said alternate action copies said first item in said file system.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein said primary action comprises moving said first item from one location in the first window to another location in the second window in a file system of said computer-controlled display system, and said alternate action comprises making a copy of said first item from the first window to said second window in said file system.

11. The method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising

the user selecting the state using an input device.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said input means comprises a key on a user-actuated keyboard coupled to said computer controlled display system.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said input means comprises displaying a list of a plurality of actions which may be performed by said second process using said first item, said user specifying said alternate action from said list.

14. An apparatus for manipulating data between application programs in a computer-controlled display system comprising:

a first process operating in the computer-controlled display system, said process capable of providing data from a first item in a plurality of formats to a receiving process, the first process capable of using data for a purpose other than conversion;

a first window, said first window under control of the first process;

a second process operating on the computer-controlled display system, said second process comprising at least one action Me second process is capable of performing, each action specified to perform data in at least one associated format, one of the at least one action identified as a primary action, the second process capable of using data for purposes other than conversion of data;

a second window, under control of the second process;

a selection device for a user selecting a first item in the first window, dragging said selected first item to a second window and deselecting said selected first item while said first item is located at said selected window;

said first process, communicating to the second process formats in which first data from said first item can be provided;

said second process receiving the formats in which first data from said first item can be provided, and determining if said second process can perform a primary action based upon data from the first item in one of the formats specified by the first process, and, if so, receiving data in the format associated with the primary action and performing said primary action using the data of said first item in said format associated with the primary action received from said first process.

15. A method of manipulating data between application programs in a computer-controlled display system comprising:

a user selecting a first item in a first window, the first window under control of a first process, the first process capable of providing data from the first item to a receiving process in a plurality of formats, the first process capable of using data for a purpose other than conversion;

the user dragging the selected first item to a second window, the second window under control of a second process, the second process comprising a plurality of actions the second process is capable of performing, each action specified to perform using data in at least one associated format, the second process capable of using data for purposes other than conversion of data;

the user deselecting the selected first item while the first item is located at the second window;

communicating to the second process an identification of formats in which first data from the first item can be provided;

the second process receiving the identification of formats in which first data from the first item may be provided;

the second process determining an action of the plurality of actions having an associated format that is one of the formats in which first data from the first item can be provided;

notifying the first process to communicate the first data in the associated format to the second process;

the first process communicating the first data in the associated format to the second process; and

the second process receiving first data from the first process in the associated format and performing the action determined using the first data in the associated format received from the first process.