Integrated dialog box for rapidly altering presentation of parametric text data objects on a computer display

• US 6,216,139 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1995
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Listou
• Original Assignee: Execware, LLC (IPNav)
• Inventors: Listou, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/561,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 395/764, 395/766, 395/769, 395/770, 395/604, 395/610, 395/603, 395/613, 395/340, 395/347, 395/348, 395/352, 364/146, 364/188, 707/503, 707/505, 707/508, 707/509, 707/4, 707/3, 707/10, 707/103, 707/102, 345/340, 345/347, 345/348, 345/352
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

An apparatus, method and article of manufacture of the present invention provide the ability to rapidly format and reformat tabular displays of records or text data objects organized according to the preferences of the user. The invention provides simplified, interactive means for naming categories or parameters associated with each text data object, for assigning values to each parameter for each text data object, and for constructing a sort order for displaying the text data objects. The features of the present invention allow a user, without need for specialized training or a user manual, rapidly to view the same or different sets of text data objects from differing perspectives, without cumbersome steps that could interrupt the user'"'"'s line of thought.

Claims

1. A method for using a computer system to sort and display text data objects, comprising the steps of:

a. imaging, on a display device controlled by the computer system, a query dialog box,

wherein the query dialog box displays each of a plurality of parameters associated with each of the text data objects, forms a plurality of spaces for listing values associated with each displayed parameter, and further forms a space for selecting a sort order;

b. designating, for each displayed parameter, a parameter value;

c. constructing a sort order from the displayed parameters in the space for selecting a sort order;

d. selecting, using the computer system, text data objects satisfying the designated values; and

e. sorting, using the computer system, the selected text data objects according to the constructed sort order.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of imaging on the display device controlled by the computer a list of the sorted text data objects.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

a. highlighting one of the listed sorted text data objects;

b. imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an edit dialog box forming spaces for revising data relating to the highlighted text data object; and

c. revising data relating to the highlighted text data object in the spaces formed by the edit dialog box.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of imaging the list of the sorted text data objects further comprises the step of displaying the names of the parameters as column headings for the text data objects.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a. imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an add dialog box forming spaces for creating a new text data object; and

b. creating the new text data object in the spaces provided by the add dialog box.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of text data objects forms a plurality of databases, wherein the computer system separately sorts each of the plurality of databases, and further comprising the step of associating each of the plurality of text data objects with at least one of the plurality of databases.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

a. imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an access dialog box for selecting a database from the plurality of databases; and

b. selecting a database from the plurality of databases.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a. imaging on the display device controlled by the computer a parameters dialog box for associating a name with each parameter and for associating each parameter with at least one text data object;

b. associating a name with each parameter; and

c. associating each parameter with at least one text data object.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of printing the sorted text data objects.

10. A computer system for sorting and displaying text data objects, comprising:

a. a display device controlled by the computer;

b. means for imaging, on the display device controlled by the computer system, a query dialog box,

wherein the query dialog box displays each of a plurality of parameters associated with each of the text data objects, forms a plurality of spaces for listing values associated with each displayed parameter, and further forms a space for selecting a sort order;

c. means for designating, for each displayed parameter, a parameter value;

d. means for constructing a sort order from the displayed list of parameters in the space for selecting a sort order;

e. means for selecting, using the computer system, text data objects satisfying the designated values; and

f. means for sorting, using the computer system, the selected text data objects according to the constructed sort order.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for imaging on the display device controlled by the computer a list of the sorted text data objects.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a. means for highlighting one of the listed sorted text data objects;

b. means for imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an edit dialog box forming spaces for revising data relating to the highlighted text data object; and

c. means for revising data relating to the highlighted text data object in the spaces formed by the edit dialog box.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for imaging the list of the sorted text data objects further comprises means for displaying the names of the parameters as column headings for the text data objects.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a. means for imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an add dialog box forming spaces for creating a new text data object; and

b. means for creating the new text data object in the spaces provided by the add dialog box.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of text data objects forms a plurality of databases, and further comprising:

a. means for using the computer system to separately sort each of the plurality of databases; and

b. means for associating each of the plurality of text data objects with at least one of the plurality of databases.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a. means for imaging on the display device controlled by the computer an access dialog box for selecting a database from the plurality of databases; and

b. means for selecting a database from the plurality of databases.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a. means for imaging on the display device controlled by the computer a parameters dialog box for associating a name with each parameter and for associating each parameter with at least one text data object;

b. means for associating a name with each parameter; and

c. means for associating each parameter with at least one text data object.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for printing the sorted text data objects.

19. A computer memory storage device encoded with a computer program for using a computer system to sort and display text data objects comprising:

a. means for imaging, on a display device controlled by the computer system, a query dialog box,

wherein the query dialog box displays each of a plurality of parameters associated with each of the text data objects, forms a plurality of spaces for listing values associated with each displayed parameter, and further forms a space for selecting a sort order;

b. means for designating, for each displayed parameter, a parameter value;

c. means for constructing a sort order from the displayed parameters in the space for selecting a sort order;

d. means for selecting, using the computer system, text data objects satisfying the designated values; and

e. means for sorting, using the computer system, the selected text data objects according to the constructed sort order.