User interface control for creating split panes in a single window

• US 6,310,631 B1
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spall, Roger P., Cecco, Robert, Merks, Eduardus A. T., Wulkan, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/843,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 345/340-347, 345/798, 345/799, 345/800, 345/792
• US Class Current: 715/792
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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

An improved method is disclosed for creating and sizing panes within a window of a display screen of a computer system as part of an interactive graphical user interface. Grab handles are positioned in the borders of the panes. When a grab handle of a pane is selected by user interaction, an adjustable rectangular form is created on the screen which represents a new pane. The existing pane is split in an arbitrary manner. The size of the new pane can be varied so as to include areas of the screen from other existing panes. The existing panes are then reconfigured so as to be accommodated on the screen along with the newly created pane.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the size and number of panes in a window on a display screen within a data processing system, wherein said data processing system includes a user control for manipulating a cursor on said display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a hierarchical tiling of a window on said display screen including a plurality of existing panes and a first pane having a pane modification means;

activating said pane modification means in response to a manipulation of said user control;

displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position adjacent to said first pane in response to an activation of said pane modification means;

altering the size and position of said rectangular form to occupy an area of said window within an existing pane in response to a manipulation of said user control;

displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area; and

automatically repositioning and proportionally resizing said plurality of existing panes within said hierarchical tiling of said window to accommodate said new pane.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying a hierarchical tiling of a window on said display screen comprises the step of altering the appearance of said cursor upon movement of said cursor over said pane modification means.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said user control comprises a mouse including a button,

said step of activating said pane modification means comprises the step of depressing said button while said cursor is positioned over said pane modification means; and

said step of displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window comprises the step of releasing said button.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pane modification means comprises a grab handle,

said step of displaying a hierarchical tiling of a window on said display screen comprises the step of displaying said grab handle within a border of said first pane;

and

said step of displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position comprises the step of displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position adjacent to said border of said first pane.

5. A method for inserting a pane into a hierarchical tiling of a window on a display screen within a data processing system, wherein said data processing system includes a user control for manipulating a cursor on said display screen, and said hierarchical tiling includes a plurality of existing panes, wherein said plurality of existing panes includes a first pane having a pane modification means, said method comprising the steps of:

activating said pane modification means in response to a manipulation of said user control;

displaying a rectangular form having a variable size adjacent to said first pane in response to an activation of said pane modification means;

altering the size of said rectangular form to occupy an area of said window included within one or more of said plurality of existing panes in response to a manipulation of said user control;

displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area; and

automatically proportionally resizing said plurality of existing panes within said hierarchical tiling to accommodate said new pane such that the relative sizes of each of said plurality of existing panes remains the same.

6. A data processing system for controlling the size and number of panes in a hierarchical tiling of a window comprising:

a display screen;

a user control for manipulating a cursor on said display screen;

means for displaying a plurality of existing panes and a first pane having a pane modification means within said hierarchical tiling;

means for activating said pane modification means in response to a manipulation of said user control;

means for displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position adjacent to said first pane in response to an activation of said pane modification means;

means for altering the size and position of said rectangular form to occupy an area of said window within an existing pane in response to a manipulation of said user control;

means for displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area; and

automatically repositioning and proportionally resizing said plurality of existing panes within said hierarchical tiling of said window to accommodate said new pane.

7. The data processing system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the appearance of said cursor is altered upon movement of said cursor over said pane modification means.

8. The data processing system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said user control comprises a mouse including a button.

9. The data processing system as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said pane modification means comprises a grab handle within a border of said first pane; and

said means for displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position comprises means for displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position adjacent to said border of said first pane.

10. A program product for controlling the size and number of panes in a window on a display screen within a data processing system, wherein said data processing system includes a user control for manipulating a cursor on said display screen, said program product comprising:

a data processing system usable medium; and

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for displaying a plurality of existing panes and a first pane having a pane modification means within said hierarchical tiling;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for activating said pane modification means in response to a manipulation of said user control;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for displaying a rectangular form having a variable size and position adjacent to said first pane in response to an activation of said pane modification means;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for altering the size and position of said rectangular form to occupy an area of said window within an existing pane in response to a manipulation of said user control;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area; and

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for automatically repositioning and proportionally resizing said plurality of existing panes within said hierarchical tiling of said window to accommodate said new pane.

11. The program product as set forth in claim 10, said program product further comprising program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for altering the appearance of said cursor upon movement of said cursor over said pane modification means.

12. The program product as set forth in claim 10, wherein said user control comprises a mouse including a button,

said program code means for activating said pane modification means comprises program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for activating said pane modification means in response to a depression of said button while said cursor is positioned over said pane modification means; and

said program code means for displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window comprises program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, far displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area in response to a release of said button.

13. A program product for inserting a pane into a hierarchical tiling of a window on a display screen within a data processing system, wherein said data processing system includes a user control for manipulating a cursor on said display screen, and said hierarchical tiling includes a plurality of existing panes, wherein said plurality of existing panes includes a first pane having a pane modification means, said program product comprising:

a data processing system usable medium;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for activating said pane modification means in response to a manipulation of said user control;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for displaying a rectangular form having a variable size adjacent to said first pane in response to an activation of said pane modification means;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for altering the size of said rectangular form to occupy an area of said window included within one or more of said plurality of existing panes in response to a manipulation of said user control;

program code means, encoded within said data processing system usable medium, for displaying a new pane within said hierarchical tiling of said window within said area; and

automatically proportionally resizing said plurality of existing panes within said hierarchical tiling of said window to accommodate said new pane such that the relative sizes of each of said plurality of existing panes remains the same.