Object oriented data arranger graphical user interface

• US 6,388,683 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1996
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kozakov, Lev, Keren, Mila, Kirchhofer, Richard, Ishai, Yuval, Kello, Christopher Thomas, Yehudai, Zvi Yosef
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/668,656
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 395/333, 395/335, 395/339, 395/348, 395/356, 395/349, 395/967, 395/968, 345/331, 345/333, 345/335, 345/347, 345/339, 345/348, 345/751, 345/762, 345/744, 345/764, 345/808, 345/835, 345/967, 345/968
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A graphical user interface permits a user to graphically designate a range within data files as input to operations that manipulate the data and permits the user to graphically represent operations that thereafter can be selected for execution. In this way, a user can graphically designate a range of records within a data file on which a desired data manipulation operation will occur and can graphically represent the desired data manipulation operation with a single icon that can be selected for execution.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer system having a display, one or more data storage devices, and an application program for manipulation of data files, the method comprising the steps of:

designating a sequence of user-specified application program data operations on one or more data files;

producing a selectable display task icon that represents the sequence of data operations; and

responding to user selection of the display task icon by executing the sequence of application program data operations on the data files;

wherein the step of designating includes designating a field range representing one or more data records contained in a data file that will be used as input to the data operations such that the execution of the data operations will occur on the designated field range.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the field range is designated graphically by the user.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the field range comprises data records contained in more than one data file.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the designated field range is represented by a display field range icon.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the field range icon can be incorporated into multiple task icons such that execution of the sequence of data operations specified by a task icon will occur on the designated field range incorporated into the selected task icon.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of designating an output format for the data operations executed by selection of a task icon.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the step of designating an output format includes specifying filter parameters that include or exclude output information specified by a user.

8. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the step of designating an output format includes specifying output data files in which the output information will be contained.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of designating an input format that includes user-specified data file information.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of designating an input format includes specifying data files from one or more data storage devices specified by the user.

11. A method of executing an application program to permit user manipulation of data contained in data files of a computer system having a display and one or more data storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:

designating a data file of the computer system for manipulation;

receiving a user definition of a field range portion of the designated data file for input to a selected sequence of manipulation operations of the application program;

providing a selectable display task icon that encapsulates the data file, field range portion, and selected manipulation operations for selection by a user of the application program; and

responding to user selection of the task icon by performing the selected operations on the defined field range portion of the designated data file.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further including the step of specifying an output format to contain the results of the selected manipulation, wherein the specified output format is encapsulated in the task icon such that the step of responding to selection of the task icon includes producing the result of the performed manipulation operation in the specified output format.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the step of specifying an output format includes specifying filter parameters that include or exclude output information specified by a user.

14. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the step of designating an output format includes specifying output data files in which the output information will be contained.

15. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the field range is designated graphically by the user.

16. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the field range comprises data records contained in more than one data file.

17. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the designated field range is represented by a display field range icon.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the field range icon can be incorporated into multiple task icons such that execution of the sequence of data operations specified by a task icon will occur on the designated field range incorporated into the selected task icon.

19. A method as defined in claim 11, further including the step of designating an input format that includes user-specified data file information.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the step of designating an input format includes specifying data files from one or more data storage devices specified by the user.

21. A method of performing a sequence of program instructions of an application program in a computer system having a display and one or more data storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a program instruction comprising a user designation of a computer system data file that contains data for manipulation by the user;

receiving a program instruction that defines a field range in the designated data file upon which the manipulation will occur;

receiving a program instruction that defines a sequence of data operations comprising the manipulation operation;

providing a selectable display task icon that encapsulates the designated program instructions of data file, field range, and selected manipulation operation for selection by a user of the application program; and

responding to user selection of the task display icon by performing the selected manipulation operation on the defined data field range portion of the user-selected data file.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, further including the step of specifying an output format to contain the results of the selected manipulation, wherein the specified output format is encapsulated in the task display icon such that the step of responding to selection of the task icon includes producing the result of the performed manipulation operation in the specified output format.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of specifying an output format includes specifying filter parameters that include or exclude output information specified by a user.

24. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of designating an output format includes specifying output data files in which the output information will be contained.

25. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein the field range is designated graphically by the user.

26. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein the field range comprises data records contained in more than one data file.

27. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein the designated field range is represented by a display field range icon.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the field range icon can be incorporated into multiple task icons such that execution of the sequence of data operations specified by a task icon will occur on the designated field range incorporated into the selected task icon.

29. A method as defined in claim 21, further including the step of designating an input format that includes user-specified data file information.

30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of designating an input format includes specifying data files from one or more data storage devices specified by the user.

31. A computer system for manipulation of user-selected portions of data files stored in the computer system, the computer system comprising:

a processing unit executing an application program;

a data storage unit in which the data files are stored;

a display; and

an application interface that permits a user to designate a sequence of application program data operations on one or more data files, producing a selectable display task icon that represents the sequence of data operations, and responding to user selection of the display task icon by executing the sequence of application program data operations on the data files;

wherein the application interface permits the user to designate a field range representing one or more data records contained in a data file that will be used as input to the data operations such that the execution of the data operations will occur on the designated field range.

32. A computer system as defined in claim 31, wherein the field range is designated graphically by the user.

33. A computer system as defined in claim 31, wherein the field range comprises data records contained in more than one data file.

34. A computer system as defined in claim 31, wherein the designated field range is represented by a display field range icon.

35. A computer system as defined in claim 34, wherein the field range icon can be incorporated into multiple task icons such that execution of the sequence of data operations specified by a task icon will occur on the designated field range incorporated into the selected task icon.

36. A computer system as defined in claim 31, wherein the application interface permits the user to designate an output format for the data operations executed by selection of a task icon.

37. A computer system as defined in claim 36, wherein the output format designated by a user includes specifying filter parameters that include or exclude output information specified by a user.

38. A computer system as defined in claim 36, wherein the output format designated by the user specifies output data files in which the output information will be contained.

39. A computer system as defined in claim 31, wherein the application interface permits the user to designate an input format that includes user-specified data file information.

40. A computer system as defined in claim 39, wherein the input format designated by the user includes user-specified data files from one or more data storage devices.

41. A program product for use in a computer system, the program product comprising:

data storage device, tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform method steps for permitting user manipulation of data files in a data system, the performed method steps comprising;

a signal bearing media; and

a sequence of instructions executable by the computer system, the sequence providing an application program that receives user-designated data operations on one or more data files, produces a selectable display task icon that represents the sequence of data operations, and responds to user selection of the display task icon by executing the sequence of data operations on the data files;

wherein the application program permits the user to designate a field range representing one or more data records contained in a data file that will be used as input to the data operations such that the execution of the data operations will occur on the designated field range.

42. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the field range is designated graphically by the user.

43. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the field range comprises data records contained in more than one data file.

44. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the designated field range is represented by a display field range icon.

45. A program product as defined in claim 44, wherein the field range icon is capable of being incorporated into multiple task icons such that execution of the sequence of data operations specified by a task icon will occur on the designated field range incorporated into the selected task icon.

46. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the application program permits the user to designate an output format for the data operations executed by selection of a task icon.

47. A program product as defined in claim 46, wherein the designated output format includes filter parameters that include or exclude output information specified by a user.

48. A program product as defined in claim 46, wherein the designated output format includes output data files in which the output information will be contained.

49. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the application program permits the user to designate an input format that includes user-specified data file information.

50. A program product as defined in claim 49, wherein the designated input format includes specifying data files from one or more data storage devices specified by the user.

51. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

52. A program product as defined in claim 41, wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.