Apparatus, method, and program product for facilitating navigation among tree nodes in a tree structure

• US 6,462,762 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1999
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ku, William Hsiao-Yu, Wang, John Shih-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/368,699
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 345/853, 345/854, 345/855, 345/835, 345/810, 345/841, 345/818, 345/819, 345/820, 345/817, 345/825, 345/828, 345/804
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• 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 particular node (24) in a tree structure (23) defined in a data processing system (10) may be selected for display as the root node in a tree structure display window (21). Once a particular node (24) is selected as the root node, only that portion of the tree structure branching from the selected node (24) is displayed. The portion of the tree structure (23) which does not branch from the selected node (24) is omitted from the display. In addition to the portion of the tree structure branching from the selected node (24), the system also displays a path map window (22) containing information about the portion of the tree structure omitted from the display. The path map window (22) may include a representation of the selected node (24) and a representation of each ancestor USA node for the selected node, all arranged in the order of the path from the actual root node to the selected node.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating navigation among tree nodes in a tree structure representing a hierarchical organization of data in a data processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a selected portion of a total tree structure in response to a use-as-root-node input identifying a selected node which comprises a child node in the total tree structure, the selected portion of the total tree structure being displayed on a monitor associated with the processing system and comprising a truncated tree structure showing the selected node and that portion of the total tree structure branching from the selected node; and

(b) displaying a path map on the monitor in response to the use-as-root-node input, the path map being displayed simultaneously with the selected portion of the total tree structure and including an additional representation for the selected node, and a separate representation for each ancestor node of the selected node.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

(a) displaying a node menu on the monitor in response to a node menu input, the node menu including a use-as-root-node command.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the node menu comprises a pop-up menu.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the node menu comprises a drop-down menu.

5. The method of claim 2 further including the step of producing the use-as-root-node input in response to a selection of the use-as-root-node command from the node menu.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the method of displaying the path map includes the steps of:

(a) adding each respective ancestor node to an ancestor node list; and

(b) comparing each respective ancestor node for the selected node to the root node.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the representation for each respective ancestor node comprises a different icon and the representation for the selected node comprises a selected node icon.

8. An apparatus for facilitating navigation among tree nodes in a tree structure representing a hierarchical organization of data in a data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a tree display arrangement for displaying on a monitor a selected portion of a total tree structure in response to a use-as-root-node input identifying a selected node which comprises a child node in the total tree structure, the selected portion of the total tree structure comprising a truncated tree structure showing the selected node and that portion of the total tree structure branching from the selected node; and

(b) a path map arrangement for displaying a path map on the monitor in response to the use-as-root-node input, the path map being displayed simultaneously with the selected portion of the total tree structure and including an additional representation for the selected node, and a separate representation for each ancestor node of the selected node.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further including:

(a) a node menu display arrangement for displaying a node menu on the monitor in response to a node menu input, the node menu including a use-as-root-node command.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the node menu comprises a pop-up menu.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the node menu comprises a drop-down menu.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a node command input arrangement for producing the use-as-root-node input in response to a selection of the use-as-root-node command from the node menu.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the path map arrangement includes:

(a) an ancestor node listing arrangement for adding each respective ancestor node of the selected node to an ancestor node list; and

(b) an ancestor node comparing arrangement for comparing each respective ancestor node for the selected node to the root node.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the representation for each respective ancestor node comprises a different icon and the representation for the selected node comprises a selected node icon.

15. A computer program product for facilitating navigation among tree nodes in a tree structure representing a hierarchical organization of data in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code stored on a computer readable storage medium and including:

(a) tree display program code for causing a monitor to display a selected portion of a total tree structure in response to a use-as-root-node input identifying a selected node which comprises a child node in the total tree structure, the selected portion of the total tree structure comprising a truncated tree structure showing the selected node and that portion of the total tree structure branching from the selected node; and

(b) path map program code for causing the monitor to display a path map in response to the use-as-root-node input, the path map being displayed simultaneously with the selected portion of the total tree structure and including an additional representation for the selected node, and a separate representation for each ancestor node of the selected node.

16. The program product of claim 15 further including:

(a) node menu display program code for displaying a node menu on the monitor in response to a node menu input, the node menu including a use-as-root-node command.

17. The program product of claim 16 wherein the node menu comprises a pop-up menu.

18. The program product of claim 16 wherein the node menu comprises a drop-down menu.

19. The program product of claim 16 further including:

(a) node command input program code for producing the use-as-root-node input in response to a selection of the use-as-root-node command from the node menu.

20. The program product of claim 15 wherein the path map program code includes:

(a) ancestor node listing program code for adding each respective ancestor node to an ancestor node list; and

(b) ancestor node comparing program code for comparing each respective ancestor node for the selected node to the root node.

21. The program product of claim 15 wherein the representation for each respective ancestor node comprises a different icon and the representation for the selected node comprises a selected node icon.