Easy method of dragging pull-down menu items onto a toolbar

• US 6,621,532 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mandt, Brenda Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/004,552
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/452, 345/338, 345/347, 345/711, 345/778, 345/779, 345/781, 345/808, 345/810, 345/818, 345/819, 345/820, 345/825, 345/828, 345/841, 345/843, 345/856
• US Class Current: 348/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A method for utilization within a graphical user interface having at least one pull-down menu and at least one tool bar. The method commences with a user selecting a menu heading which displays a pull-down menu in response to a first user input, such as a left pointing device button or a left mouse button. Next, a user selects a menu item within the displayed pull-down menu again utilizing the pointing device. Then the user designates a menu item for conversion by utilizing a second user input or a right mouse button. Next, the designated menu item is drug from the pull-down menu and dropped onto the toolbar in response to the pointing device and a second user input. Then the method automatically converts the dropped menu item into a selectable toolbar button within the toolbar. A user who frequently utilizes a menu item within a pull-down menu can convert frequently utilized menu items into toolbar buttons by designating and dragging the menu items and then dropping the menu item onto the toolbar utilizing a right mouse button.

Claims

1. A computer apparatus comprising:

a display device;

a processor,

means for said processor to cause said display device to depict a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface for displaying a toolbar and a menu-bar, said toolbar having toolbar buttons, and said menu bar having at least one menu category heading;

a pointing device having a left push button and a right push button coupled to said processor and said display device, said left button of said pointing device for selecting said at least one menu category heading within said menu bar, wherein said selection of said menu category heading by said left button of said pointing device causes said display device to display said pull-down menu, said pull-down menu having a plurality of menu item, said right push button of said pointing device for selecting a menu item from said plurality of menu items, said selection indicated on said GUI;

means for said processor to cause a visual dragging of said selected menu item from said pull-down menu to said toolbar in response to said right button of said pointing device, such that said visual dragging of said selected menu item to said toolbar creates a new selectable toolbar button corresponding to an underlying functional aspect of said selected menu item, wherein a frequently utilized menu item can be easily converted into a new selectable toolbar button;

means for recording the frequency of menu item utilization; and

means for prompting the user to create a selectable toolbar button from said menu item in response to said frequent utilization.

2. A method for utilization within a graphical user interface for conveniently converting frequently utilized menu items into toolbar buttons, wherein said graphical user interfaces includes at least one pull-down menu and at least one tool bar location, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a pull-down menu from at least one pull-down menu by utilizing a first user input, said pull-down menu having a plurality of menu items;

selecting a menu item from said plurality of menu items utilizing a pointing device, said pointing device having at least two inputs, wherein said selecting step utilizes a first user input of said at least two inputs;

designating said selected menu item for copy and transfer utilizing a second user input of said at least two inputs;

dragging said designated menu item from said pull-down menu in response to an input from said pointing device wherein said dragging step is symbolic of a moving of an underlying functional aspect of said menu item and its name;

dropping said designated menu item on said toolbar location in response to said second user input;

automatically converting said designated menu item into a selectable toolbar button having said underlying functional aspects within said toolbar in response to said dropping step, wherein said tool button is created in response to said dragging step and wherein a user who frequently utilizes a menu item within said pull-down menu can now select said underlying functional aspects of said menu item by clicking on said toolbar button;

determining if menu item utilization is frequent, said determining being dynamically completed by internal logic linked to said GUI, wherein a given threshold value is established within said GUI to indicate frequent utilization; and

automatically suggesting to a user conversion from a menu item to a selectable toolbar button in response to said determination.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of selecting a menu item further comprise providing an on-screen description of the function selected by said right button of said pointing device and a query to said user to initiate the drag and drop steps.

4. A method for utilization within a graphical user interface for conveniently converting frequently utilized menu items into toolbar buttons, wherein said graphical user interfaces includes at least one pull-down menu and at least one tool bar location, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a pull-down menu from at least one pull-down menu by utilizing a first user input, said pull-down menu having a plurality of menu items;

selecting a menu item from said plurality of menu items utilizing a pointing device, said pointing device having at least two inputs, wherein said selecting step utilizes a first user input of said at least two inputs;

designating said selected menu item for copy and transfer utilizing a second user input of said at least two inputs;

dragging said designated menu item from said pull-down menu in response to an input from said pointing device wherein said dragging step is symbolic of a moving of an underlying functional aspect of said menu item and its name;

dropping said designated menu item on said toolbar location in response to said second user input;

automatically converting said designated menu item into a selectable toolbar button having said underlying functional aspects within said toolbar in response to said dropping step, wherein said tool button is created in response to said dragging step and wherein a user who frequently utilizes a menu item within said pull-down menu can now select said underlying functional aspects of said menu item by clicking on said toolbar button; and

automatically moving particular menu items to said toolbar location in response to a user'"'"'s frequent utilization of said particular menu items.