Workspace drag and drop

• US 6,628,309 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dodson, John Paul, Amro, Hatim Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/246,022
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 345/348, 345/339, 345/172, 345/145, 345/346, 345/340, 345/568, 345/835, 345/769, 345/856, 345/804, 345/781, 345/778, 707/530, 707/539, 707/531, 715/530, 715/539, 715/531
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for a drag and drop in a computer system. The method includes beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, suspending the drag and drop, activating a second workspace, and resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace. The method of the present invention provides a drag and drop for a multiple workspace environment. The drag and drop is performed in one multi-step operation. This simplifies the moving of objects between workspaces and provides a graphical operation.

Claims

1. A method for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, the computer system having multiple workspaces, comprising the steps of:

(a) beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, wherein the first workspace provides a first computer environment for running a first set of applications;

(b) suspending the drag and drop;

(c) activating a second workspace residing on a same computer system as the first workspace, wherein the second workspace provides a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications; and

(d) resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the suspending step (b) comprises:

(b1) entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop;

(b2) activating the second workspace; and

(b3) ensuring the drop zone in the second workspace is visible.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the entering step (b1) sets a window manager drag and drop state to “

pending”

.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) dropping the object in a drop zone in the second workspace.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dropping step (e) returns a window manager drag and drop state to “

idle”

.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the suspending of the drag and drop displayed by the display mechanism comprises:

entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop;

activating the second workspace; and

ensuring the drop zone in the second workspace is visible.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the entering of the key combination sets a window manager drag and drop state in the computer system to “

pending”

.

6. A system for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, comprising:

a central processing unit having a first workspace for providing a first computer environment for running a first set of applications, and a second workspace for providing a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications;

a graphical user interface manager coupled to the central processing unit; and

a display mechanism coupled to the graphical user interface manager, the display mechanism displaying a drag and drop of an object between the first and second workspaces, the drag and drop comprising the beginning of the drag and drop on the object in the first workspace, suspending the drag and drop, activating the second workspace, and resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the display of the display mechanism further comprises:

dropping the object in a drop zone in the second workspace.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dropping of the object returns a window manager drag and drop state in the computer system to “

idle”

.

11. A method for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, the computer system having multiple workspaces, comprising the steps of:

(a) beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, wherein the first workspace provides a first computer environment for running a first set of applications;

(b) entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop;

(c) activating a second workspace residing on a same computer system as the first workspace, wherein the second workspace provides a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications;

(d) ensuring a drop zone in the second workspace is visible; and

(e) resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the entering step (b) sets a window manager drag and drop state to “

pending”

.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(f) dropping the object in the drop zone in the second workspace.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dropping step (f) returns a window manager drag and drop state to “

idle”

.

15. A system for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, comprising:

a central processing unit having a first workspace for providing a first computer environment for running a first set of applications, and a second workspace for providing a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications;

a graphical user interface manager coupled to the central processing unit; and

a display mechanism coupled to the graphical user interface manager, the display mechanism displaying a drag and drop of an object between the first and second workspaces, the drag and drop comprising the beginning of the drag and drop on the object in the first workspace, entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop, activating the second workspace, ensuring a drop zone in the second workspace is visible, and resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the entering of the key combination sets a window manager drag and drop state in the computer system to “

pending”

.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the display of the display mechanism further comprises:

dropping the object in a drop zone in the second workspace.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the dropping of the object returns a window manager drag and drop sate in the computer system to “

idle”

.

19. A method for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, the computer system having multiple workspaces, comprising the steps of:

(a) beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, wherein the first workspace provides a first computer environment for running a first set of applications;

(b) entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop;

(c) activating a second workspace residing on a same computer system as the first workspace, wherein the second workspace provides a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications;

(d) ensuring a drop zone in the second workspace is visible;

(e) resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace; and

(f) dropping the object in the drop zone in the second workspace.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the entering step (b) sets a window manager drag and drop state to “

pending”

.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the dropping step (f) returns a window manager drag and drop state to “

idle”

.

22. A system for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, comprising:

a central processing unit having a first workspace for providing a first computer environment for running a first set of applications, and a second workspace for providing a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications;

a graphical user interface manager coupled to the central processing unit; and

a display mechanism coupled to the graphical user interface manager, the display mechanism displaying a drag and drop of an object between the first and second workspaces, the drag and drop comprising the beginning of the drag and drop on the object in the first workspace, entering a key combination to suspend the drag and drop, activating the second workspace, ensuring a drop zone in the second workspace is visible, resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace, and dropping the object in a drop zone in the second workspace.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the entering of the key combination sets a window manager drag and drop state in the computer system to “

pending”

.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the dropping of the object returns a window manager drag and drop sate in the computer system to “

idle”

.

25. A computer readable medium with computer instructions for providing a drag and drop in a computer system, the computer system having multiple workspaces, the computer instructions for:

(a) beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, wherein the first workspace provides a first computer environment for running a first set of applications;

(b) suspending the drag and drop;

(c) activating a second workspace residing on a same computer system as the first workspace, wherein the second workspace provides a second computer environment separate from the first computer environment for running a second set of applications; and

(d) resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace.