Hypertext marker and method for dynamically displaying help information in an interactive data processing system

• US 6,678,706 B1
• Filed: 04/18/1991
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fishel, Edward Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US07/687,261
• Time in Patent Office: 4,653 Days
• Field of Search: 395/425, 395/155, 395/144, 395/145, 395/161, 395/160, 395/157, 395/158, 395/600, 707/500, 707/501, 707/513, 707/514, 707/515, 707/516, 707/526, 707/529, 707/530, 707/531
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A hypertext network is provided for use in an interactive data processing system including a processor device, a memory, a user input device and a display. The hypertext network comprises a plurality of user selectable stored information modules. Each module includes a predefined descriptive header and at least some modules include a link reference phrase to another one of the plurality of user selectable modules. Responsive to a user selection entry, the associated user selectable module is displayed and a marker character is stored with each link reference phrase to the selected displayed module. The marker character is stored in an input field that is accessed by a user to select a particular link reference phrase and the reference phrase text is not defined as a user input field, so that the user cannot accidentally change the reference phrase. The stored marker characters are erased or set to blank characters when the hypertext network is exited so that all marker character input fields are blank each time access to the hypertext network is initiated.

Claims

1. A hypertext network for use in an interactive data processing system including a processor device, a memory, a user input device and a display comprising:

means for storing a plurality of user selectable information modules, each module including a predefined descriptive header and at least some modules including a link reference phrase to another one of said plurality of user selectable modules;

each link reference phrase including a marker character input field;

means responsive to a user access to the hypertext network for setting said marker character input field to a blank;

means responsive to a user selection entry for displaying an associated user selectable information module; and

means responsive to displaying said selected information module for storing a marker character with each link reference phrase to said selected information module.

2. A hypertext network as recited in claim 1 wherein said marker character input field is included before a reference phrase text and the reference phrase text is not defined as a data input field.

3. A hypertext network as recited in claim 2 wherein said marker character is stored in said marker character input field.

4. A hypertext network as recited in claim 1 wherein said means responsive to a user selection entry for displaying an associated user selectable module includes means for selectively displaying a blank character or a marker character with each link reference phrase included in said associated user selectable module.

5. A hypertext network as recited in claim 2 wherein said marker character input field is set to a blank character when the hypertext network is exited.

6. A method for dynamically displaying user selectable hypertext modules of a hypertext network in an interactive data processing system, the hypertext network including a plurality of stored information modules, each module includes a predefined descriptive header and at least some of the modules include a highlighted link reference phrase to another one of said plurality of stored information modules, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a user input entry for selecting a stored information module;

displaying the selected module responsive to said detected user input entry;

storing a marker character in a predefined input field of each link reference phrase to the displayed modules; and

storing a blank character in each predefined input field of each link reference phrase responsive to a user exiting the hypertext network.

7. A method for dynamically displaying hypertext modules as recited in claim 6 wherein the step of displaying the selected module includes the step displaying a predefined marker character with each link reference phrase for previously displayed modules.

8. A method for dynamically displaying hypertext modules as recited in claim 6 further comprising the step of maintaining each said stored marker character throughout a complete session of the hypertext network.

9. An interactive data processing system comprising:

a processor device;

a user input device coupled to said processor device for user selection input;

a memory for storing a hypertext network having a plurality of information modules, each module including a predefined descriptive header and at least some modules including a link reference phrase to another one of said plurality of stored information modules;

each link reference phrase including a marker character input field;

a display coupled to said processor device for displaying one of said plurality of stored information modules responsive to a user selection input;

means responsive to displaying said selected module for storing a marker character in said marker character input field of each link reference phrase to said selected displayed module; and

means responsive to a user access to the hypertext network for setting said marker character input field to blank.