Dual mode data field

• US 6,765,595 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Letitia K., See, Patrick Siu-Nang
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US09/932,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 345/780, 345/853, 345/854, 345/855, 345/763, 345/765, 707/1, 707/100, 707/102, 707/103
• US Class Current: 715/780
• 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 set of data field characters is displayed in a primary data field if the number of characters in this set of data field characters is equal to or less than the displayable capacity of the primary data field. If the number of characters in the set of data field characters is greater than the displayable capacity of the primary data field, then a proper subset of the set of data field characters is displayed in the primary data field in conjunction with the display of an indicia associated with the primary data field. In response to a user interaction with the indicia, the proper subset of data field characters and at least one additional character from the set of data field characters are displayed in a secondary data field, wherein the proper subset of data field characters and the at least one additional character are simultaneously viewable by the user in the secondary data field.

Claims

1. A programmed method for displaying or editing data on a computer system, said programmed method comprising the process steps of:

(a) displaying a set of data field characters in a primary data field if the number of data field characters in said set of data field characters is equal to or less than the displayable capacity of said primary data field;

(b) displaying a proper subset of said set of data field characters in said primary data field in conjunction with the display of an indicia associated with said primary data field if the number of data field characters in said set of data field characters is greater than the displayable capacity of said primary data field; and

(c) displaying said proper subset and at least one additional character from said set of data field characters in a secondary data field in response to a user interaction with said indicia wherein said proper subset and said at least one additional character are simultaneously viewable in said secondary data field by said user.

2. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said programmed method is in the form of process steps.

3. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said programmed method is in the form of a computer-readable medium embodying computer instructions for performing process steps.

4. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said programmed method is in the form of a computer system programmed by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, for performing process steps.

5. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said secondary data field is resizable.

6. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said user interaction comprises pointing and clicking a mouse.

7. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said secondary data field is a window.

8. The programmed method of claim 7 wherein said window comprises an accept button.

9. The programmed method of claim 8 further comprising:

(a) modifying at least one data field character in said set of data field characters in response to a user editing operation;

(b) displaying said modified at least one data field character in said window; and

(c) propagating said modified at least one data field character into said primary data field and closing said window in response to a user interaction with said accept button, wherein said modified at least one data field character is visible within said primary data field.

10. The programmed method of claim 7 wherein said window comprises a cancel button.

11. The programmed method of claim 10 further comprising:

(a) modifying at least one data field character in said set of data field characters in response to a user editing operation;

(b) displaying said data field character in its modified form in said window; and

(c) discarding said modification and closing said window in response to a user interaction with said cancel button, wherein said data field character in its unmodified form is viewable in said primary data field.

12. The programmed method of claim 7 wherein said window is resizable.

13. The programmed method of claim 7 wherein said window is relocatable.

14. The programmed method of claim 1 wherein said secondary data field is transformed into a window in response to a user interaction.

15. The programmed method of claim 14 wherein said user interaction comprises relocating said secondary data field.

16. The programmed method of claim 14 wherein said user interaction comprises interacting with an indicia associated with said secondary data field.

17. A method for managing the form and content of a screen during data entry operations on a computer system, said method comprising:

(a) receiving characters, entered by a user, associated with a primary data field on said screen until said primary data field is fully utilized wherein said received characters are simultaneously viewable in said primary data field and said received characters form a set of previously entered characters;

(b) receiving a next character entered by said user following receipt of said set of previously entered characters;

(c) displaying said next character in said primary data field, wherein at least one character from said set of previously entered characters is excluded from view in said primary data field;

(d) displaying an indicia associated with said primary data field whereby said user is informed that the displayable capacity of said primary data field has been exceeded; and

(e) displaying a secondary data field associated with said primary data field on said screen in response to a user interaction with said indicia, wherein said set of previously entered characters and said next character are simultaneously viewable in said secondary data field.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said next character is entered by using a keyboard.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said next character is entered using a pointing device to select from a set of characters displayed on said screen.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said next character is entered using voice recognition software.

21. An article of manufacture for use in a computer system tangibly embodying computer instructions executable by said computer system to perform process steps for managing the form and content of a screen during data entry operations, said process steps comprising:

(a) receiving characters, entered by a user, associated with a primary data field on said screen until said primary data field is fully utilized wherein said received characters are simultaneously viewable in said primary data field and said received characters form a set of previously entered characters;

(b) receiving a next character entered by said user following receipt of said set of previously entered characters;

(c) displaying said next character in said primary data field, wherein at least one character from said set of previously entered characters is excluded from view in said primary data field;

(d) displaying an indicia associated with said primary data field whereby said user is informed that the displayable capacity of said primary data field has been exceeded; and

(e) displaying a secondary data field associated with said primary data field on said screen in response to a user interaction with said indicia, wherein said set of previously entered characters and said next character are simultaneously viewable in said secondary data field.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21 wherein said next character is entered by using a keyboard.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21 wherein said next character is entered using a pointing device to select from a set of characters displayed on said screen.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21 wherein said next character is entered using voice recognition software.

25. A computer system for performing process steps to manage the form and content of a screen during data entry operations, said computer system comprising:

(a) a computer;

(b) computer program instructions for receiving characters entered by a user associated with a primary data field on said screen until said primary data field is fully utilized wherein said received characters are simultaneously viewable in said primary data field and said received characters form a set of previously entered characters;

(c) computer program instructions for receiving a next character entered by said user following receipt of said set of previously entered characters;

(d) computer program instructions for displaying said next character in said primary data field, wherein at least one character from said set of previously entered characters is excluded from view in said primary data field;

(e) computer program instructions for displaying an indicia associated with said primary data field whereby said user is informed that the displayable capacity of said primary data field has been exceeded; and

(f) computer program instructions for displaying a secondary data field associated with said primary data field on said screen in response to a user interaction with said indicia, wherein said set of previously entered characters and said next character are simultaneously viewable in said secondary data field.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said next character is entered by using a keyboard.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said next character is entered using a pointing device to select from a set of characters displayed on said screen.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein said next character is entered using voice recognition software.

29. A method for entering data on a computer, said method comprising:

(a) entering N characters into a primary data field wherein N is equal to the displayable capacity of said primary data filed;

(b) entering 1 additional character into said primary data field and, in response to said entering of 1 additional character, viewing an indicia associated with said primary data field wherein said indicia signifies that the displayable capacity of said primary data field is exceeded;

(c) entering 0 to n additional characters into said primary data field following the display of said indicia wherein all said entered characters comprise a set of field characters and are displayed in said primary data field in scrolling mode;

(d) interacting with said indicia; and

(e) simultaneously viewing said set of field characters in a secondary data field in response to said indicia interaction.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising entering at least one additional character into said secondary data field and simultaneously viewing said set of field characters and said at least one additional character in said secondary data field.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising closing said secondary data field and viewing said set of field characters and said at least one additional character in said primary data field in scrolling mode.