Method to refresh view of a collection of objects

• US 6,795,096 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Meaden, Jeffrey Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US09/817,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 345/853, 345/854, 345/849, 345/763, 345/764, 345/762
• US Class Current: 715/764
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Embodiments provided herein include methods and systems for conditionally refreshing a collection view. As used herein, “collection view” refers to a collection of objects presented in a user interface environment, such as a graphical user interface (GUI). In general, a collection view is refreshed only once all of the selected objects have been processed. In addition, the view is refreshed only if an action performed on any of the selected objects affects the view. In one embodiment, a determination is made as to whether the actions completed successfully prior to determining whether a view is affected.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an input device;

a display device configured to display a view of at least one object; and

a processor operably connected to the display device and the input device and configured to receive input commands from the input device;

wherein the processor, when executing a refresh program, is configured to;

(a) receive an action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on the at least one object displayed on the display device;

(b) track each action of the action event;

(c) for each action of the action event;

(i) process the action;

(ii) determine whether the view has been affected as a result of processing the action;

(d) determine whether all of the actions of the action event have been performed; and

(e) refresh the view, only if the view has been affected and if all of the actions of the action event have been performed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the action event is received from the input device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein if either the view has not been affected or if all of the actions of the action event have not been performed, then the refresh program is configured to leave the view unchanged.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein if the view has not been affected then the refresh program is configured to leave the view unchanged.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein if all of the actions of the action event have not been performed, then the refresh program is configured to leave the view unchanged.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one object is an icon.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein processing the action is selected from one of performing the action or terminating the action.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein for each action the processor is configured to perform, the processor is further configured to set a value indicating that the view is to be refreshed and for each action the processor is configured to terminate, the processor is further configured to leave the value unchanged.

9. A method for conditionally refreshing a view of objects on a display device, comprising:

receiving an action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object;

tracking each action of the action event;

for each action of the action event;

(i) processing the action;

(ii) determining whether the view of objects has been affected as a result of processing the action;

determining whether all of the actions of the action event have been processed;

refreshing the view of objects, only if the view of objects has been affected and if all of the actions of the action event have been processed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein tracking each action of the action event comprises setting a counter value equal to a number of actions for the action event.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein refreshing comprises calling a refresh method using a view identifier value uniquely identifying the view of objects.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object comprises receiving an input to perform more than one action on more than one object.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object comprises receiving an input to perform more than one action on the at least one object.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one object comprises at least one of shortcuts, desktop icons, folders, files, images, menu items, tool bar icons, buttons, users, groups, servers, workstations, printers, disk drives, I/O devices, applications, processes, and threads.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein if either the view of objects has not been affected or if all of the actions of the action event have not been processed, then further comprising leaving the view of objects unchanged.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the view of objects has been affected as a result of processing the action comprises determining whether a visible attribute of the object has been changed.

17. A signal bearing medium, comprising a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method, comprising:

receiving an action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object;

tracking each action of the action event;

for each action of the action event;

(i) processing the action;

(ii) determining whether the view of objects has been affected as a result of processing the action;

determining whether all of the actions of the action event have been processed;

refreshing the view of objects, only if the view of objects has been affected and if all of the actions of the action event have been processed.

18. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein tracking each action of the action event comprises invoking an action tracking method.

19. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein tracking each action of the action event comprises setting a counter value equal to a number of actions for the action event.

20. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein refreshing comprises calling a refresh method using a view identifier value uniquely identifying the view of objects.

21. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object comprises receiving an input to perform more than one action on more than one object.

22. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the action event indicating that at least one action is to be performed on at least one object comprises receiving an input to perform more than one action on the at least one object.

23. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one object comprises at least one of shortcuts, desktop icons, folders, files, images, menu items, tool bar icons, buttons, users, groups, servers, workstations, printers, disk drives, I/O devices, applications, processes, and threads.

24. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein if either the view of objects has not been affected or if all of the actions of the action event have not been processed, then further comprising leaving the view of objects unchanged.

25. The signal bearing medium of claim 17, wherein determining whether the view of objects has been affected as a result of processing the action comprises determining whether a visible attribute of the object has been changed.