Method and apparatus for reordering data items

• US 7,017,118 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carroll, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/752,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 345/764, 345/769, 345/770, 345/783, 345/160, 345/853, 345/761, 345/835, 715/503, 715/769, 715/770
• US Class Current: 715/770
• 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 swapping utility enables directional commands from a graphic user interface and/or keyboard to be utilized to swap data items associated with lists, tables or other series of data items. Upon receipt of both a directional command, e.g. up, down, left, or right, and a swap command, the utility uses the current position of the cursor or a selected entity to identify a first data item to be swapped and the relative direction thereto to identify a second, adjacent data item to be swapped. If both identified data items are of the same data type, their respective contents are exchanged within the ordered list or table without the need to cut and paste the content. In alternative embodiments, multiple adjacent data items may be swapped, or, in an embodiment which utilizes multiple selection icons, single or multiple nonadjacent entities may be directly swapped.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a user interface capable of displaying a plurality of data items and receiving user commands, a method comprising:

(a) receiving, through the user interface, a command to swap a first displayed data item with a second displayed data item;

(b) obtaining data identifying the first displayed data item;

(c) receiving, through the user interface, a directional command identifying a relative direction of a position of the second displayed data item to a position of the first displayed data item; and

(d) swapping the first displayed data item with the second displayed data item.

2. A computer program product for use with a computer system having a user interface capable of displaying a plurality of data items and receiving user commands, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:

(A) program code for receiving, through the user interface, a command to swap a first displayed data item with a second displayed data item;

(B) program code for obtaining data identifying the first displayed data item.

(C) program code for receiving, through the user interface, a directional command identifying a relative direction of a position of the second displayed data item to a position of the first displayed data item; and

(D) program code for swapping the first displayed data item with the second displayed data item.

3. An apparatus for use with a computer system having a user interface capable of displaying a plurality of data items and receiving user commands, the apparatus comprising:

(A) program logic configured to receive, through the user interface, command to swap a first displayed data item with a second displayed data item;

(B) program logic configured to obtain data identifying the first displayed data;

(C]) program logic configured to receive, through the user interface, a directional command identifying a relative direction of a position of the second displayed data item to a position of the first displayed data item; and

(D) program logic configured to swap the first displayed data item with the second displayed data item.