Showing ancestors in tree view while scrolling

• US 7,266,785 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grotjohn, D. Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/736,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 715/843, 715/705, 715/708, 715/711, 715/715, 715/738, 715781-787, 715/808, 715/809, 715/853, 715/841, 715/830, 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for indicating the current ancestor hierarchy in a graphical user interface while scrolling through a tree structure. A determination is made as to the current ancestor hierarchy of an item displayed in a designated section of the tree structure. The designated section of the tree structure may be the topmost, bottommost, or any other file or directory displayed in the pane. When user searches for files or folders by scrolling through data displayed in a tree structure, a new item may be displayed in the designated section of the tree structure. As a result, the ancestor hierarchy display is updated with the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the designated section of the tree structure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for indicating, in a graphical user interface, a directory location of currently visible elements while scrolling through a tree structure, comprising:

displaying data using the tree structure;

responsive to a user input to scroll through the data in the tree structure, determining whether a current ancestor hierarchy of an item is displayed in a designated section of the tree structure; and

displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure in response to determining whether the current ancestor hierarchy of the item is displayed in a designated section.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes displaying an updated display as a new item is displayed in the designated section of the tree structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein scrolling through the data in the tree structure includes one of dragging a slider in a scroll bar, selecting an up/down button on a keyboard, selecting a page up/page down button on the keyboard, and clicking an up/down arrow on the scroll bar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes replacing an existing area of the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes adding a dedicated area to the graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in a manner consistent with the tree structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated section of the tree structure includes one of a topmost and bottommost item displayed in the tree structure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in one location of the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in multiple locations of the graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of a plurality of items displayed in the tree structure are located in different parent directories.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure includes displaying a plurality of current ancestor hierarchies for the plurality of items displayed in the tree structure.

12. A data processing system for indicating, in a graphical user interface, a directory location of currently visible elements while scrolling through a tree structure, comprising:

first displaying means for displaying data using the tree structure;

responsive to a user input to scroll through the data in the tree structure, determining means for determining whether a current ancestor hierarchy of an item is displayed in a designated section of the tree structure; and

second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure in response to determining whether the current ancestor hierarchy of the item is displayed in a designated section.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include updating means for displaying an updated display as a new item is displayed in the designated section of the tree structure.

14. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein scrolling through the data in the tree structure includes one of dragging a slider in a scroll bar, selecting an up/down button on a keyboard, selecting a page up/page down button on the keyboard, and clicking an up/down arrow on the scroll bar.

15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include replacing means for replacing an existing area of the graphical user interface.

16. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include adding means for adding a dedicated area to the graphical user interface.

17. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include presenting means for presenting the current ancestor hierarchy in a manner consistent with the tree structure.

18. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the designated section of the tree structure includes one of a topmost and bottommost item displayed in the tree structure.

19. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include presenting means for presenting the current ancestor hierarchy in one location of the graphical user interface.

20. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include presenting means for presenting the current ancestor hierarchy in multiple locations of the graphical user interface.

21. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein at least two of a plurality of items displayed in the tree structure are located in different parent directories.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second displaying means for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include presenting means for presenting a plurality of current ancestor hierarchies for the plurality of items displayed in the tree structure.

23. A computer program product in a recordable-type medium for indicating, in a graphical user interface, a directory location of currently visible elements while scrolling through a tree structure, comprising:

first instructions for displaying data using the tree structure;

second instructions for determining whether a current ancestor hierarchy of an item is displayed in a designated section of the tree structure responsive to a user input to scroll through the data in the tree structure; and

third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure in response to determining whether the current ancestor hierarchy of the item is displayed in a designated section, wherein the third instructions include sub-instructions for displaying an updated display as a new item is displayed in the designated section of the tree structure.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein scrolling through the data in the tree structure includes one of dragging a slider in a scroll bar, selecting an up/down button on a keyboard, selecting a page up/page down button on the keyboard, and clicking an up/down arrow on the scroll bar.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for replacing an existing area of the graphical user interface.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for adding a dedicated area to the graphical user interface.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in a manner consistent with the tree structure.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the designated section of the tree structure includes one of a topmost and bottommost item displayed in the tree structure.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in one location of the graphical user interface.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy in multiple locations of the graphical user interface.

31. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein at least two of a plurality of items displayed in the tree structure are located in different parent directories.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the third instructions for displaying the current ancestor hierarchy for the item in the tree structure include sub-instructions for displaying a plurality of current ancestor hierarchies for the plurality of items in the tree structure.