Partial functionality indicator

• US 7,516,406 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Cameron, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow; Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riegler; Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US11/447,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 717/105, 717/109, 717/113, 717/116, 715/710, 715/711, 715/715, 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/777
• US Class Current: 715/710
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A property inspector with a partial functionality indicator is described that analyzes a selected group of objects within the design canvas of an ADE to determine the properties available to each of the objects and also which of the properties applies to the individual objects. The inspector interacts with a user by identifying which properties apply to only some of the selected objects. This interaction may take on any useful form of sensual identification data, such as visible, audible, or tactile indications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

programmatically inspecting two or more objects within a selection window of an application development environment (ADE);

creating a set of properties within said ADE comprising ones of one o1;

more properties applicable to any one of said two or more objects;

determining at said ADE a subset of properties comprising ones of said set that apply to fewer than all of said two or more objects;

providing a visual indicator associated with said subset of properties in a property inspector of said ADE displayed to a user; and

displaying a popup window associated with said visual indicator, wherein said popup window includes one or more object labels, wherein said one or more object labels reflect each of said two or more objects to which said subset of properties applies, and wherein said displaying is responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rendering a visual cue associated with ones of said two or more objects to which said subset of properties applies, wherein said visual cue is rendered associated with said ones of said two or more objects on a design canvas of said ADE.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said rendering is responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

playing an audible indicator associated with said subset of properties in said property inspector displayed to said user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said playing is responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.

6. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon, said computer program product comprising:

code for analyzing two or more selected objects within a design canvas of an application development environment (ADE);

code for identifying a plurality of object properties applicable to two or more selected objects;

code for determining a subset of said plurality of object properties, wherein said subset of properties comprises one or more properties applicable to less than all of said two or more selected objects;

code for rendering a visual cue associated with said subset in a property inspector displayed to a user;

code for receiving data indicating a cursor hovering over said visual cue; and

code, executable responsive to results of said code for receiving, for displaying a tool tip window within said property inspector, wherein said tool tip window includes one or more labels identifying said less than all of said two or more selected objects to which said subset of properties applies.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

code for highlighting said less than all of said two or more selected objects to which said subset of properties applies within said design canvas.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

code for receiving data indicating a cursor hovering over said visual cue, wherein said code for highlighting is executed in response to results of said code for receiving.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

code for playing an audible cue associated with said subset of properties, wherein said code is executed responsive to results of said code for determining.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein said code for playing is executed in response to results of executing one or more of:

code for receiving data indicating a cursor hovering over said visual cue; and

code for receiving data indicating said cursor hovering over one of said less than all of said two or more selected objects to which said subset of properties applies within said design canvas.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a selection event from a user defining two or more selected objects within a user interface (UI) of an application development environment (ADE);

analyzing said two or more selected objects;

identifying a plurality of properties applicable to any one of said two or more selected objects;

compiling a list of properties from said plurality, wherein said list comprises ones of said plurality applicable to fewer than all of said two or more selected objects;

providing sensual identification to said user of each property within said list that is displayed on said property inspector;

receiving interface data reflecting said user hovering a cursor in relation to said sensual identification;

responsive to said receiving interface data, rendering a popup box containing a name of each of said two or more selected objects to which said identified property within said list applies.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

highlighting on said UI each of said two or more selected objects to which said identified property within said list applies.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said highlighting is responsive to receiving interface data reflecting said user hovering a cursor in relation to said sensual identification.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said sensual identification comprises:

a visual indicator associated with each property within said list; and

an audible tone.

15. A computer system having a CPU comprising:

means for inspecting two or more objects within a selection window in an application development environment (ADE);

means for creating a set of properties comprising ones of one or more properties applicable to any one of said two or more objects;

means for determining a subset of properties comprising ones of said set that apply to fewer than all of said two or more objects;

means for providing a visual indicator associated with said subset of properties in a property inspector displayed to a user; and

means for displaying a popup window containing one or more object labels, wherein said one or more object labels reflect each of said two or more objects to which said subset of properties applies, and wherein said means for displaying is provided responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.

16. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for rendering a visual cue associated with ones of said two or more objects to which said subset of properties applies, wherein said visual cue is rendered associated with said ones of said two or more objects on a design canvas of said ADE.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said means for rendering is provided responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.

18. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for playing an audible indicator associated with said subset of properties in a property inspector displayed to said user.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein said means for displaying is provided responsive to said user hovering a pointing cursor over said visual indicator.