System and method for displaying elements using a single tab

• US 7,587,679 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Knight, Gerard, Dumesne, Alain, Lin, Andrew, Gough, Michael, Sundermeyer, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US11/212,940
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 715/719, 715/764, 715/765, 715/777, 715/810, 715/822, 715/823, 715/835, 715/838, 715/977
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method provides a tabbed user interface in which labels may be used to select one of a plurality of data elements, but only the selected label is displayed with a tab, the other labels being displayed without a tab. Feedback, such as by underlining a label when the user hovers the mouse over it, is provided to allow the user to identify that an action will occur if one of the non-tabbed labels is clicked.

Claims

1. A method of displaying labels in a single-tabbed interface, each of the labels corresponding to an element comprising data, the method comprising:

accessing a collection of element records, each of the element records identifying an element label and having a data field indicating a selection state, no more than one of the element records having a selection state set to currently-selected;

displaying, in a label display area, a displayed set of the identified labels, each of the labels in the displayed set occupying a position relative to each other in a single row in the label display area;

displaying a control that, when manipulated, changes the displayed set to include other of the labels identified in the collection of element records, the control presenting at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set, such that selection of the at least one label presented by the control effects an adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include the selected label and as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible;

responsive to cursor movement near any one of the labels in the displayed set, highlighting the any one label to indicate that it is selectable;

responsive to a selection of any one of the labels in the displayed set or the at least one label presented by the control, setting the selection state of the corresponding element record to currently-selected and changing the selection state of any other element record in the collection formerly set to the currently-selected state, so that no more than one of the element records in the collection at a time has a selection state set to currently-selected;

when the displayed set includes the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state, displaying in the label display area the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab that is graphically connected to element data displayed outside of the label display area, without changing the relative positions of the labels in the displayed set; and

displaying, in the label display area, each of the labels in the displayed set that correspond to element records not having the currently-selected state without a tab, so that the displayed set of labels is displayed in conjunction with no more than one tab at any time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein highlighting comprises underlining.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the displayed set of the identified labels comprises:

partially displaying one of the labels near a boundary of the label display area so that less than all of the partially displayed label is viewable; and

responsive to manipulation of the control;

changing the label display area so that the label partially displayed is fully displayed in the label display area, and

partially displaying near the boundary of the label display area a different identified label not previously in the displayed set so that less than all of the different label is viewable.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising receiving at least one of the identified labels from a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set of labels comprises an indicator other than text.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set comprises video.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a control comprises displaying at least one of a scroll control and a list box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab graphically connected to displayed element data comprises:

displaying the element data in an element window, the element window having a border and a background area;

displaying the tab and the background area of the element window in the same color; and

displaying the tab so that it overlaps the border of the element window.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area comprises an incremental adjustment of the boundaries to display an animated effect.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control presents the at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set and a separator element representing identified labels included in the displayed set in an order corresponding to a display in the label display area.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible comprises:

maintaining in the label display area at least one of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection; and

when none of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection are displayable with the selected label, then displaying in the label display area at least one label, not previously in the displayed set, at a location adjacent to the selected label on a side of the selected label nearest to the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection.

12. A computer program product storing computer readable program code comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computer system to perform operations comprising:

accessing a collection of element records, each of the element records identifying an element label and having a data field indicating a selection state, no more than one of the element records having a selection state set to currently-selected;

displaying, in a label display area, a displayed set of the identified labels, each of the labels in the displayed set occupying a position relative to each other in a single row in the label display area;

displaying a control that, when manipulated, changes the displayed set to include other of the labels identified in the collection of element records, the control presenting at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set, such that selection of the at least one label presented by the control effects an adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include the selected label and as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible;

responsive to cursor movement near any one of the labels in the displayed set, highlighting the any one label to indicate that it is selectable;

responsive to a selection of any one of the labels in the displayed set or the at least one label presented by the control, setting the selection state of the corresponding element record to currently-selected and changing the selection state of any other element record in the collection formerly set to the currently-selected state, so that no more than one of the element records in the collection at a time has a selection state set to currently-selected;

when the displayed set includes the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state, displaying in the label display area the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab that is graphically connected to element data displayed outside of the label display area, without changing the relative positions of the labels in the displayed set; and

displaying, in the label display area, each of the labels in the displayed set that correspond to element records not having the currently-selected state without a tab, so that the displayed set of labels is displayed in conjunction with no more than one tab at any time.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein highlighting comprises underlining.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein displaying the displayed set of the identified labels comprises:

partially displaying one of the labels near a boundary of the label display area so that less than all of the partially displayed label is viewable; and

responsive to manipulation of the control;

changing the label display area so that the label partially displayed is fully displayed in the label display area, and

partially displaying near the boundary of the label display area a different identified label not previously in the displayed set so that less than all of the different label is viewable.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the operations additionally comprise receiving at least one of the identified labels from a user.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set of labels comprises an indicator other than text.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set comprises video.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein displaying a control comprises displaying at least one of a scroll control and a list box.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab graphically connected to displayed element data comprises:

displaying the element data in an element window, the element window having a border and a background area;

displaying the tab and the background area of the element window in the same color; and

displaying the tab so that it overlaps the border of the element window.

20. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area comprises an incremental adjustment of the boundaries to display an animated effect.

21. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the control presents the at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set and a separator element representing identified labels included in the displayed set in an order corresponding to a display in the label display area.

22. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible comprises:

maintaining in the label display area at least one of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection; and

when none of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection are displayable with the selected label, then displaying in the label display area at least one label, not previously in the displayed set, at a location adjacent to the selected label on a side of the selected label nearest to the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection.

23. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

storage, coupled to the processor, including executable instructions for performing operations comprising;

accessing a collection of element records, each of the element records identifying an element label and having a data field indicating a selection state, no more than one of the element records having a selection state set to currently-selected;

displaying, in a label display area, a displayed set of the identified labels, each of the labels in the displayed set occupying a position relative to each other in a single row in the label display area;

displaying a control that, when manipulated, changes the displayed set to include other of the labels identified in the collection of element records;

the control presenting at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set, such that selection of the at least one label presented by the control effects an adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include the selected label and as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible;

responsive to cursor movement near any one of the labels in the displayed set, highlighting the any one label to indicate that it is selectable;

responsive to a selection of any one of the labels in the displayed set or the at least one label presented by the control, setting the selection state of the corresponding element record to currently-selected and changing the selection state of any other element record in the collection formerly set to the currently-selected state, so that no more than one of the element records in the collection at a time has a selection state set to currently-selected;

when the displayed set includes the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state, displaying in the label display area the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab that is graphically connected to element data displayed outside of the label display area, without changing the relative positions of the labels in the displayed set; and

displaying, in the label display area, each of the labels in the displayed set that correspond to element records not having the currently-selected state without a tab, so that the displayed set of labels is displayed in conjunction with no more than one tab at any time.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein highlighting comprises underlining.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein displaying the displayed set of the identified labels comprises:

partially displaying one of the labels near a boundary of the label display area so that less than all of the partially displayed label is viewable; and

responsive to manipulation of the control;

changing the label display area so that the label partially displayed is fully displayed in the label display area, and

partially displaying near the boundary of the label display area a different identified label not previously in the displayed set so that less than all of the different label is viewable.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the operations comprise receiving at least one of the identified labels from a user.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set of labels comprises an indicator other than text.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein at least one of the labels in the displayed set comprises video.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein displaying a control comprises displaying at least one of a scroll control and a list box.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein displaying the label corresponding to the element record having the currently-selected state on a single tab graphically connected to displayed element data comprises:

displaying the element data in an element window, the element window having a border and a background area;

displaying the tab and the background area of the element window in the same color; and

displaying the tab so that it overlaps the border of the element window.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area comprises an incremental adjustment of the boundaries to display an animated effect.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the control presents the at least one of the identified labels currently excluded from the displayed set and a separator element representing identified labels included in the displayed set in an order corresponding to a display in the label display area.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the adjustment of boundaries of the label display area to include as many of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection as possible comprises:

maintaining in the label display area at least one of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection; and

when none of the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection are displayable with the selected label, then displaying in the label display area at least one label, not previously in the displayed set, at a location adjacent to the selected label on a side of the selected label nearest to the labels included in the displayed set prior to the selection.