Computer program product, apparatus and method for displaying a plurality of entities in a tooltip for a cell of a table

• US 7,607,088 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Molander, Mark E., Bertram, Randal Lee, Ortega, Kerry A., Cox, Aaron Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan; Yongjia
• Application Number:
  US11/407,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20070245241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 715/711, 715/862
• US Class Current: 715/711
• 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 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A computer program product, electronic device and method are provided that enable a user to easily view, in a tooltip, all of the entities of a plurality of entities contained in a cell of a table when the width of the cell prevents the cell display from showing all of the entities. In response to a tooltip being opened for a cell of a table, the cell having a plurality of entities, at least a portion of the plurality of entities is displayed in the tooltip. An indicia expressive of a total number of the plurality of entities is also displayed. Alternate embodiments provide navigation aids in the tooltip to assist a user in more conveniently viewing all of the entities.

Claims

1. A computer-readable memory that stores program instructions, execution of the program instructions resulting in operations comprising:

in response to a tooltip being opened for a cell of a table, the cell comprising a plurality of entities, displaying in the tooltip at least a portion of the plurality of entities;

displaying in the tooltip an indicia expressive of a total number of the plurality of entities;

providing at least one navigation aid to assist a user in navigating among the at least a portion of the plurality of entities displayed in the tooltip, wherein the at least one navigation aid comprises at least one navigation point consisting of an alphabetical letter, wherein the plurality of entities in the cell are arranged alphabetically; and

in response to selection of the at least one navigation point, displaying in the tooltip at least one entity corresponding to the at least one navigation point.

2. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein displaying in the tooltip the at least one entity comprises displaying at least a portion of the plurality of entities up to a predetermined number of entities.

3. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein displaying in the tooltip the at least one entity comprises displaying at least a portion of the plurality of entities up to a predetermined number of characters.

4. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein the tooltip is opened in response to an interaction between a pointer and the cell and wherein the tooltip remains open while the pointer is located within the tooltip.

5. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein execution of the program instructions results in operations further comprising providing a user with an option to selectively enable or disable the at least one navigation aid.

6. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein execution of the program instructions results in operations further comprising enabling a user to convert the tooltip into a separate object that is movable within a display screen.

7. An electronic device comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one data processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one data processor is operable to perform operations comprising;

in response to a tooltip being opened for a cell of a table, the cell comprising a plurality of entities, displaying in the tooltip at least a portion of the plurality of entities;

providing at least one navigation aid to assist a user in navigating among the at least a portion of the plurality of entities displayed in the tooltip, wherein the at least one navigation aid comprises at least one navigation point consisting of an alphabetical letter, wherein the plurality of entities in the cell are arranged alphabetically; and

in response to selection of the at least one navigation point, displaying in the tooltip at least one entity corresponding to the at least one navigation point.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the set of operations further comprises providing a user with an option to selectively enable or disable the at least one navigation aid.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the set of operations further comprises enabling a user to convert the tooltip into a separate movable object.

14. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the at least one navigation point comprises a plurality of navigation points and wherein a user-selected navigation point is distinguished from unselected navigation points, where each navigation point corresponds to at least one entity or group of entities in the cell, and wherein the user-selected navigation point controls the corresponding at least one entity or group of entities being displayed.

15. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the displayed at least one entity has a name that begins with the same letter as the alphabetical letter of the at least one navigation point.

16. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the at least one data processor is operable to perform further operations comprising:

displaying in the tooltip an indicia

expressive of a total number of the plurality of entities.

10. A computer-readable memory that stores program instructions, execution of the program instructions resulting in operations comprising:

in response to a tooltip being opened for a cell of a table, the cell comprising a plurality of entities, displaying in the tooltip at least a portion of the plurality of entities;

providing at least one navigation aid to assist a user in navigating among the at least a portion of the plurality of entities displayed in the tooltip, wherein the at least one navigation aid comprises at least one navigation point consisting of an alphabetical letter, wherein the plurality of entities in the cell are arranged alphabetically; and

in response to selection of the at least one navigation point, displaying in the tooltip at least one entity corresponding to the at least one navigation point.

11. The computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein execution of the program instructions results in operations further comprising providing a user with an option to selectively enable or disable the at least one navigation aid.

12. The computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein the at least one navigation point comprises a plurality of navigation points and wherein a user-selected navigation point is distinguished from unselected navigation points, where each navigation point corresponds to at least one entity or group of entities in the cell, and wherein the user-selected navigation point controls the corresponding at least one entity or group of entities being displayed.

13. The computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein the displayed at least one entity has a name that begins with the same letter as the alphabetical letter of the at least one navigation point.