Integrated search and find user interface

• US 7,739,259 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hartwell, Aaron, Pell, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bullock; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US11/430,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A search and find user interface is provided that is integrated with a data indexing engine to allow efficient and high-speed data search and retrieval across data storage folders associated with a given software module or associated with a number of disparate software modules. An expanded form of the search and find user interface is provided for advanced searching. Where searching is required beyond a present search scope, an automatic “upscoping” mechanism is provided for expanding a search to data storage folders outside a current data storage folder on which an initial search is executed.

Claims

1. A method for providing a search and find functionality in a software module, the method comprising:

displaying, by a computing device, a user interface containing a navigation pane, a search and find user interface element, and a list pane, the navigation pane containing a list of one or more selectable data folder controls associated with data storage folders in a set of data storage folders, each data storage folder in the set of data storage folders associated with one or more data items belonging to a data item type;

displaying, by the computing device, a first textbox disposed in the search and find user interface element for receiving free form alphanumeric entry of search queries;

displaying, by the computing device, a second textbox within the search and find user interface element, the second textbox associated with a landmark property of data items of the data item type;

receiving, by the computing device, a selection of a target data folder control in the list of one or more selectable data folder controls, the target data folder control associated with an target data storage folder in the set of data storage folders, the selection of the target data folder control operatively associating the search and find user interface element with the target data storage folder;

after operatively associating the search and find user interface with the target data storage folder, receiving, at the computing device, a search string into the second textbox;

in response to receiving the search string, automatically populating, by the computing device, a structured search query into the first textbox, the structured search query for finding data items having values of the landmark property that correspond to the search string;

receiving, at the computing device, an indication of an initiation of the structured search query against the target data storage folder; and

in response to receiving the indication of the initiation of the structured search query, displaying, by the computing device, a results list in the list pane, the results list containing any data items associated with the given data storage folder responsive to the structured search query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the computing device, a status field disposed in the user interface, the status field displaying status information about data items in the results list.

3. The method of claim 1, prior to displaying the results list, returning by the computing device, any data items associated with the target data storage folder where the any data items are responsive to the structured search query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the search string is present in a displayed portion of any of the data items in the results list, highlighting, by the computing device, the search string in the displayed portion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the computing device, a progress indicator in the search and find user interface element, the progress indicator providing an animation during any active search operation, the animation indicating a progression of the active search operation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the computing device, a narrow bar vertically disposed in the user interface along an edge of the results list, the narrow bar indicating that the results list contains one or more data items responsive to a search of the target data storage folder and indicating that the target data storage folder is in a filtered state.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the computing device, a dropdown menu disposed in the user interface, the dropdown menu providing one or more additional search functionalities associated with the search and find user interface element.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein at least one of the one or more additional search functionalities includes a most recently used search query control that, when selected, causes a display of one or more previously entered search queries, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a selection of one of the one or more previously entered search queries, and

automatically entering, by the computing device, the selected one of the one or more previously entered search queries into the first textbox for processing a search query against the target data storage folder.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by the computing device, an indication of a selection of a search control for initiating a search query against the target data storage folder based on the selected one of the one or more previously entered search queries.

10. A computing device configured to present a search and find user interface, the computing device comprising:

a processing unit; and

a system memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the computing device to;

display a user interface associated with a software module, the user interface containing a navigation pane, a search and find user interface element, a list pane and a data preview pane, the navigation pane containing a list of one or more selectable data folder controls associated with data storage folders in a plurality of data storage folders, each data storage folder in the plurality of data storage folders associated with data items belonging to a data item type associated with the software module, the list pane displaying data items from a given data storage folder in the plurality of data storage folders;

display a first textbox disposed in the search and find user interface element for receiving free form alphanumeric entry of search queries;

display a second textbox within the search and find user interface element, the second textbox associated with a landmark property of data items belonging to the data item type;

receive a selection of a target data folder control in the list of one or more selectable data folder controls, the target data folder control associated with a target data storage folder in the set of data storage folders, the selection of the target data folder control operatively associating the search and find user interface element with the target data storage folder;

after operatively associating the search and find user interface with the target data storage folder, receive a search string entered into the second textbox;

in response to receiving the search string, automatically populate a structured search query into the first textbox, the structured search query for finding data items having values of the landmark property that correspond to the search string;

after automatically populating the structured search query into the first textbox, receive an indication of an initiation of the structured search query against the target data storage folder; and

in response to receiving the indication of the initiation of the structured search query, display a results list in the list pane, the results list containing any data items associated with the target data storage folder responsive to the structured search query.

11. The computing device of claim 10, the instructions further configuring the computing device to display, in the search and find user interface element, a clear control that, when selected, causes a clearing of search queries entered into the first textbox.

12. The computing device of claim 11, the instructions further configuring the computing device to display, in the search and find user interface element, a progress indicator disposed in the search and find user interface element, the progress indicator providing an animation during any active search operation, the animation indicating a progression of the active search operation.

13. The computing device of claim 12, the instructions further configuring the computing device to display, in the list pane, a narrow bar disposed vertically along an edge of the results list, the narrow bar indicating the results list contains one or more data items responsive to a search of the given data storage folder.

14. The computing device of claim 12, the instructions further configuring the computing device to display, in the search and find user interface element, a most recently used search query control disposed adjacent to the first textbox, the most recently used search query control, when selected, causing the computing device to display one or more search queries previously entered into the first textbox.

15. A computer storage medium containing computer executable instructions for providing a search and find functionality, the computer executable instructions when executed by a computer, configure the computer to:

display a user interface of a multi-functionality application, the user interface including a search and find user interface element, a navigation pane, a list pane, and a data preview pane, the search and find user interface element disposed within the user interface in close proximity to the navigation pane, the navigation pane containing a plurality of selectable folder controls, each selectable folder control in the first plurality of selectable folder controls representing a data storage folder in a first plurality of data storage folders, the search and find user interface element containing a first textbox for receiving free form alphanumeric entry of search queries from a user, the search and find user interface element displayed in the user interface by default, the list pane containing by default a list of all data items in a first data storage folder in the first plurality of data storage folders, the data preview pane displaying by default contents of a selected data item in the first data storage folder;

receive a module selection input from a user;

in response to receiving the module selection input;

display a second plurality of selectable data folder controls in the navigation pane, each selectable data folder control in the second plurality of selectable data folder controls associated with a different data storage folder in a second plurality of data storage folders;

display a second textbox within the search and find user interface, the second textbox associated with a landmark property of data items of a data item type associated with a software module of the multi-functionality application indicated by the module selection input;

receive folder selection input from the user, the folder selection input indicating selection of a target selectable folder control in the second plurality of the selectable folder controls, the target selectable folder control representing a target data storage folder in the second plurality of data storage folders;

in response to receiving the folder selection input, operatively associate the search and find user interface element with the target data storage folder;

receive from the user an alphanumeric search string in the second textbox;

in response to receiving the alphanumeric search string in the second textbox, automatically populate a structured search query into the first textbox, the structured search query for finding data items having values of the landmark property that correspond to the alphanumeric search string;

after operatively associating the search and find user interface element with the target data storage folder and after automatically populating the structured search query into the first textbox, receive an indication of an initiation of the structured search query against the target data storage folder;

in response to receiving the indication of the initiation of the structured search query, display a results list within the list pane, the results list containing any data items associated with the target data storage folder responsive to the structured search query; and

highlight displayed portions of data items in the results list, the displayed portions containing the alphanumeric search string.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further configuring the computer to display a progress indicator in the search and find user interface element, the progress indicator providing an animation during any active search operation, the animation indicating a progression of the active search operation.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further configuring the computer to display a narrow bar vertically disposed in the user interface along an edge of the results list, the narrow bar indicating the results list contains one or more data items responsive to a search of the target data storage folder.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further configuring the computer to:

display in the user interface a most recently used search query control adjacent to the first textbox, the most recently used search query control, when selected, causes the computer to display one or more previously entered search queries, the previously entered search queries being search queries previously entered in the first textbox;

receive a selection of one of the one or more previously entered search queries;

in response to receiving the selection of one of the one or more previously entered search queries, automatically enter the selected one of the one or more previously entered search queries into the first textbox; and

receive an indication of a selection of a search control for initiating a second search query against the target data storage folder, the second search query based on the selected one of the one or more previously entered search queries.