Tear-away topology views
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- rendering a first topology view comprising a plurality of elements, the view corresponding to an underlying first data model for the elements, the first data model including relationship information defining relationships among the elements;
detecting a selection of a plurality of the rendered elements;
detecting a dragging of the selected elements across a defined tear-away topology boundary, the tear-away topology boundary defined to signal that elements dragged across the boundary are to be used, when dropped, for creating a second topology view in association with the first topology view; and
creating, responsive to detecting a drop of the dragged elements after detecting the signal that the elements were dragged across the defined tear-away topology boundary, the second topology view, the second topology view having a correlation with the first topology view, and a second data model that underlies the selected elements, wherein;
the second topology view comprises a rendered copy of the selected elements, and the second data model comprises information that is copied, for each of the selected elements, from corresponding information in the first data model;
the rendered copy maintains spatial positioning of, and relationships among, the selected elements as rendered in the first topology view; and
provided that the correlation is active, an update to the rendered copy of the selected elements in the second topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the selected elements in the first topology view, as well as corresponding updates to the second data model and the first data model, and an update to the selected elements in the first topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the rendered copy of the selected elements in the second topology view, as well as corresponding updates to the first data model and the second data model.
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Abstract
Enabling users to select a subset of elements represented by a rendered topology view, and in response, a new view comprising the selected elements is automatically created. Preferred embodiments render this subset view, referred to herein as a “tear-away view”, alongside the topology view from which the elements were selected, thereby enabling the user to focus on the selected elements in context of the bigger picture. An active correlation is preferably maintained between the views, such that various updates to one view are also reflected in the other view. Preferred embodiments automatically create a new data model underlying the tear-away view, and in one aspect, this data model and/or tear-away view may be persisted.
22 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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rendering a first topology view comprising a plurality of elements, the view corresponding to an underlying first data model for the elements, the first data model including relationship information defining relationships among the elements; detecting a selection of a plurality of the rendered elements; detecting a dragging of the selected elements across a defined tear-away topology boundary, the tear-away topology boundary defined to signal that elements dragged across the boundary are to be used, when dropped, for creating a second topology view in association with the first topology view; and creating, responsive to detecting a drop of the dragged elements after detecting the signal that the elements were dragged across the defined tear-away topology boundary, the second topology view, the second topology view having a correlation with the first topology view, and a second data model that underlies the selected elements, wherein; the second topology view comprises a rendered copy of the selected elements, and the second data model comprises information that is copied, for each of the selected elements, from corresponding information in the first data model; the rendered copy maintains spatial positioning of, and relationships among, the selected elements as rendered in the first topology view; and provided that the correlation is active, an update to the rendered copy of the selected elements in the second topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the selected elements in the first topology view, as well as corresponding updates to the second data model and the first data model, and an update to the selected elements in the first topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the rendered copy of the selected elements in the second topology view, as well as corresponding updates to the first data model and the second data model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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rendering a first topology view comprising a plurality of elements; detecting a selection of a plurality of the rendered elements; detecting a dragging of the selected elements across a defined tear-away topology boundary, the tear-away topology boundary defined to signal that elements dragged across the boundary are to be used, when dropped, for creating a second topology view in association with the first topology view; creating, responsive to detecting a drop of the dragged elements after detecting the signal that the elements were dragged across the defined tear-away topology boundary, the second topology view in association with the first topology view, wherein; the second topology view comprises a copy of the selected elements; the copy maintains spatial positioning of, and relationships among, the selected elements as rendered in the first topology view; and providing a correlation between the selected elements in the first topology view and the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view, such that when the correlation is active, an update to the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the selected elements in the first topology view and an update to the selected elements in the first topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view; rendering the second topology view; using the correlation to manage updating in the second topology view, comprising; disabling the correlation prior to performing an update to the copy of the selected elements in the second rendered topology view; restoring the correlation following the update; and automatically revising the selected elements in the first rendered topology view, responsive to the restoring, such that the first rendered topology view also reflects the update. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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rendering a first topology view comprising a plurality of elements; detecting a selection of a plurality of the rendered elements; detecting a dragging of the selected elements across a defined tear-away topology boundary, the tear-away topology boundary defined to signal that elements dragged across the boundary are to be used, when dropped, for creating a second topology view in association with the first topology view; creating, responsive to detecting a drop of the dragged elements after detecting the signal that the elements were dragged across the defined tear-away topology boundary, the second topology view in association with the first topology view, wherein; the second topology view comprises a copy of the selected elements; the copy maintains spatial positioning of, and relationships among, the selected elements as rendered in the first topology view; and providing a correlation between the selected elements in the first topology view and the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view, such that when the correlation is active, an update to the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the selected elements in the first topology view and an update to the selected elements in the first topology view automatically causes a corresponding update to the copy of the selected elements in the second topology view; rendering the second topology view; and using the correlation to manage updating in the second topology view, comprising; disabling the correlation for the copy of a particular one of the elements, prior to initiating an update affecting the particular element using the second rendered topology view; restoring the correlation following the update; and automatically revising a visual representation of the particular element in the first rendered topology view, responsive to the restoring, such that the first rendered topology view also reflects the update.
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Specification