Method and system for providing feedback for docking a content pane in a host window
First Claim
1. A method for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window using an electronic computing device, the method comprising:
- (a) causing the electronic computing device to provide at least one of a plurality of docking maps, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps defines a plurality of docking areas there within, the plurality of docking areas configured for docking the content pane relative to a docking pane, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps completely overlays the docking pane in the host window, wherein the docking map and docking areas are visible only during a docking operation;
(b) causing the electronic computing device to position a thumbnail associated with the content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas of the at least one of a plurality of docking maps to select the one of the plurality of docking areas, wherein each of the plurality of docking areas correspond with a relative position on the docking pane within the host window in which the content pane is positioned in relation to other content panes in accordance with the at least one of a plurality of docking maps, and wherein the thumbnail is a miniature representation of the host window and the content pane after the content pane is docked; and
(c) causing the electronic computing device to provide a hotspot visually on the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one of the plurality of docking areas the hotspot is visibly distinct from other portions of the thumbnail to allow for precise dropping of the content pane into the one of the plurality of docking areas for docking.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for providing feedback for docking a content pane in a host window is disclosed. The method and system include providing a docking map. The docking map includes a plurality of docking areas there within. The method and system also include positioning a thumbnail associated with a content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas. Finally, the method and system include providing a hotspot on the thumbnail. The hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one docking area. The feedback enables a user to precisely dock a content pane. In addition, a user can predict the final configuration of the host window. In addition, the docking of the content pane can determine complex configurations within a host window including nested splitters and notebooks whose tabs are oriented in any direction.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window using an electronic computing device, the method comprising:
-
(a) causing the electronic computing device to provide at least one of a plurality of docking maps, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps defines a plurality of docking areas there within, the plurality of docking areas configured for docking the content pane relative to a docking pane, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps completely overlays the docking pane in the host window, wherein the docking map and docking areas are visible only during a docking operation; (b) causing the electronic computing device to position a thumbnail associated with the content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas of the at least one of a plurality of docking maps to select the one of the plurality of docking areas, wherein each of the plurality of docking areas correspond with a relative position on the docking pane within the host window in which the content pane is positioned in relation to other content panes in accordance with the at least one of a plurality of docking maps, and wherein the thumbnail is a miniature representation of the host window and the content pane after the content pane is docked; and (c) causing the electronic computing device to provide a hotspot visually on the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one of the plurality of docking areas the hotspot is visibly distinct from other portions of the thumbnail to allow for precise dropping of the content pane into the one of the plurality of docking areas for docking. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window, the program instructions comprising:
-
a non-transitory computer readable medium; (a) first programmatic instructions for providing at least one of a plurality of docking maps, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps includes a plurality of docking areas there within, the plurality of docking areas configured for docking the content pane relative to a docking pane, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps completely overlays the docking pane in the host window, and wherein the docking map and docking areas are visible only during a docking operation; (b) second programmatic instructions for positioning a thumbnail associated with the content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas to select the one of the plurality of docking areas of the at least one of a plurality of docking maps, wherein each of the plurality of docking areas correspond with a relative position on the docking pane within the host window in which the content pane is positioned in relation to other content panes in accordance with the at least one of a plurality of docking maps and wherein the thumbnail is a miniature representation of the host window and the content pane after the content pane is docked; and (c) third programmatic instructions for providing a hotspot visually on the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one of the plurality of docking areas the hotspot is visibly distinct from other portions of the thumbnail to allow for precise dropping of the content pane into the one of the plurality of docking areas for docking. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A system of computer hardware for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window, the system of computer hardware comprising:
-
at least one of a plurality of docking maps, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps includes a plurality of docking areas there within, the plurality of docking areas configured for docking the content pane relative to a docking pane, wherein the at least one of a plurality of docking maps completely overlays the docking pane in the host window, and wherein the docking map and docking areas are visible only during a docking operation; and a thumbnail associated with the content pane, wherein the thumbnail represents the content pane as it is dragged over one of the plurality of docking areas of the at least one of a plurality of docking maps to select the one of the plurality of docking areas, wherein each of the plurality of docking areas correspond with a relative position on the docking pane within the host window in which the content pane is positioned in relation to other content panes in accordance with the at least one of a plurality of docking maps, the thumbnail comprising a hotspot, wherein the hotspot is visually visibly distinct from the other portions of the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be precisely dropped into the one of the plurality of docking areas to allow for precise dropping of the content pane into the one of the plurality of docking areas for docking and wherein the thumbnail is a miniature representation of the host window and the content pane after the content pane is docked. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
Specification