Graphical manipulation of data objects

• US 9,323,807 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Werner, Horst, Beringer, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/939,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/764, 715/863, 715/859, 715/860, 715/822, 715/823, 382/186, 382/187, 382/188, 382/189, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

In an embodiment, a user input defining an enclosed, graphical shape on a video display is received. A number of graphical items are identified as being included within the enclosed, graphical shape. Here, each graphical item is displayed on the video display and represents a data object that has a number of properties. A property is extracted from the number of properties that the data objects have in common based on the identification. A number of other manipulation techniques are also described.

Claims

1. A method for sharing visual data on a video display during a collaborative session with multiple users using a database application, the method comprising:

displaying graphical items on the video display, each graphical item represented by one or more data objects having at least one property stored in a database of properties accessible to the database application;

receiving a user input defining an enclosed, graphical shape on the video display, the enclosed, graphical shape drawn around a set of graphical items from the displayed graphical items, the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape associated with a set of data objects;

receiving additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape to initiate an extraction of a set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape;

extracting, in response to receiving the additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape, the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape by having the database application query the database of properties;

automatically identifying at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape that includes the common set of properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed graphical shape; and

in response to the identified at least one graphical item, moving the identified at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape inside the enclosed, graphical shape.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a line being drawn from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a movement of a body part from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one property includes an attribute associated with the data objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each graphical items is represented by two or more data objects and the at least one property includes an association between two or more of the data objects.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a new user input defining a new graphical item within the enclosed graphical shape representing at least one new data object; and

automatically associating the extracted set of common properties to the at least one new data object represented by the new graphical item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to extracting the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects within the enclosed, graphical shape, associating the enclosed, graphical shape with the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

updating the set of common properties associated with the enclosed, graphical shape by associating a new property with the enclosed, graphical shape.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein updating the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects associated with the enclosed, graphical shape by associating a new property with the enclosed, graphical shape further comprising:

displaying the new property in the graphical region listing the various properties; and

receiving a command indicating a line drawn from the new property within the graphical regions to the enclosed, graphical shape displayed on the video display.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the video display, the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape, in a graphical region that lists various properties.

11. A computing device for sharing visual data on a video display during a collaborative session with multiple users using a database application, the computing device comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory in communication with the at least one processor, the memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising;

displaying graphical items on the video display, each graphical item represented by one or more data objects having at least one property stored in a database of properties accessible to the database application;

receiving a user input defining an enclosed, graphical shape on the video display, the enclosed, graphical shape drawn around a set of graphical items from the displayed graphical items, the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape associated with a set of data objects;

receiving additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape to initiate an extraction of a set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape;

extracting, in response to receiving the additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape, the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape by having the database application query the database of properties;

automatically identifying at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape that includes the common set of properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed graphical shape; and

in response to the identified at least one graphical item, moving the identified at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape inside the enclosed, graphical shape.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a line being drawn from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a movement of a body part from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the memory configured to store-instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, causes operations to be performed, the operations further comprising:

in response to extracting the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects within the enclosed, graphical shape, associating the enclosed, graphical shape with the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the memory configured to store-instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, causes operations to be performed, the operations further comprising:

updating the set of common properties associated with the enclosed, graphical shape by associating a new property with the enclosed, graphical shape.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the operations of updating the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items associated with the enclosed, graphical shape by associating a new property with the enclosed, graphical shape further comprising:

displaying the new property in the graphical region listing the various properties; and

receiving a command indicating a line drawn from the new property within the graphical regions to the enclosed, graphical shape displayed on the video display.

17. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the memory configured to store-instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, causes operations to be performed, the operations further comprising:

displaying, on the video display, the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape, in a graphical region that lists various properties.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores instructions for sharing visual data on a video display during a collaborative session with multiple users, which, when performed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

displaying graphical items on the video display, each graphical item represented by one or more data objects having at least one property stored in a database of properties accessible to the database application;

receiving a user input defining an enclosed, graphical shape on the video display, the enclosed, graphical shape drawn around a set of graphical items from the displayed graphical items, the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape associated with a set of data objects;

receiving additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape to initiate an extraction of a set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape;

extracting, in response to receiving the additional user input to operate on the enclosed, graphical shape, the set of common properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed, graphical shape by having the database application query the database of properties;

automatically identifying at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape that includes the common set of properties associated with the set of data objects from the set of graphical items within the enclosed graphical shape; and

in response to the identified at least one graphical item, moving the identified at least one graphical item located outside the enclosed, graphical shape inside the enclosed, graphical shape.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operation of receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a line being drawn from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operation of receiving the additional user input comprises detecting a movement of a body part from inside of the enclosed, graphical shape to outside of the enclosed, graphical shape.