Method for performing a load-on-demand operation on assigned graphic objects in a computer operating environment

• US 20060069984A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Original Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/233
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for performing a load-on-demand operation on assigned graphic objects allows a user to load a computer file without the assigned graphic objects to shorten the loading time of the computer file. The assigned graphic objects can be subsequently loaded by the user by activating an “assigned to” object.

Claims

1. A method for performing a load-on-demand operation, said method, said method comprising:

assigning at least one graphic object to a target graphic object;

loading a computer file that includes said target graphic object without said at least one graphic object to produce a computer environment having said target graphic object;

activating said target graphic object; and

loading said at least one graphic object in said computer environment in response to said activating of said target graphic object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said assigning said at least one graphic object includes drawing a graphic directional indicator in an original computer environment, including associating said at least one graphic object with said graphic directional indicator.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said drawing said graphic directional indicator includes drawing an arrow in said original computer environment in response to a user-drawn line.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said drawing said arrow includes drawing said arrow of a particular color in said original computer environment in response to said user-drawn line of said particular color.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating said target graphic object in an original computer environment and searching a current open file of said original computer environment to determine whether said target graphic object matches an assignment object.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising copying an assigned-to graphic object to create said target graphic object and copying one or more objects assigned to said assigned-to graphic object, wherein said assigning includes assigning said one or more copied objects to said target graphic object.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising saying said at least one graphic object to a secondary computer file that is separate from said computer file so that said computer file can be independently loaded without said secondary computer file.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said loading said at least one graphic object includes loading said secondary computer file into said computer environment.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said loading said computer file is performed only when a user has activated a load-on-demand setting for said target graphic object.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein s aid assigning includes graphically indicating said targeted graphic object is an assigned-to object.

2. A storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform method steps for performing a load-on-demand operation, said method steps comprising:

assigning at least one graphic object to a target graphic object;

loading a computer file that includes said target graphic object without said at least one graphic object to produce a computer environment having said target graphic object;

activating said target graphic object; and

loading said at least one graphic object in said computer environment in response to said activating of said target graphic object.

12. The storage medium of claim 2 wherein said assigning said at least one graphic object includes drawing a graphic directional indicator in an original computer environment, including associating said at least one graphic object with said graphic directional indicator.

13. The storage medium of claim 12 wherein said drawing said graphic directional indicator includes drawing an arrow in said original computer environment in response to a user-drawn line.

14. The storage medium of claim 13 wherein said drawing said arrow includes drawing said arrow of a particular color in said original computer environment in response to said user-drawn line of said particular color.

15. The storage medium of claim 2 further comprising creating said target graphic object in an original computer environment and searching a current open file of said original computer environment to determine whether said target graphic object matches an assignment object.

16. The storage medium of claim 2 further comprising copying an assigned-to graphic object to create said target graphic object and copying one or more objects assigned to said assigned-to graphic object, wherein said assigning includes assigning said one or more copied objects to said target graphic object.

17. The storage medium of claim 2 further comprising saving said at least one graphic object to a secondary computer file that is separate from said computer file so that said computer file can be independently loaded without said secondary computer file.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein said loading said at least one graphic object includes loading said secondary computer file into said computer environment.

19. The storage medium of claim 2 wherein said loading said computer file is performed only when a user has activated a load-on-demand setting for said target graphic object.

20. The storage medium of claim 2 wherein said assigning includes graphically indicating said targeted graphic object is an assigned-to object.