Apparatus and method for pointer drag path operations

• US 20060129945A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wenzel, Shannon Everett, Kolz, Daniel Paul, Dettinger, Richard Dean
• Application Number:
  US11/012,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129945A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a graphical user interface allow performing operations simply by dragging a first object over a second object. One or more attributes of the second object are effectively “picked up” by virtue of dragging over the second object. In this manner, the user interface is more friendly, more intuitive, and reduces the number of pointer clicks to implement a particular function, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a pointer drag path mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object that represents a first operand, dragging the first object to a second object that represents a first operator, and dropping the first object onto the second object, thereby operating on the first operand with the first operator.

2. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a pointer drag path mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object that represents a first operator, dragging the first object to a second object that represents a first operand, and dropping the first object onto the second object, thereby operating on the first operand with the first operator.

3. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a pointer drag path mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object, the pointer drag path mechanism picking up at least one attribute of a second object that is in a drag path of the first object while the first object is selected.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pointer drag path mechanism picks up the at least one attribute without a user of the pointer pressing any additional buttons on a pointing device that controls the pointer.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents an operator.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first object represents an operator and the second object represents an operand.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first object represents a first operand and the second object represents a first operator, wherein the pointer drag path mechanism allows selecting the first object, dragging the selected first object across the second object, and dropping the selected first object on a third object that represents a second operand, resulting in the drag path mechanism operating on the first and second operands with the first operator.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents a first operator, wherein the pointer drag path mechanism allows selecting the first object, dragging the selected first object across the second object and a third object that represents a second operator, and dropping the selected first object on a fourth object that represents a second operand, resulting in the drag path mechanism operating on the first and second operands with the first and second operators.

9. A method for operating on a first operand with a first operator using a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first object that represents the first operand;

dragging the first object to a second object that represents the first operator;

dropping the first object onto the second object; and

in response to dropping the first object onto the second object, operating on the first operand with the first operator.

10. A method for operating on a first operand with a first operator using a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first object that represents the first operator;

dragging the selected first object to a second object that represents the first operand;

dropping the selected first object onto the second object; and

in response to dropping the selected first object onto the second object, operating on the first operand with the first operator.

11. A method for operating on first and second operand with a first operator using a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first object that represents the first operand;

dragging the selected first object across a third object corresponding to the first operator;

dropping the selected first object onto the second object that represents the second operand; and

in response to dropping the selected first object onto the second object, operating on the first and second operands with the first operator.

12. A method for operating on a first operand using a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) selecting a first object using a pointer;

(B) dragging the selected first object across a second object; and

(C) in response to dragging the selected first object across the second object, picking up at least one attribute of the second object.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (C) is performed without a user of the pointer pressing any additional buttons on a pointing device that controls the pointer.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents an operator.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first object represents an operator and the second object represents an operand.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first object represents a first operand and the second object represents a first operator, and further comprising the steps of:

dropping the selected first object on a third object that represents a second operand; and

in response to the dropping of the selected first object on the third object, operating on the first and second operands with the first operator.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents a first operator, and further comprising the steps of:

dragging the selected first object across a third object that represents a second operator;

dropping the selected first object on a fourth object that represents a second operand;

in response to dropping the selected first object on the fourth object, operating on the first and second operands with the first and second operators.

18. A program product comprising:

a pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object that represents a first operand, dragging the selected first object to a second object that represents a first operator, and dropping the selected first object onto the second object, thereby operating on the first operand with the first operator; and

computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the pointer drag path mechanism.

19. The program product of claim 18 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

20. The program product of claim 18 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

21. A program product comprising:

a pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object that represents a first operator, dragging the selected first object to a second object that represents a first operand, and dropping the selected first object onto the second object, thereby operating on the first operand with the first operator; and

computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the pointer drag path mechanism.

22. The program product of claim 21 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

23. The program product of claim 21 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

24. A program product comprising:

a pointer drag path mechanism comprising a pointer that allows selecting a first object, the pointer drag path mechanism picking up at least one attribute of a second object that is in a drag path of the first object while the first object is selected; and

computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the pointer drag path mechanism.

25. The program product of claim 24 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

26. The program product of claim 24 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

27. The program product of claim 24 wherein the pointer drag path mechanism picks up the at least one attribute without a user of the pointer pressing any additional buttons on a pointing device that controls the pointer.

28. The program product of claim 24 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents an operator.

29. The program product of claim 24 wherein the first object represents an operator and the second object represents an operand.

30. The program product of claim 24 wherein the first object represents a first operand and the second object represents a first operator, wherein the pointer drag path mechanism allows selecting the first object, dragging the selected first object across a defined region corresponding to the second object, and dropping the first object on a third object that represents a second operand, resulting in the drag path mechanism operating on the first and second operands with the first operator.

31. The program product of claim 24 wherein the first object represents an operand and the second object represents a first operator, wherein the pointer drag path mechanism allows selecting the first object, dragging the selected first object across the second object and a third object that represents a second operator, and dropping the first object on a fourth object that represents a second operand, resulting in the drag path mechanism operating on the first and second operands with the first and second operators.