Edge docking foster window

• US 5,923,326 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brafford, Keith, Molander, Mark, Khalifa, Kathy, Bittinger, Reed
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/876,037
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 345/340, 345/326, 345/339, 345/341, 345/342, 345/329, 345/330, 345/338, 345/343, 345/349, 345/345, 345/350-354
• US Class Current: 715/805
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products provide a graphical user interface for a data processing system wherein a foster window associated with a secondary application program can be removably attached to a primary application window associated with a primary application program, such as a Web browser. The foster window can be automatically repositioned and/or resized in response to repositioning and/or resizing of the primary application window, such that the first and second windows maintain a generally rectangular attached configuration.

Claims

1. A user interface for a data processing system, the user interface comprising:

a desktop having a workspace;

means for movably displaying a first window within said workspace, said first window having a first stand alone application program associated therewith;

means responsive to user input for removably attaching a second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, said second window having a second stand alone application program, different from the first stand alone application program, associated therewith; and

means for automatically repositioning and resizing respectively said second window responsive to user input for repositioning and resizing respectively said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration;

wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

2. A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said second window includes dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

3. A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said second window includes control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

4. A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for detaching said second window from said first window and displaying said second window within said workspace.

5. A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

6. A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.

7. A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically converting said second window to an access bar displayed within said desktop in response to user input for resizing said first window to a maximum size within said workspace.

11. A method according to claim 7 wherein said second window is resized along only one dimension.

8. A method of enhancing a first stand alone application program associated with a first window displayed within a desktop workspace of a data processing system user interface, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying information in a second window;

removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with a second stand alone application program, different fron the first stand stand alone application program; and

automatically repositioning and resizing said second window responsive to user input for repositioning and resizing respectively said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration;

wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

10. A method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

12. A method according to claim 8 further comprising limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

13. A method according to claim 8 further comprising automatically resizing said second window responsive to user input for resizing said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration.

14. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

15. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.

16. A user interface for a data processing system, the user interface comprising:

a desktop having a workspace;

means for movably displaying a first window within said workspace, said first window having a first stand alone application program associated therewith;

means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program;

means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs;

means for intercepting user input to resize and reposition said first window; and

means for resizing and repositioning respectively said second window responsive to intercepted user input to resize and reposition said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration;

wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

17. A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

18. A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

19. A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

20. A computer program product for enhancing a first stand alone application program associated with a first window displayed within a desktop workspace of a data processing system user interface, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program;

computer readable program code means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs;

computer readable program code means for automatically repositioning said second window responsive to user input for repositioning said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a generally rectangular attached configuration; and

computer readable program code means for automatically resizing said second window responsive to user input for resizing said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration;

wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

22. A computer program product according to claim 20 further comprising:

computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for intercepting user input to said first window; and

computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for resizing said second window responsive to intercepted user input to said first window.

23. A computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for resizing said second window along only one dimension.

24. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

25. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

26. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

27. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for detaching said second window from said first window and displaying said second window within said workspace.

28. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

29. A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.