Graphical selection marker and method for lists that are larger than a display window

• US 6,147,683 A
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martinez, Anthony Edward, Rahn, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/259,360
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 345/341, 345/339, 345/340, 345/347, 345/348, 345/973, 345/974, 345/123, 345/124, 345/125, 345/336, 345/338
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

A graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of selected items in a list and their relative position in the display window. The graphical selection marker is suitably provided on a scroll bar in each location on the scroll bar that represents a selected item in the list. In this manner, the graphical selection marker indicates a selected item in the list, even if the selected item is not currently visible in the display window.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a computer program residing in the memory, the computer program generating a display window that displays a portion of a list of items that is larger than the display window;

at least one graphical selection marker that provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is outside of the display window, each graphical selection marker having a representation of a first size when representing a single selected item in the list and having a representation of a second size that is larger than the first size when representing a plurality of selected items in the list; and

an information message that is displayed when a pointing device hovers over the at least one graphical selection marker, the information message being used to facilitate possible deselection of the at least one selected item.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is within the display window.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one scroll bar that allows navigation through the list to present different portions of the list in the display window, wherein the at least one graphical selection marker is displayed on the at least one scroll bar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of location of the at least one selected item within the list.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the visual indication of location includes relative position of the at least one selected item within the list.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second size varies according to the number of the plurality of selected items in the list that are represented by the graphical selection marker.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a display terminal coupled to the at least one processor;

a computer program residing in the memory, the computer program presenting a display window on the display terminal that displays a portion of a list of items that is larger than the display window;

at least one scroll bar that allows navigation through the list to present different portions of the list in the display window;

at least one graphical selection marker that provides a visual indication on the at least one scroll bar of at least one selected item in the list, each graphical selection marker having a representation of a first size when representing a single selected item in the list and having a representation of a second size that is larger than the first size when representing a plurality of selected items in the list; and

an information message that is displayed when a pointing device hovers over the at least one graphical selection marker, the information message being used to facilitate possible deselection of the at least one selected item.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second size varies according to the number of the plurality of adjacent selected items in the list that are represented by the graphical selection marker.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a computer program residing in the memory;

means residing in the memory for displaying a portion of a list of items in a display window;

means residing in the memory for displaying at least one graphical selection marker that provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is outside of the display window, each graphical selection marker having a representation of a first size when representing a single selected item in the list and having a representation of a second size that is larger than the first size when representing a plurality of selected items in the list; and

means residing in the memory for displaying an information message when a pointing device hovers over the at least one graphical selection marker, the information message being used to facilitate possible deselection of the at least one selected item.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is within the display window.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second size varies according to the number of the plurality of adjacent selected items in the list that are represented by the graphical selection marker.

12. A method for providing a visual indication of at least one selected item in a list of items, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of the list in a display window;

displaying at least one graphical selection marker corresponding to at least one selected item in the list that is outside of the display window, each graphical selection marker having a representation of a first size when representing a single selected item in the list and having a representation of a second size that is larger than the first size when representing a plurality of selected items in the list; and

displaying an information message when a pointing device hovers over the at least one graphical selection marker, the information message being used to facilitate possible deselection of the at least one selected item.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of displaying at least one graphical selection marker corresponding to at least one selected item in the list that is within the display window.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

providing at least one scroll bar that allows navigation through the list to present different portions of the list in the display window; and

displaying the at least one selection marker on the at least one scroll bar.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of location of the at least one selected item within the list.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the visual indication of location includes relative position of the at least one selected item within the list.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the second size varies according to the number of the plurality of adjacent selected items in the list that are represented by the graphical selection marker.

18. A program product comprising:

a computer program that generates a display window that displays a portion of a list of items that is larger than the display window, the computer program including at least one graphical selection marker that provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is outside of the display window, each graphical selection marker having a representation of a first size when representing a single selected item in the list and having a representation of a second size that is larger than the first size when representing a plurality of selected items in the list, the computer program displaying an information message when a pointing device hovers over the at least one graphical selection marker, the information message being used to facilitate possible deselection of the at least one selected item; and

signal bearing media bearing the computer program.

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. The program product of claim 18 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of at least one selected item in the list that is within the display window.

22. The program product of claim 18 further comprising at least one scroll bar that allows navigation through the list to present different portions of the list in the display window, wherein the at least one graphical selection marker is displayed on the at least one scroll bar.

23. The program product of claim 18 wherein the at least one graphical selection marker provides a visual indication of location of the at least one selected item within the list.

24. The program product of claim 23 wherein the visual indication of location includes relative position of the at least one selected item within the list.

25. The program product of claim 18 wherein the second size varies according to the number of the plurality of adjacent selected items in the list that are represented by the graphical selection marker.