Methods and apparatus for presenting information to a user of a computer system

• US 6,636,250 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Gasser, Morrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/547,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 345/717, 345/733, 345/734, 345/735, 345/736, 345/737, 345/853, 345/854, 345/855, 345/846, 345/847, 345/841, 345/969
• US Class Current: 715/853
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The invention provides a graphical user interface which can use a hierarchical form or style of presentation to depict and display hierarchical and non-hierarchical relationships and objects. In one configuration, the system of the invention displays icons on a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system and receives a user selection of an icon and receives a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user. The system then performs a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user. The relationship function is performed upon a descriptor in the memory system that is related, according to the relationship selection, to the icon selected by the user. The relationship function produces a display result that can convey the relationship selection made by the user and that includes an arrangement icon that conveys at least one newly displayed relationship within the graphical user interface and that relates to the icon selected by the user. The system then displays a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display. The system allows a single entity represented by an icon to be displayed in multiple places on the same display of a computer system. Also, certain relationship functions can be used to condense the view of a large number of icons into a shorter sub-list of icons. This provides a more concise view for the user and allows more relationship information to be displayed in a smaller display area.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a memory system and a display that displays a graphical user interface, a method for presenting relationships between icons to a user of the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of icons in the graphical user interface on the display;

receiving a user selection of an icon from the plurality of icons;

receiving a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

performing a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user, the relationship function being performed upon a descriptor in the memory system that is related, according to the relationship selection, to the icon selected by the user, the relationship function producing a display result that includes an arrangement icon that represents a newly displayed relationship to the icon selected by the user; and

displaying a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display, the display result operable to display multiple representations of an object via respective object icons in different locations representing the object, each representation corresponding to a respective relationship indicative of the object at that location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying a plurality of icons displays a hierarchical configuration of object icons and arrangement icons on the graphical user interface, each object icon representing a respective object descriptor within the memory system and each arrangement icon representing a respective arrangement descriptor within the memory system and each arrangement descriptor representing at least one relationship between certain of the object descriptors within the memory system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each object descriptor and each arrangement descriptor is maintained in a descriptor tree, and wherein arrangement descriptors defined in a first level of the tree serve as group arrangement descriptors.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a relationship selection selected by the user includes the steps of:

dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user;

displaying the set of relationships on the graphical user interface in a relationship selection menu; and

allowing the user to select the relationship selection from the set of relationships displayed on the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user includes the steps of:

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

for each selected icon child descriptor in the list of selected icon child descriptors, determining a list of group arrangement descriptors in the memory system that include a relation to that selected icon child descriptor; and

creating a relationship selection in the set of relationships for each unique group arrangement descriptor existing in the list of group arrangement descriptors for each selected icon child descriptor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of performing a relationship function includes the steps of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that includes icons corresponding to each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of creating a sub-list of child descriptors includes the step of:

for each selected icon child descriptor in the list of selected icon child descriptors, determining which group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors contains a relation to that icon child descriptor and adding that group child descriptor to the sub-list of child descriptors.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of determining a list of group arrangement descriptors in the memory system that include a relation to that selected icon child descriptor determines a list of group arrangement descriptors in the memory system that include a relation to that selected icon child descriptor other than an arrangement descriptor corresponding to the icon selected by the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a relationship selection selected by the user includes the steps of:

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

determining a set of relationships identified within the descriptor that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

displaying the set of relationships on the graphical user interface; and

allowing the user to select the relationship selection from the set of relationships displayed on the graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining a set of relationships identified within the descriptor that corresponds to the icon selected by the user includes the steps of:

identifying object properties of the descriptor in the memory system that correspond to the icon selected by the user; and

creating a relationship selection in the set of relationships for each unique object property identified in the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to icon selected by the user.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of performing a relationship function includes the steps of:

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

sorting the list of selected icon child descriptors based on at least one property of each selected icon child descriptor, the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user;

based on the step of sorting, producing a sub-list of child descriptors that depend hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including at least one arrangement descriptor corresponding to the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of performing a relationship function includes the steps of:

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

sorting the list of selected icon child descriptors based on at least one property of each selected icon child descriptor, the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

based on the step of sorting, producing a sub-list of child descriptors that depend hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the at least one icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including at least one arrangement descriptor corresponding to the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the relationship selected by the user indicates that the user desires to sort by name a list of selected icon child descriptors that relate to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

and wherein the step of sorting condenses the list of selected icon child descriptors into the sub-list of child descriptors based on a name of each selected icon child descriptor and based on a total number of selected icon child descriptors, the sub-list of child descriptors having less descriptors than the list of selected icon child descriptors; and

wherein the sub-list of child descriptors includes at least one child descriptor that is an arrangement descriptor that represents more than one selected icon child descriptor and that may be expanded to produce a display result that shows each selected icon child descriptor which that arrangement descriptor represents.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of performing a relationship function includes the steps of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of creating a sub-list of child descriptors includes the steps of:

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user; and

for each selected icon child descriptor in the list of selected icon child descriptors, determining which group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors contains a relation to that icon child descriptor and adding that group child descriptor to the sub-list of child descriptors.

16. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

receiving a user selection of an icon to expand within the plurality of icons displayed on the graphical user interface;

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected to expand;

determining a sub-list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each selected icon child descriptor in the sub-list of selected icon child descriptors.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the relationship selection selected by the user specifies a grouping by which to arrange the icons related to the icon selected by the user; and

wherein the relationship function produces a display result containing icons arranged according to the specified grouping.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the display result includes a sub-list of at least one icon, the sub-list of at least one icon including an icon for each value of the specified grouping to which a child descriptor of a descriptor related to the icon selected by the user belongs.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the graphical user interface is provided by a storage system management application and wherein certain icons displayed on the graphical user interface represent entities related to a storage system and certain other icons identify relationships between certain entities related to a storage system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein certain icons within the graphical user interface identify relationships between operating system types and locations of entities related to a storage system.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the relationship selection selected by the user indicates that the user desires to sort by name a list of selected icon child descriptors that relate to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

and wherein the step of performing the relationship function condenses the list of selected icon child descriptors into a sub-list of child descriptors based on a name of each selected icon child descriptor and based on a total number of selected icon child descriptors, the sub-list of child descriptors having less descriptors than the list of selected icon child descriptors; and

wherein the relationship function produces a display result that includes icons corresponding to descriptors in the sub-list of child descriptors, the sub-list including at least one child descriptor that is an arrangement descriptor that represents more than one selected icon child descriptor and that may be expanded to produce a display result that shows each selected icon child descriptor which that arrangement descriptor represents.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the relationship selection selected by the user specifies a condense relationship function to display a condensed view of a sub-list of icons that depend from the icon selected by the user;

and

wherein step of performing a relationship function performs the steps of;

determining that a number of icons to be displayed below the icon selected by the user exceeds a predetermined number;

condensing the number of icons to be displayed into a list of series arrangement icons; and

providing the condensed list of series arrangement icons in the display result.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of condensing includes the steps of:

computing the square root of a total number of icons to be displayed;

providing, in the display result, a number of series arrangement icons equal in number to a truncated value of the square root of the total number of icons to be displayed; and

determining if the truncated value of the square root multiplied by the truncated value of the square root is less than the total number of icons to be displayed, and if so, providing one extra series arrangement icon to be displayed in the display result.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the display result is further operable to display multiple instantiated representations of an object via the object icon representing the object wherein the selected relationship is applicable to each instantiation.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the relationships are independent of other relationships triggering simultaneous object icon displays on the display result.

26. A method for simultaneously displaying multiple relationships between entities managed by a software application, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining, in a memory system, a plurality of object descriptors, each object descriptor representing an entity managed by the software application;

displaying, in a graphical user interface on a display, at least two arrangement icons that each include an independent relationship to a common object descriptor, the display operable to display multiple representations of an object via the respective object icons in different locations representing the object, each representation corresponding to the respective independent relationship indicative of the object in different locations; and

displaying, on the graphical user interface, an object icon representing the common object descriptor, the object icon displayed in relation to the at least two arrangement icons that include the relationship to the common object descriptor in order to convey to a user of the graphical user interface that the at least two relationships represented by the arrangement icons relate to the object icon.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein:

the step of displaying, on a graphical user interface, the at least two arrangement icons displays the at least two arrangement icons hierarchically under the object icon representing the common object descriptor;

wherein the method further includes the steps of;

receiving a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to one of the at least two arrangement icons; and

in response to the step of receiving a user selection of a relationship, expanding the one of the at least two arrangement icons to produce a sub-list of icons that are related to the common object icon based upon the relationship selected by the user.

28. The method of claim 26 further including the step of displaying in more than one location in the graphical user interface, an icon representing a descriptor, such that the graphical user interface represents a recursive hierarchy.

29. A computer system, comprising:

a display;

a memory system;

a processor; and

a bus connecting the display, the processor and the memory system;

wherein the memory system is encoded with an application that when performed on the processor, causes the processor to provide a graphical user interface on the display of the computer system, the graphical user interface displaying a plurality of icons on the display to a user of the computer system and receiving, via a user input device coupled to the bus, a user selection of an icon from the plurality of icons and further receiving, via the user input device, a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

wherein when the application is further performed on the processor, the application causes the processor to perform a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user, the relationship function operating upon a descriptor in the memory system that is related, according to the relationship selection, to the icon selected by the user, the relationship function producing a display result that includes an arrangement icon that represents a newly displayed relationship to the icon selected by the user; and

the processor displaying a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display, the display result operable to display multiple representations of a relationship via the respective icons in different locations satisfying the relationship, each representation corresponding to an independent relationship indicative of the relationships corresponding to the selected icon at that location.

30. The computer system of claim 29 wherein when the processor performs the operation of receiving a relationship selection selected by the user, the processor performs the operations of:

dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user;

displaying, on the display, the set of relationships on the graphical user interface in a relationship selection menu; and

allowing the user to select, via the user input device, the relationship selection from the set of relationships displayed on the graphical user interface.

31. The computer system of claim 30 wherein when the processor performs the operation of dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user, the processor performs the operations of:

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

for each selected icon child descriptor in the list of selected icon child descriptors, determining a list of group arrangement descriptors in the memory system that include a relation to that selected icon child descriptor; and

creating a relationship selection in the set of relationships for each unique group arrangement descriptor existing in the list of group arrangement descriptors for each selected icon child descriptor.

32. The computer system of claim 31 wherein when the processor performs the operation of performing a relationship function, the processor performs the operations of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that includes icons corresponding to each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

33. The computer system of claim 29 wherein when the processor performs the operation of performing a relationship function, the processor performs the operations of:

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

sorting the list of selected icon child descriptors based on at least one property of each selected icon child descriptor, the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

based on the step of sorting, producing a sub-list of child descriptors that depend hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the at least one icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including at least one arrangement descriptor corresponding to the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

34. The computer system of claim 29 wherein when the processor performs the operation of performing a relationship function, the processor performs the operations of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group, child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

35. The computer system of claim 29 wherein the processor further performs the operations of:

receiving a user selection of an icon to expand within the plurality of icons displayed on the graphical user interface;

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected to expand;

determining a sub-list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each selected icon child descriptor in the sub-list of selected icon child descriptors.

36. The computer system of claim 29 wherein:

the relationship selection selected by the user indicates that the user desires to sort by name a list of selected icon child descriptors that relate to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

and wherein when-the processor performs the operation of performing the relationship function, the relationship function condenses the list of selected icon child descriptors into a sub-list of child descriptors in the memory system based on a name of each selected icon child descriptor and based on a total number of selected icon child descriptors, the sub-list of child descriptors having less descriptors than the list of selected icon child descriptors; and

wherein the relationship function, when processed by the processor, produces a display result that includes icons corresponding to descriptors in the sub-list of child descriptors, the sub-list including at least one child descriptor that is an arrangement descriptor that represents more than one selected icon child descriptor and that may be expanded to produce a display result that shows each selected icon child descriptor which that arrangement descriptor represents.

37. A computer program product having a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that when executed on a computer system having a coupling of a memory system, a processor, and a display that displays a graphical user interface, wherein the computer program logic provides a method for presenting relationships between icons to a user of the computer system, and wherein when the computer program logic is executed on the processor, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

displaying a plurality of icons on the graphical user interface;

receiving a user selection of an icon from the plurality of icons;

receiving a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

performing a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user, the relationship function being performed upon a descriptor in the memory system that is related, according to the relationship selection, to the icon selected by the user, the relationship function producing a display result that includes an arrangement icon that represents a newly displayed relationship to the icon selected by the user; and

displaying a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display, the display result operable to display multiple representations of an object via the respective arrangement icons in different locations representing the relationship, each representation independently corresponding to a respective relationship indicative of the respective icon selected by the user.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein when the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operation of receiving a relationship selection selected by the user, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user;

displaying, on the display, the set of relationships on the graphical user interface in a relationship selection menu; and

allowing the user to select, via the user input device, the relationship selection from the set of relationships displayed on the graphical user interface.

39. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein when the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operation of dynamically determining a set of relationships that are applicable to the icon selected by the user, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

for each selected icon child descriptor in the list of selected icon child descriptors, determining a list of group arrangement descriptors in the memory system that include a relation to that selected icon child descriptor; and

creating a relationship selection in the set of relationships for each unique group arrangement descriptor existing in the list of group arrangement descriptors for each selected icon child descriptor.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein when the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operation of performing a relationship function, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that includes icons corresponding to each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

41. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein when the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operation of performing a relationship function, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

determining a list of selected icon child descriptors related to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

sorting the list of selected icon child descriptors based on at least one property of each selected icon child descriptor, the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

based on the step of sorting, producing a sub-list of child descriptors that depend hierarchically from the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the at least one icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including at least one arrangement descriptor corresponding to the at least one property corresponding to the relationship selection selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

42. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein when the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operation of performing a relationship function, the computer program logic causes the processor to perform the operations of:

determining a group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to correspond to the relationship selection selected by the user;

determining a list of group child descriptors related to the group arrangement descriptor in the memory system to corresponds to the relationship selection selected by the user;

creating a sub-list of child descriptors that depends hierarchically from a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the sub-list of child descriptors including a reference to each group child descriptor in the list of group child descriptors; and

producing a display result that, includes icons for each child descriptor in the sub-list of child descriptors.

43. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the computer program logic further causes the processor to perform the operations of:

receiving a user selection of an icon to expand within the plurality of icons displayed on the graphical user interface;

determining an identity of a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected to expand;

determining a sub-list of selected icon child descriptors related to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user; and

producing a display result that includes icons for each selected icon child descriptor in the sub-list of selected icon child descriptors.

44. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein when the computer program logic is executed on the processor:

the relationship selection selected by the user indicates that the user desires to sort by name a list of selected icon child descriptors that relate to a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

and wherein when the processor performs the operation of performing the relationship function, the relationship function condenses the list of selected icon child descriptors into a sub-list of child descriptors in the memory system based on a name of each selected icon child descriptor and based on a total number of selected icon child descriptors, the sub-list of child descriptors having less descriptors than the list of selected icon child descriptors; and

wherein the relationship function, when processed by the processor, produces a display result that includes icons corresponding to descriptors in the sub-list of child descriptors, the sub-list including at least one child descriptor that is an arrangement descriptor that represents more than one selected icon child descriptor and that may be expanded to produce a display result that shows each selected icon child descriptor which that arrangement descriptor represents.

45. In a computer system having a memory system and a display that displays a graphical user interface, a method for presenting relationships between icons to a user of the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of icons in the graphical user interface on the display;

receiving a user selection of an icon from the plurality of icons;

receiving a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user;

performing a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user, the relationship function being performed upon a descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the relationship function producing a display result that includes a modified appearance of an icon that is different than the icon selected by the user but that corresponds to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user; and

displaying a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display, the display result operable to display multiple representations of an object represented by a respective icon, each representation independently corresponding to a respective relationship indicative of the respective icon selected by the user.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user corresponds to at least one of a move, add, copy, modify and delete relationship function that is performed on the icon selected by the user, and wherein the modified appearance produced in the display result indicates the result of the relationship function upon the icon that is different than the icon selected by the user but that corresponds to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the step of performing a relationship function produces a display result that further includes a modified appearance of an icon that is different than the icon selected by the user, and that does not correspond to the descriptor in the memory system that corresponds to the icon selected by the user.

48. In a computer system having a memory system and a display that displays a graphical user interface, a method for presenting relationships between icons to a user of the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of icons in the graphical user interface on the display;

receiving a user selection of an icon from the plurality of icons;

receiving a relationship selection selected by the user that corresponds to the icon selected by the user, the relationship selection being independent of other relationships between other icons;

performing a relationship function identified by the relationship selection selected by the user, the relationship function being performed upon a descriptor in the memory system that is related, according to the relationship selection, to the icon selected by the user, the relationship function producing a display result that includes an arrangement icon that represents a newly displayed relationship to the icon selected by the user;

displaying a representation of the display result in the graphical user interface on the display, the display result operable to display multiple instantiation of an object via the object icon representing the object, each instantiation corresponding to a relationship indicative of the object; and

repeating the receiving of the relationship selection, the performing of the relationship function, and the displaying of the display result, the icons being displayed for each object corresponding to the relationship wherein each of the relationships are independent of other relationships triggering simultaneous object icon displays on the display result such that multiple instantiated icons of the same object are displayed wherein the selected relationship is applicable to each instantiation.