Rich drag drop user interface

• US 7,665,028 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McKee, Timothy P., Hoefnagels, Stephan, Van Dok, Cornelis K., Cummins, Charles, Beam, Tyler K., De Vorchik, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Tuyetlien T
• Application Number:
  US11/179,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/799, 715/825
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

(a) receiving first user input to a graphical user interface;

(b) detecting that the first user input represents a dragging of a first object to a second object;

(c) in response to step (b), displaying a plurality of icons simultaneously, each of the plurality of icons representing a different type of a plurality of actions that will be taken in response to a dropping of the first object onto the second object,

wherein said displaying is presented to a user in response to said first object being moved proximate to said second object; and

(d) responsive to the first object being dropped onto the second object after the step of displaying, causing the plurality of actions to be performed,

wherein the plurality of icons displayed is determined based upon a type of the first object and a type of the second object.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further for:

(e) detecting that a third user input represents a selecting of the first object together with at least a third object; and

in response to step (e), displaying a textual number representing a quantity of the objects that are selected.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the textual number is displayed such that the textual number moves with movement of a cursor.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons simultaneously displayed moves with movement of a cursor.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons simultaneously displayed does not move with movement of a cursor.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons are each a different graphical icon depending upon what the plurality of actions comprises.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of actions is a moving of a file system location of the first object.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of actions is a copying of the first object.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of actions is an adding of a reference to the first object in the second object.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of actions is a modifying, adding, or removing of at least one property of the first object to meet at least one criterion defined by the second object.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the displaying includes a textual description of the plurality of actions.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the displaying is not presented until the first object is dragged to the second object.

13. A computer-implemented method of dragging and dropping an object, the computer-implemented method comprising:

(a) receiving first user input to a graphical user interface;

(b) detecting that the first user input represents a dragging of a first object to a second object;

(c) in response to step (b), displaying a plurality of icons simultaneously, each of the plurality of icons representing a different type of a plurality of actions that will be taken in response to a dropping of the first object onto the second object,

wherein said displaying is presented to a user in response to said first object being moved proximate to said second object; and

(d) responsive to the first object being dropped onto the second object after the step of displaying, causing the plurality of actions to be performed,

wherein the plurality of icons displayed is determined based upon a type of the first object and a type of the second object.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a moving of a file system location of the first object.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a copying of the first object.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a modifying, adding, or removing of at least one property of the first object to meet at least one criterion defined by the second object.

17. A drag and drop computer-implemented system having a computer processor, memory, and data storage subsystems, the memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for execution by the processor, the drag and drop computer-implemented system, comprising:

a first user input received into a graphical user interface of the drag and drop computer-implemented system, wherein the first user input comprises a first object moved proximate to a second object;

a plurality of icons simultaneously displayed, wherein each of the plurality of icons represents a different type of a plurality of actions that will be taken in response to the first object being dropped onto the second object, and the plurality of icons displayed is determined based upon a type of the first object and a type of the second object;

a second user input received into the graphical user interface of the drag and drop computer-implemented system, wherein the second user input comprises the first object dropped onto the second object; and

a plurality of completed tasks in response to the first object dropped onto the second object, wherein the plurality of icons simultaneously displayed are indicative of the plurality of completed tasks.

18. The drag and drop computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a moved file system location of the first object.

19. The drag and drop computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a copy of the first object.

20. The drag and drop computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of actions comprises a modification, addition, or removal of at least one property of the first object in order to meet at least one criterion defined by the second object.