Manipulating multiple objects in a graphic user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9886188-B2
Application number	US-201113217780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2011
Priority date	Aug 25, 2011
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

An embodiment of the disclosure displays a plurality of icons for files and a plurality of icons for folders within a graphical user interface. A set of two or more icons can be selected via user input for inclusion within a group object. The group object can be moved within the graphical user interface responsive to user input to within a predetermined range of one of the icons for one of the folders. Responsive to moving, a subset of files of the group object can be determined. Selection of the files within the subset can be based on whether attributes of the folder match attributes of the files. Additionally, responsive to moving the group object, the subset of files can be moved or copied to the one of the folders to which the group object was moved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
displaying a plurality of icons for files and a plurality of icons for folders within a graphical user interface;
receiving a first user input to create a group object, which results in the group object being created and displayed in the graphical user interface;
selecting a set of two or more file icons via a second user input for inclusion within the displayed group object;
moving, within the graphical user interface responsive to additional user input, the group object containing the selected files to within a predetermined range of a first folder icon and a second folder icon;
responsive to moving the group object, determining a first subset of files and a second set of files of the group object to be moved or copied to the first folder and the second folder, wherein the first subset and the second subset each comprises at least one but less than a total number of files of the group object, wherein selection of the files within the subset is based on whether attributes of the at least one of the first and second folder match attributes of the files; and
responsive to moving the group object, moving or copying the determined first subset of files to the first one of the folders and the determined second set subset of files to the second one of the folders to which the group object was moved within the predetermined range of.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving user input to remove the group object from the user interface responsive to user input; and
responsive to the user input to remove the group object, returning each icon of the group object to its original location in the graphical user interface and removing the group object from the graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting a displayed size of the group object each time a quantity of selected icons within the group object changes, wherein the displayed size of the group object is increased for each object added to the group object, wherein the displayed size of the group object is decreased for each object removed from the group object.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining a display state for the group object, wherein display states comprises a full display state and a minimized display state, wherein icons of the files of the group object are displayed within the group object when it is in a full display state, wherein icons of files of the group objects are not displayed within the group object when it is in a minimized display state;
changing between the full display state and the minimized display state of the group object responsive to user input; and
responsive to the changing, adjusting the maintained display state for the group object in accordance with a current post-change state of the group object and adjusting a display within the graphical user interface of the group object in accordance with a current post-change state of the group object.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining the group object until an explicit user action to deactivate the group object;
after selecting a set of two or more icons for the group object, executing a plurality of user-interactive actions after the group object is established that have nothing to do with the group object, and taking programmatic actions for each of the user-interactive actions as appropriate for these user-interactive actions; and
after executing the plurality of user-interactive actions, moving the group object within the graphical user display to within the predetermined range of the folder icon.

6. A computer program product comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices; and program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to display a plurality of icons for files and a plurality of icons for folders within a graphical user interface;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive a first user input to create a group object, which results in the group object being created and displayed in the graphical user interface;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select a set of two or more file icons via a second user input for inclusion within the displayed group object, wherein the group object is able to read at least one attribute associated with each file within the group object;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to move, within the graphical user interface responsive to additional user input, the group object containing the selected files to within a predetermined range of one of the icons for one of the folders;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to moving the group object, determine a subset of files of the group object, wherein the subset comprises at least one but less than a total number of files of the group object, wherein selection of the files within the subset is based on whether attributes of the folder match attributes of the files; and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to moving the group object, move or copy the determined subset of files to the one of the folders to which the group object was moved within the predetermined range of.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive user input to remove the group object from the user interface responsive to user input; and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to the user input to remove the group object, return each icon of the group object to its original location in the graphical user interface and removing the group object from the graphical user interface.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to adjust a displayed size of the group object each time a quantity of selected icons within the group object changes, wherein the displayed size of the group object is increased for each object added to the group object, wherein the displayed size of the group object is decreased for each object removed from the group object.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to maintain a display state for the group object, wherein display states comprises a full display state and a minimized display state, wherein icons of the files of the group object are displayed within the group object when it is in a full display state, wherein icons of files of the group objects are not displayed within the group object when it is in a minimized display state;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to change between the full display state and the minimized display state of the group object responsive to user input; and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to the changing, adjust the maintained display state for the group object in accordance with a current post-change state of the group object and adjusting a display within the graphical user interface of the group object in accordance with a current post-change state of the group object.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to maintain th

Assignees

• Saito Akira
• Shimura Takeyuki
• Takeuchi Shigeki
• Uenohara Hayato
• Yokoyama Satoshi
• IBM

Inventors

• Saito Akira
• Shimura Takeyuki
• Takeuchi Shigeki
• Uenohara Hayato
• Yokoyama Satoshi

Classifications

• G06F16/16

  File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems · CPC title

• G06F16/168

  Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs (query results presentation G06F16/156) · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title