Systems and methods for creating and managing graphical user interface lists

A list manager control stored on one or more computer-readable media that include computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

• creating a list manager in an application;
• receiving settings for list manager properties that control list manager behavior;
• configuring the list manager to receive information from a graphical user interface regarding display controls in a display list of the graphical user interface and determine appropriate display list elements to display in the display controls;
• and
• wherein the steps are performed without regard for a layout of the graphical user interface.

A system, comprising:

• a computer processor;
• memory;
• a display that displays a graphical user interface that includes one or more selectable display controls that form a display list;
• graphical user interface software that controls the visual appearance of the graphical user interface;
• a data source that includes display list elements that are displayable in the display controls of the display list;
• a scrolling source that provides scrolling events that occur with regard to the display list;
• a list manager that manages the display list elements that are displayed in the display controls of the display list by determining an appropriate action to take in response to the scrolling events;
• and
• wherein the list manager is a separate process from the graphical user interface software.

One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

• receiving data from a graphical user interface program to determine properties of a display list in the graphical user interface, the display list having one or more display controls that are selectable by a user;
• accessing a data source that contains one or more display list elements that are displayable in the display controls, a display control being able to display one display list element at a time;
• populating each display control with a display list element from the data source according to one or more scrolling events received;
• and
• wherein the graphical user interface program is configured independently of the one or more computer-readable media.