Dynamic multi-dimensional scrolling
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsLyon Wong, Cornelis Van Dok, Colin Anthony, Stephan Hoefnagels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of automatically dynamically scrolling content in a dimension to enhance user navigation and display of a relevant node is disclosed. In one example, when a user scrolls vertically to a node in a folder tree control where the node/folder name is not visible, the folder tree view may be automatically dynamically scrolled horizontally such that the full name of the folder is viewable. The automatic dynamic scrolling alleviates the effort and stress related to requiring a user to manually scroll a view in two dimensions in a tree control.
Claims20
In a computer system having a graphical user interface and a data storage subsystem in which data items are displayed as a hierarchical tree on the graphical user interface, a computer-implemented method of user navigation of data, comprising:
- (a) displaying a first view of a hierarchical tree control in a viewable area, wherein the tree control has a plurality of nested nodes;
- (b) in response to user input indicative of navigation of the hierarchical tree control, determining if said user input will result in a relevant node in said hierarchical tree control being at least partially obscured;
- (c) if said user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured, then automatically scrolling the first view of the hierarchical tree control for a predetermined distance;
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- (d) displaying a second view of the hierarchical tree control, wherein the relevant node is substantially entirely visible.
A computer-implemented method for navigating a folder tree control displayed in a predetermined viewable area on a graphical user interface, comprising steps of:
- (a) providing focus to a first node in said folder tree control;
- (b) navigating to a second node in said folder tree control in response to user input, wherein said second node is at least partially obscured in said viewable area;
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- (c) automatically scrolling said folder tree control to a state where said second node is substantially entirely visible in said viewable area.
A system for user navigation of data in a hierarchical tree control in a graphical user interface, comprising:
- (a) a component for displaying a first view of a hierarchical tree control in a predetermined viewable area, wherein the tree control comprises a plurality of nested nodes;
- (b) a component for determining if, in response to user input, a relevant node in said hierarchical tree control is at least partially obscured in said predetermined viewable area;
- (c) a component for automatically scrolling the first view of a hierarchical tree control for a predetermined distance, if said user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured, wherein said predetermined distance is not less than the amount necessary to approximately align said relevant node with a predetermined edge of said viewable area;
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.