Dynamic Folding of Listed Items for Display

A list folding method, comprising:

• obtaining a plurality of items in a hierarchical list having a plurality of levels;
• determining one or more attributes for each of the items;
• dynamically grouping the items having at least one of the determined attributes in common;
• folding the dynamically grouped items into one or more first visual folds without creating a persistent container object for the first visual folds;
• and
• reducing an amount of display area required to display the items by displaying the one or more first visual folds in the display area instead of each individual one of the items.

A tree view display method, comprising:

• receiving items for display in a display area, each of the items associated with a level of a tree view structure;
• determining one or more attributes for each of the items;
• dynamically determining one or more dynamic folds for the items having at least one of the attributes in common;
• reducing vertical area required to display the tree view structure by displaying the one or more dynamic folds in the tree view structure instead of each of the individual ones of the items in the dynamic folds;
• and
• calculating one or more visual properties for each of the one or more dynamic folds from the attributes associated with the items contained within the dynamic folds.