System and method for dynamic control of horizontal scrolling

In a computer-based data processing system, a horizontal scrolling system for dynamically controlling the scrolling of data from a stored list in a window on a display screen, said horizontal scrolling system comprising:

• means for adjusting the size of the window available for the display of data in the stored list in response to a first user command;
• means for receiving a second user command to scroll through the data in the stored list in a specified direction;
• means, responsive to said means for receiving, for determining if the stored list can be scrolled in the direction specified by the second user command;
• memory means for storing a list of data to be displayed in said window on the display screen;
• means for determining the dynamic width of the window available to display the data;
• means, cooperative with said memory means and said means for determining the available dynamic width, for determining the must display column in said stored list and reducing the available dynamic width by the width of this column;
• means, cooperative with said memory means, for scanning the stored list for columns designated as sticky and placing said sticky columns in said window;
• and
• means, cooperative with said means for determining the must display column and said means for scanning and placing sticky columns, for placing the must display column and additional columns from said stored list in the remaining available dynamic width of the window.

A method for dynamically controlling the display of data in a window on a display screen when horizontally scrolling to the right through the data which is contained in a stored list, said method comprising:

• adjusting the size of the window available for the display of data in the stored list in response to a user command;
• determining if the stored data can be scrolled to the right;
• determining the column that must be displayed in the window on the display screen after the scroll operation is complete;
• scanning through the columns in the stored list sequentially to determine the columns that are designated as sticky and placing said sticky columns in the window;
• and
• placing said must display column and additional columns from said stored list in the available space remaining in the window until no additional columns can be completely placed.

A method for dynamically controlling the display of data in a window on a display screen when horizontally scrolling to the left through the data which is contained in a stored list, said method comprising:

• adjusting the size of the window available for the display of data in the stored list in response to a user command;
• determining if the stored data can be scrolled to the left;
• determining the column that must be displayed in the window on the display screen after the scroll operation is complete;
• scanning through the columns in the stored list sequentially to determine the columns that are designated as sticky and placing said sticky columns in the window;
• and
• placing said must display column and additional columns from said stored list in the available space remaining in the window until no additional columns can be completely placed.

A computer program for the dynamic control of horizontal scrolling of data from a stored list in a window on a display screen, said program method comprising:

• means for adjusting the size of the window available for the display of data in the stored list in response to a first user command;
• means for receiving a second user command to scroll through the data in the stored list in a specified direction;
• means for determining if the stored list can be scrolled in the direction specified by the second user command;
• means for determining the dynamic width of the window available for the display of data;
• means for determining a must display column in said stored list and reducing the space available in the window by the width of the must display column;
• means for scanning through the columns in the stored list to determine the columns that are designated as sticky and placing said sticky columns in the window;
• and
• means for placing said must display column and additional columns from said stored list in the available space remaining in the window until the window is full.