System and method for fast display of data objects in a table

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled to the processor;
• a display coupled to the memory, the display having a screen;
• graphical interface logic being loaded into the memory for providing a graphical user interface on the display screen;
• and
• the graphical interface logic having machine-executed means coupled to the processor for displaying a user specified column data object on the screen, wherein the column data object is part of a data table that is comprised of a plurality of column data objects by:
• displaying an object metaphor on the screen that represents a column data object;
• responsive to a user selecting the object metaphor on the screen, determining a particular column data object specified by the selection of the object metaphor;
• storing an indexed location of the particular column data object relative to the value representing the total quantity of column data objects in the table;
• determining and storing a first value representing the maximum allowable pixel character positions that the screen is adapted to display;
• combining the indexed location with the first value to create a second value that is stored in memory;
• creating a first signal proportional to the second value and having a second value component that represents the second value;
• creating a second signal from the first signal by combining the second value component of the signal with the value representing the total quantity of column data objects in the table;
• and
• translating the second signal into a pixel character position and displaying that pixel character position on the screen, thereby displaying the specified column data object on the screen.

A computer program product for use in a computer system having a display with a screen and a graphical user interface, and further having memory coupled to the display, the program product being adapted for displaying a specified column data object on the screen, wherein the column data object is part of a data table that is comprised of a plurality of column data objects, the computer program product comprising:

• a recording medium;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying an object metaphor on the screen that represents a column data object;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for determining a particular column data object specified by the selection of the object metaphor in response to a user selecting the object metaphor on the screen;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing an indexed location of the particular column data object relative to the value representing the total quantity of column data objects in the table;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for determining and storing a first value representing the maximum allowable pixel character positions that the screen is adapted to display;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for combining the indexed location with the first value to create a second value that is stored in memory;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating a first signal proportional to the second value and having a second value component that represents the second value;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating a second signal from the first signal by combining the second value component of the signal with the value representing the total quantity of column data objects in the table;
• and
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for translating the second signal into a pixel character position and displaying that pixel character position on the screen, thereby displaying the specified column data object on the screen.

An apparatus for displaying a specified column data object on a display screen, wherein the column data object is part of a data table that includes a plurality of column data objects, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled to the processor;
• a display coupled to the memory, the display having a screen;
• graphical user interface logic being loaded into the memory for providing a graphical user interface on the display screen;
• and
• the graphical user interface logic further including:
• a user panel creation module for creating a plurality of object metaphors that are displayed on the display screen, wherein each object metaphor represents one respective column data object of the plurality of column data objects belonging to the data table;
• a user panel selection response module for responding to a user selection of an object metaphor of the plurality of object metaphors;
• a position determining module for translating the selection of the object metaphor into an indexed location of a particular column data object specified by the user selected object metaphor, wherein the indexed location is relative to the value representing the total quantity of column data objects in the table;
• a signal creation module for creating a first signal proportional to the indexed location times a first value representing a maximum allowable pixel character positions that the screen is adapted to display, the first signal having a first value component that represents the first value, and the signal creation module also being adapted to create from the first signal first value component a second signal that is proportional to the first value;
• and
• a positioning module for translating the second signal into a pixel character position and displaying that pixel character position on the screen, thereby displaying the specified column data object on the screen.