Interactive selectors for selecting subsets of a set of values

Abstract

Data selectors for selecting values which affect display of data. The data selector represents a set of values, and selection is done by interactively "painting" a portion of the data selector. The values which correspond to the painted portion are activated. Species of the data selectors include discrete data selectors, continuous dam selectors, and multidimensional dam selectors. An exemplary discrete data selector is employed in apparatus for displaying information about a very large number of entities. The apparatus includes very small entity representations representing entities such as lines of text contained in columns representing a context such as the files which contain the lines. The discrete data selector represents the values of an attribute of the entities. Painting the discrete data selector activates the entity representations having the corresponding values. A code viewer permits detailed views of information about the entity represented by a selected entity representation. There are further animated display modes and techniques for remapping colors onto the selector fields. Applications of the apparatus include testing and maintenance of software and selection of programs in interactive TV systems.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.