Drag operation gesture controller

In a graphical user interface of a computer system, a method for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object, including the steps of:

• (a) displaying after initiation of a drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (b) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (c) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• and
• (d) removing the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

• (a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;
• (b) displaying a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (d) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• and
• (e) applying the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object,
• wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

• (a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;
• (b) displaying a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (d) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• (e) applying the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object;
• and
• (f) removing the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

• (a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the object having a current characteristic;
• (b) displaying, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated object characteristic;
• (c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one such control buttons having an associated object characteristic;
• and
• (d) applying to the object the object characteristic associated with at least one selected control button,
• wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object in a graphical user interface of a computer system system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (b) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• and
• (c) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button,
• wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object in a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (b) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (c) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• and
• (d) remove the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) initiate a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;
• (b) display a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one of such control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (d) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• and
• (e) apply the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object,
• wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) initiate or drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;
• (b) display a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;
• (c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;
• (d) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;
• (e) apply the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object;
• and
• (f) remove the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) initiate a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the object having a current characteristic;
• (b) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated object characteristic;
• (c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated object characteristics;
• and
• (d) apply to the object the object characteristic associated with at least one selected control button,
• wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

A drag and drop method of dynamically augmenting drag and drop functions initiated, with respect to a presently displayed object, in response to dragging of a pointing device on a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying a drag operation gesture of the pointing device relative to the presently displayed object;
• and
• (b) initiating a drag and drop operation in response to the drag operation gesture, the drag and drop operation including the steps of:
• (1) identifying possible drag and drop functions operable on the presently displayed object;
• (2) identifying among the possible drag and drop functions any initial default drag and drop functions;
• (3) displaying a toolbar containing at least one of the possible drag and drop functions, including highlighting at least one of the any initial default drag and drop functions;
• (4) identifying one or more of the drag and drop functions selected fro the displayed toolbar by the pointing device;
• (5) designating the selected drag and drop functions as default drag and drop functions, including deselecting at least one initial default drag and drop function not presently selected;
• and
• (6) performing the currently designated default drag and drop functions on the presently displayed object upon occurrence of a drop event.