Dynamic and selective buffering tree view refresh with viewable pending notification

A computer system for decoupling data structure updates from a user-manipulable view of said data structure in a computing environment capable of having a connection to a network, comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of objects by said computer system;
• means for creating a hierarchical data structure representing a relationship among said plurality of objects;
• means for displaying a tree view of said hierarchical data structure on a graphical user interface of said computer system, wherein said displayed tree view represents said hierarchical data structure at a point in time and comprises a plurality of graphical objects;
• means for making updates to said stored objects by an executing application, necessitating corresponding updates to said hierarchical data structure;
• means for buffering said corresponding updates for later application to said displayed tree view;
• means for enabling a user of said computer system to interact with said displayed tree view without interference from said means for making updates;
• means for detecting a container refresh action;
• means, responsive to said means for detecting, for applying said buffered updates to said displayed tree view, creating a refreshed tree view, and
• means for displaying said refreshed tree view.

A method for decoupling data structure updates from a user-manipulable view of said data structure in a computer operating in a computing environment capable of having a connection to a network comprising the steps of:

• displaying a plurality of graphical objects on a graphical user interface of said computer system, wherein said graphical objects represent a tree view, at a point in time, of a hierarchical data structure representing a relationship among a plurality of objects stored by said computer system;
• making updates to said stored objects by an executing application, necessitating corresponding updates to said hierarchical data structure;
• buffering said corresponding updates for later application to said displayed tree view;
• enabling a user of said computer system to interact with said displayed tree view without interference from said making updates step;
• detecting a container refresh action;
• applying, responsive to said detecting step, said buffered updates to said displayed tree view, creating a refreshed tree view;
• and
• displaying said refreshed tree view.

A method for providing a graphical display of a hierarchical data structure on a graphical user interface of a computing system, said method comprising steps of:

• displaying a tree view of said hierarchical data structure on said graphical user interface, wherein said displayed tree view comprises a plurality of graphical objects which represent stored objects of said hierarchical data structure and relationships among said stored objects at a point in time;
• making updates, by an executing application, to one or more of said stored objects;
• storing said updates in a buffer for delayed application to said displayed tree view;
• enabling a user of said computing system to interact with said displayed tree view without interference from said making updates step;
• detecting invocation of a container refresh action, wherein said container refresh action signifies that said displayed tree view is to be refreshed;
• applying one or more of said updates in said buffer, responsive to said detecting step, to said displayed tree view, thereby creating a refreshed tree view;
• and
• displaying said refreshed tree view.