Presenting node-link structures with modification

A system comprising:

• a display;
• and
• a processor for presenting node-link representations on the display;
• the processor, in presenting the node-link representations, accepting signals indicating edits to a first node-link structure, including change data indicating requested changes to the first node-link structure, accumulating a list of edits of the first node-link structure in response to said signals, edits in the list of edits corresponding to the change data;
• and performing a sequence of steps including a first step, a last step, and at least one intermediate step;
• in the first step, the processor presenting a first representation that represents the first node-link structure;
• in the last step, the processor presenting a last representation that represents a second node-link structure that is a modified version of the first node-link structure according to a plurality of edits in the list of edits, with at least one insertion and at least one deletion in the first node-link structure;
• the first and second node-link structures both including a set of shared elements, the shared elements including a plurality of moving elements that are represented by features that have different positions in the first and last representations;
• in each intermediate step, the processor presenting an intermediate representation that includes features representing a subset of the shared elements that includes at least one of the plurality of moving elements, each of the subset also being represented by features in both the first and last representations;
• features representing the plurality of moving elements having object constancy through the sequence of steps.

An article of manufacture for use in a system that includes:

• a display;
• data storage access resources;
• and
• a processor connected for presenting images on the display and for receiving data accessed on a storage medium by the storage medium access device;
• the article of manufacture comprising:
• data storage;
• a list of edits of a first node-link structure stored in the data storage, edits in the list of edits readable by the processor and corresponding to change data indicating requested changes to the first node-link structure;
• and
• instruction data stored in the data storage;
• the instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute;
• the processor, in executing the instructions, presenting node-link representations on the display;
• the processor, in presenting the node-link representations, performing a sequence of steps including a first step, a last step, and at least one intermediate step;
• in the first step, the processor presenting a first representation that represents the first node-link structure;
• in the last step, the processor presenting a last representation that represents a second node-link structure that is a modified version of the first node-link structure according to a plurality of edits in the list of edits, with at least one insertion and at least one deletion in the first node-link structure;
• the first and second node-link structures both including a set of shared elements, the shared elements including a plurality of moving elements that are represented by features that have different positions in the first and last representations;
• in each intermediate step, the processor presenting an intermediate representation that includes features representing a subset of the shared elements that includes at least one of the moving elements, each of the subset also being represented by features in both the first and last representations;
• features representing the plurality of moving elements having object constancy through the sequence of steps.

A method of transferring data between first and second machines over a network, the second machine including a display, memory, and a processor connected for presenting images on the display and for accessing the memory;

• the memory being for storing instruction data;
• the method comprising:
• establishing a connection between the first and second machines over the network;
• and
• operating the first and second machines to transfer instruction data from the first machine to the memory of the second machine;
• the instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute;
• the processor, in executing the instructions, presenting node-link representations on the display;
• the processor, in presenting the node-link representations, accepting signals indicating edits to a first node-link structure, including change data indicating requested changes to the first node-link structure, accumulating a list of edits of the first node-link structure in response to said signals, edits in the list of edits corresponding to the change data;
• and performing a sequence of steps including a first step, a last step, and at least one intermediate step;
• in the first step, the processor presenting a first representation that represents the first node-link structure;
• in the last step, the processor presenting a last representation that represents a second node-link structure that is a modified version of the first node-link structure according to a plurality of edits in the list of edits, with at least one insertion and at least one deletion in the first node-link structure;
• the first and second node-link structures both including a set of shared elements, the shared elements including a plurality of moving elements that are represented by features that have different positions in the first and last representations;
• in each intermediate step, the processor presenting an intermediate representation that includes features representing a subset of the shared elements that includes the at least one of the moving elements, each of the subset also being represented by features in both the first and last representations;
• features representing the plurality of moving elements having object constancy through the sequence of steps.

A method of presenting node-link representations on a display;

• the method comprising:
• accepting signals indicating edits to a first node-link structure, including change data indicating requested changes to the first node-link structure;
• accumulating a list of edits of the first node-link structure in response to said signals, edits in the list of edits corresponding to the change data;
• and
• a sequence of steps including a first step, a last step, and at least one intermediate step;
• the first step presenting a first representation that represents the first node-link structure;
• the last step presenting a last representation that represents a second node-link structure that is a modified version of the first node-link structure according to a plurality of edits in the list of edits, with at least one insertion and at least one deletion in the first node-link structure;
• the first and second node-link structures both including a set of shared elements, the shared elements including first and second moving elements that are each represented by features that have different positions in the first and last representations;
• =p1 each intermediate step presenting an intermediate representation that includes features representing a subset of the shared elements that includes the first and second moving elements, each of the subset also being represented by features in both the first and last representations;
• the feature representing the first moving element having object constancy through the sequence of steps;
• the feature representing the second moving element having object constancy through the sequence of steps;
• each of the first and second moving elements appearing to follow a respective path from its position in the first representation to its position in the last representation;
• the paths of the first and second moving elements not being parallel straight lines.

A method of presenting node-link representations on a display;

• the method comprising:
• receiving signals from a plurality of sources of edits, requesting at least two separate changes in a first node-link structure;
• based on the signals, obtaining change data indicating the requested changes in the first node-link structure, the requested changes including at least one insertion and at least one deletion in the first node-link structure;
• after the signals are received, using the change data and a first data structure defining the first node-link structure to obtain a second data structure defining a second node-link structure, the second node-link structure being a version of the first node-link structure in which the requested changes have been performed;
• and
• performing a sequence of steps including a first step, a last step, and at least one intermediate step;
• the first step presenting a first representation that represents the first node-link structure;
• the last step presenting a last representation that represents the second node link structure;
• the first and second node-link structures both including a set of shared elements, the shared elements including a moving element that is represented by features that have different positions in the first and last representations;
• each intermediate step presenting an intermediate representation that includes features representing a subset of the shared elements that includes the moving element, each of the subset also being represented by features in both the first and last representations;
• the feature representing the moving element having object constancy through the sequence of steps.