Grouping expanded and collapsed rows in a tree structure

A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions to cause a computer to perform a method for viewing a tree structure, the method comprising:

• displaying a tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes wherein prior to grouping the nodes are displayed in a sort order, organized into multiple levels of expansion including multiple parent nodes each having one or more subordinate child nodes, wherein each parent node is expandable to display its subordinate child nodes and collapsible to hide its subordinate child nodes;
• displaying first and second of parent nodes in their expanded views to display one or more subordinate child nodes under respective parent nodes, wherein the first and second parent nodes are at a selected level of expansion separated by one or more intervening nodes at the selected level of expansion;
• displaying a control item for grouping expanded nodes in a common viewing space;
• while the expanded nodes are not grouped and displayed in a common viewing space, displaying text in association with the control item explaining that selection of the control item will cause expanded nodes to be grouped and displayed in a common viewing space;
• receiving, by the computer, a user selection of the control item;
• and
• in response to user selection of the control item, grouping the expanded first and second parent nodes in their expanded views into a common viewing space without displaying the intervening nodes at the selected level of expansion between the first and second parent nodes and without otherwise receiving commands for resorting or filtering the tree structure.

A computer system, comprising:

• a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, and a computer comprising a processor configured to enable providing and selecting from a menu on the display, wherein the computer is further configured for:
• displaying a tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes wherein prior to grouping the nodes are displayed in a sort order, organized into multiple levels of expansion including multiple parent nodes each having one or more subordinate child nodes, wherein each parent node is expandable to display its subordinate child nodes and collapsible to hide its subordinate child nodes;
• displaying first and second of parent nodes in their expanded views to display one or more subordinate child nodes under respective parent nodes, wherein the first and second parent nodes are at a selected level of expansion separated by one or more intervening nodes at the selected level of expansion;
• displaying a control item for grouping expanded nodes in a common viewing space;
• while the expanded nodes are not grouped and displayed in a common viewing space, displaying text in association with the control item explaining that selection of the control item will cause expanded nodes to be grouped and displayed in a common viewing space;
• receiving, by the computer, a user selection of the control item;
• and
• in response to user selection of the control item, grouping the expanded first and second parent nodes in their expanded views into a common viewing space without displaying the intervening nodes at the selected level of expansion between the first and second parent nodes and without otherwise receiving commands for resorting or filtering the tree structure.