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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to computer systems that employ a graphical user
interface and, more particularly, to a graphical user interface that
automatically adjusts displayed windows in accordance with changes in
display resolution, font size, national language and window size changes
made by a user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many software applications employ graphical user interfaces that exhibit
arrangements of windows containing user-readable data. Programmers have
realized that such graphical user interfaces must have an ability to
execute with a variety of display resolutions, font sizes or languages. It
has been postulated that a software system that produces a graphical user
interface provide at least the following support mechanisms: (1) a
mechanism to place user interface objects on the screen independent of
parameters such as display resolution, font size or language; (2) a
mechanism to detect when a current user interface environment has changed
and to adjust accordingly. Such an environment change may be, for example,
a change in font size; (3) a mechanism that automatically recalculates
sizes and positions of displayed objects, based on changes in environment;
and (4) an ability to distribute available display space in a visually
pleasing manner.
Prior art systems have attempted to solve the first mechanism by providing
so called "dialog editors", such as that provided by OS/2 (available from
the IBM Corporation). A dialog editor provides an ability to separate text
of an application from the executable code. The dialog editor generates
separate templates for handling differences in font, display resolution,
and language. A typical solution is to design a window layout that
contains sufficient space to handle as broad a range of conditions as
possible and to restrict the software application program to that
predefined range. Such a solution impacts the software industry's ability
to support national languages, especially those with ideographic
characters (due to the amount of additional code that must be written).
Other prior art systems require that the software programmer be cognizant
of an environment change and adjust the window dimensions on an
interactive basis. Examples of such prior art may be found in the
following U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,364 to Tabata et al. describes
a window management system that provides commands which enable a user to
vary the size and position of windows. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,974 to Tani et
al. describes a graphic data processing system wherein the size of a
window is judged and, based on the detected size, graphic data of an
appropriate "concept" level is displayed within the window. Thus, the
larger the window, the more detailed the information that can be displayed
therein and vice versa.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,697 to Torres describes a displayed window system which
allows an operator to dynamically vary window size after an initial window
has been displayed, e.g. by movement of a mouse. If the window size is
decreased, the amount of decrease is calculated and a character set having
appropriate width and height attributes is employed with the changed
window size. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,813 to Golding et al. describes a
windowing system which presents logical windows as two separate parts. The
first part includes the border and non-scrollable text and the second part
includes scrollable text. The separate parts are displayed on the screen
as a single window. U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,830 to Hawkins describes a method
for producing scalable contour data which both stretches and/or compresses
character contours to bring specified contour points into proper alignment
with a preestablished grid.
A requirement for user interaction to enable a graphical interface to cope
with a changed font, display resolution or language is to be avoided. This
is especially important when products employing a graphical interface are
marketed on a world-wide basis and experience a multiplicity of
environments, depending upon the country of purchase.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved
method and system for control of a graphical user interface that
automatically alters the interface in accordance with a changed
environment.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method for
control of a graphical user interface that automatically adjusts window
size to accommodate changes in font size, resolution, or language.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved graphical
user interface that alters a window presentation in accordance with
environment changes, in a manner transparent to the application
programmer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A graphical user interface displays window configurations containing
user-readable data and is implemented by a software presentation system.
The software presentation system automatically adjusts window size and
positioning in accordance with window environment changes (e.g. changes in
user readable data and/or window resolution). The method includes the
steps of: establishing through operation of the presentation system, a
display including windows with user-readable data; detecting a change in
window environment; responding automatically to the change in window
environment to determine windows in the display that require a size
adjustment; recalculating the size of each window that requires
adjustment; and operating a layout routine to reposition windows in the
display in accordance with predetermined spacing and positioning
parameters.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a high level diagram of a computer system for performing the
invention hereof.
FIG. 2 illustrates a first class of window presentation termed a "set
canvas".
FIG. 3 illustrates a window presentation (e.g. dialog box) that enables a
user to make a selection by clicking on a selection box.
FIG. 4 illustrates an affect on the window presentation of FIG. 3 of a
change of font size in a system that does not implement the invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates an affect on the window presentation of FIG. 3 of a
change in font size in a system that incorporates the invention.
FIG. 6 is flow diagram illustrating the operation of the system of FIG. 1
in deriving the window presentation illustrated in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 illustrates a further class of window presentation, termed a
"multi-cell canvas".
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that illustrates how windows in a multi-cell
canvas presentation are resized and repositioned in accordance with the
invention hereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Prior to describing the details of the invention, certain terms will be
defined. The concept of windows in a graphical window presentation is well
known and fully discussed in the prior art. This invention makes use of a
special class of windows that are likened to "canvas" containers that are
able to hold plural subsidiary windows and to automatically rearrange them
within the "canvas" container. Hereafter, such special class of window is
called a "canvas window". Subsidiary windows within a canvas window are
hereafter termed "child" windows.
The invention employs two types of canvas windows, i.e. a "set" canvas
window and a "multi-cell" canvas window. Each canvas window type includes
an embedded layout routine that handles the layout format of child windows
within the canvas window type. It is to be understood that a child window
of a "parent" canvas window may be another canvas window, allowing
construction of very complex layouts. In general, only canvas windows
include a layout routine that enables rearrangement of included child
windows. Child windows report their status to the parent canvas window
which then automatically operates its layout routine, the details of which
will be described below.
The following is a selected listing of child window types that may be used
with this invention:
Static text field (read only text);
Entry field (single line data entry);
Multi-line edit field (multiple line data entry);
Various buttons (push-button, spin-button);
Container of objects (a selectable, movable list of graphical icons);
Slider (a movable bar like a status indicator or thermometer); and
"Radio" buttons that are individually selectable.
A variety of environment changes can cause a canvas window layout to alter
the size of a child window.
1. A change in the font used by a child window. The font size may be
changed by either the end user or the application that is displaying the
window.
2. A change in the data displayed by the child window which causes the
child window to need more or less space in the canvas window.
3. A change in the size of a neighboring child window, if the change
requires the canvas window to resize other child windows to maintain
visual relationships.
4. A change in the size of the canvas window itself, where the canvas
window includes child windows whose sizes are to be synchronized with the
canvas window.
In FIG. 1, a block diagram of a computer 10 illustrates the main
subcomponents required to carry out the invention. Computer 10 includes a
processor 12, a display 14 and keyboard 16 that are all interconnected via
a bus 18. Display 14, in the known manner, displays a graphical interface
that is employed by the user to communicate with computer 10. A random
access memory (RAM) 20 includes software that controls the operation of
computer 10.
RAM 20 stores an operating system that includes a presentation system
which, in conjunction with processor 12, controls the operation of display
14 and keyboard 16. Within the presentation system is a window procedure
that enables generation of windows on display 14 which include
user-readable data. A subset of the window procedure is a software routine
that enables the establishment of canvas windows. As above-indicated, the
canvas window procedure enables creation of at least two different types
of canvas windows, i.e., a set canvas window or a multi-cell canvas
window, each of which has its own subroutine to enable size and position
adjustment of child windows. RAM 20 also contains data structures that
define each of the child windows.
In FIG. 2, a set canvas window 30 is shown which includes a plurality of
child windows 32, 34, 36, etc. A set canvas window arranges its child
windows into either vertical or horizontal rows termed decks. Generally, a
set canvas window is best suited for similarly sized child windows, like a
row of push buttons, a group of check boxes, a row or column of icons.
FIG. 2 also illustrates a variety of prespecified values which define
child window separation and window margins used to embody a set canvas
window. For instance, both the width and height of margins are initially
specified as are "pads" that separate adjacent child windows.
In FIG. 3, a window presentation 40 is illustrated that enables a user to
make a selection by moving a cursor to a selection box and "clicking" on
the box. Upon making a selection, the selected item may be displayed in a
different font. In FIG. 4, a window 40 shows the results of a change in
font size where the window layout procedure does not incorporate the
invention. Window 40 includes a number of child windows 42, 44, 46 and 48.
It is to be noted that boundaries of a window need not necessarily be
displayed (e.g., see windows 42 and 48). As window 40 is not of the canvas
window class, a change in font size will not automatically cause a
resizing and rearrangement of the child windows within window 40. Thus, a
font change may cause the text to be clipped (e.g. windows 42, 46 and 48)
or to be oversized for a prescribed window area (e.g. window 44). By
contrast, FIG. 5 illustrates a set canvas window 50 that is produced by a
procedure that automatically causes child windows to be resized so as to
accommodate a changed font size.
Each canvas window type includes, as above indicated, a layout routine that
is capable of handling, automatically, changes in font size, an
implementation of a new language or a new display resolution. Child window
data structures do not include layout routines, but rather include a
series of flags that define the child window's state. The layout routine
of the parent canvas window uses those flags to manage the presentation of
its included child windows, specifically looking for the flags that
indicate that the canvas window needs to run its layout routine to update
the child window presentation. Each parent canvas window runs its layout
routine if a flag indicates that a child window needs to be updated. For
instance, each window pre calculates a minimum size that it must have to
properly display its contents. If a canvas window receives a flag from a
child window that indicates that the minimum size of the child window has
changed, the canvas window must update the size and position of all of its
child windows.
While a number of flags are used, the flags employed to implement the
invention are as follows:
1. Size changed--This flag is turned on to notify a canvas window that it
has been resized and consequently needs to update how its child windows
are laid out.
2. Minimum size changed--This flag is turned on in a child window when the
space needed by the child window (i.e. its minimum size) has changed for
any reason (e.g. text has changed).
3. Font changed--This flag is set in a child window when a font change
notification is received from the presentation system. It causes a
recalculation of the width and height of the child window and will
typically cause the minimum size of the child window to change.
4. Layout changed--This flag is set by a request that is passed to the
canvas window and is used by the canvas window to signal that its layout
of child windows needs to be updated.
Turning to FIG. 6, the method employed by the system of FIG. 1 to
automatically reconfigure a set canvas window will be described. Initially
assume that the presentation system has detected that a change of font has
been ordered (e.g. by the user) as shown in box 60. The presentation
system responds by notifying each child window having text that there is
to be a font change (box 62). Each notified child window sets a "font
changed" flag and calls a "set layout distorted function" that is
associated with the child window's data structure (box 64). Each child
window's set layout distorted function then calls a corresponding set
layout distorted function present in the parent canvas window procedure
(box 66). This action notifies the canvas window procedure that its layout
routine is to be operated. The canvas window procedure invokes its layout
routine only after all child windows have either issued or not issued a
call (box 68).
The canvas window procedure next runs the layout routine which causes each
child window to calculate its minimum size. Details of the new font
specification are accessed from the presentation system. The minimum size
is the size a child window requires to accommodate the new font, the
designated number of characters that are to be displayed in the window,
etc. Each child window returns its minimum size value to the canvas window
procedure (box 70). The canvas window layout routine then employs the
minimum sizes from the child windows to re-arrange the canvas window
layout, change window sizes and distribute windows in accordance with
pre-specified margin values, pad values, and other layout configuration
parameters.
FIG. 7 illustrates a more complex canvas window type termed a multi-cell
canvas. As can be seen, child windows are positioned into cells similar to
a spread sheet by specifying a row and column location for each cell. The
layout of a multi-cell canvas is complex since not all cells need to be
filled; a child window is allowed to occupy multiple cells; child windows
can overlap one another; sizes of empty rows and columns can be
controlled; and all rows and columns may be expandable.
As a result of the increased complexity of the multi-cell canvas window,
the procedure shown in FIG. 6 for the set canvas window branches after box
70 to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 8. Once each child window returns its
minimum size to the multi-cell canvas window procedure, its layout
procedure then sets an initial size of each row and column that is equal
to the largest minimum size of any child window in the row or column (box
100). Next, the layout procedure increases the size of any row or column
to accommodate any child window that spans multiple rows or multiple
columns (box 102). After the aforesaid size adjustment of rows/columns,
the layout procedure calculates and distributes the available space to the
expandable rows and columns and distributes the rows and columns in
accordance with preestablished parameters (box 104). Finally, the
multi-cell canvas layout procedure notifies the presentation system of the
new sizes and positions of the rows and columns and each of the child
windows (box 106).
In summary, a graphical user interface that incorporates the invention
automatically performs a new layout of child windows within a canvas
window display. That layout action may be initiated by a notification from
the presentation system to the child windows that a change has occurred in
font or in the amount of text in a window. The layout routine will also
respond at program initiation to a new display resolution. No user
interaction is needed to implement the altered child window presentation.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative
of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by
those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.
Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such
alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of
the appended claims.
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