A data processing system and method of operation thereof detect when a situation occurs in which a window displayed on a display device should be brought to a user's attention. That window is then surfaced at the top of a window system z-order of the data processing system without modifying a current activation state of the window. Thus, while the window is guaranteed to be visible or unobscured by any other windows, the current activation state is not changed and any user input is still in control of the user.
Methods for manipulating a plurality of layered windows on a display are described. Specifically, the manipulation of layered windows includes moving a pointer to a visible portion of a partially hidden window and holding the pointer at the visible portion for a predetermined period of time. Responsive to the holding for a predetermined period of time, the partially hidden window is revealed. The manipulation of the layered windows can be used to drag and drop an icon from an active window to an inactive window. During the drag of an object, holding down a predetermined key on the keyboard can send the top-most-layered window to the back thereby disclosing other windows. If no drop occurs at the end of a drag operation, windows are returned to their original layers. However, if a drop occurs, the window in which the object is dropped becomes the topmost layer while other windows return to their original layers.
A system and method for managing non-user initiated focus changes in a computing device detects, in one embodiment, an operating system generated message indicating a focus change from a first window to a second window. Once detected, user input is inhibited for a predetermined time. The predetermined time is configurable by the user. After the predetermined time elapses, subsequent user input is permitted to be sent to the second window, which has the focus.
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for sending a user's availability information to an instant messaging (IM) partner. A user predefines areas of the user's display and associates these predefined areas, or "hotspots", with user defined messages. If the user is not available to immediately respond to an incoming message, the user may move the IM dialog window to a "hotspot" in the display. Depending upon the user-defined message associated with the "hotspot", the IM application generates an automated response indicating the user's availability to respond to the message, and sends the message to the IM partner. The user also may predefine and associate the user's IM status with a "hotspot". Moving an IM dialog window into a "hotspot" automatically changes the user's status based on the associated "hotspot". This change is communicated to only the particular IM dialog window partner while other IM partners are unaffected.
A graphical user interface for direct control of data displayed in a window-based computing environment. A slider element is displayed which is variable in size according to user input. The slider defines a selected area of an image, which is then displayed. The scope of the selected area corresponds to the size of the slider. The resizable slider is then resized by a user's direct manipulation, e.g. by a click-and-drag technique, to redefine the selected area, which is then displayed. The scope of the redefined selected area corresponds to the size of the resized slider. Accordingly, a user directly controls (by resizing the slider) the scope of data displayed in a window, and directly controls the presentation of data by translating the slider to define various selected areas. More than one independently resizable slider may intersect to define the selected area and provide independent control of scope in various directions.
Systems and methods are provided for performing focus detection, referential ambiguity resolution and mood classification in accordance with multi-modal input data, in varying operating conditions, in order to provide an effective conversational computing environment for one or more users.
