In modern display systems, such as cable boxes, there is often a requirement to create displays with several windows containing independent content. The content may come from different programs running within the system and may also come from real time video inputs such as satellite TV signals, DVD players, cable companies, and the like. In such applications the on screen display can be created on a line by line basis. Often the display lines can be created as they are being used. To create these display lines it is necessary to sequence the data to the display in the order which it will be displayed. To sequence the data to the display in the order which it will be displayed the windows must be sorted by their position on the screen. To sort the windows by their position on the screen such methods as doing a bubble sort of the window's starting coordinates is often used. The present invention presents a method and apparatus that compares the position of the window to the others on the same line and then numerically adds the results. The numerical value of the results then directly gives the order in which the window will be displayed.

According to the present invention, a plurality of data items are displayed in different display forms corresponding to attributes of the data items in a list by recording a computer-readable recording medium with a data item list display program for causing a computer to display the data items in the different display forms in the list, the display forms corresponding to the respective attributes of the data items. Therefore, a data item can be displayed in the same display format in a list of data items of different attributes and in a list of data items of a single attribute, thus allowing users to easily understand the lists without confusion.

An improved method is disclosed for creating and sizing panes within a window of a display screen of a computer system as part of an interactive graphical user interface. Grab handles are positioned in the borders of the panes. When a grab handle of a pane is selected by user interaction, an adjustable rectangular form is created on the screen which represents a new pane. The existing pane is split in an arbitrary manner. The size of the new pane can be varied so as to include areas of the screen from other existing panes. The existing panes are then reconfigured so as to be accommodated on the screen along with the newly created pane.

A computer method and apparatus for automatic execution of software applications where the software applications are launched from a business terminology oriented workspace built using a business solutions framework. The framework includes the ability to define a workspace consisting of users, user types, business categories, business activities and business tasks. The workspace is presented by displaying associated business activities and the business tasks using business-oriented language and organization. A hierarchy of business categories, business activities and business tasks is also displayed in the workspace.

A new way of providing pertinent information about an item (e.g., a text file, a picture file, a music file, video file, or any other similar file) is provided. The invention provides graphical information about the item along with user-selectable properties that are specific to that item. The invention further provides a way of sorting the items by the user-selectable properties and communicating the sort order to the user. The invention thereby provides the user with a way of quickly finding pertinent information about the item.