Patent ID: 7437678
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a data processing system, a method comprising: generating a first window that persistently occupies a set, first space of a total output space, said first space having first and second linear dimensions that are less than the corresponding linear dimensions of the total output space, wherein a remaining, available output space is irregularly shaped; configuring a second window to occupy the remaining, available output space, wherein the second window is irregularly shaped relative to a standard rectangular window shaped, wherein said configuring configures said second window to occupy one of: (a) an L-shaped space, wherein a particular position of the L is dependent on the location of the first window within the display space; and (b) the available space without overlapping the first window; wherein the output space is the space on a display screen of the data processing system, and said method further comprises: displaying the first window on the display screen, said first window persistently occupying a first space on the display screen, which first space area has first and second linear dimensions that are less than the similarly-oriented, corresponding linear dimensions of the display screen; and displaying the second window in a second area of the display screen, wherein the second area corresponds to a contiguous portion of the available output space on the display screen with a first portion of the contiguous portion extending in the first linear dimension adjacent to the first window and a second portion of the contiguous portion extending in the second linear dimension adjacent to the second window; providing a vertical scroll bar within the second window that extends only to an edge of the second window that is positioned along the right edge of the display screen; enabling vertical scrolling of the content utilizing the vertical scroll bar, wherein when the vertical scroll bar is shorter than the linear vertical dimension of the display screen, a portion of the vertically scrolled content moves up into an area of the second widow that is not adjacent to the right edge of the display screen; said first window is opened subsequent to the second window, and the method comprises, responsive to a placement of the first window in an area of the display screen currently occupied by the second window, dynamically displacing the second window to occupy the remaining space around the area in which the first window is placed; determining, prior to configuring said second window, if window-flowing functionality is activated within a window generating system; when the window flowing functionality is activated, dynamically performing said configuring step; and when the window flowing functionality is not activated, enabling a user to select whether the second window should flow into the available space, wherein said enabling includes: