Abstract:
Selections from a long list of elements on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) are presented. When a context window is presented for the selections, different cues are provided in the context window to provide feedback regarding the selections that are not in the current view, and to also facilitate rapid navigation to those selections on the GUI. Interaction with the GUI widgets within the context window, and interaction with the context window itself, facilitates the navigation toward the other selections that are not in the current view. Interaction with the GUI widgets also facilitates the preview of the selections that are not in the current view, thus making it easier to determine what has been selected without having to navigate to the view that contains those selections.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to user interface tools, and more specifically, to multiple element selection with visual feedback. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many instances, a user needs to select multiple elements from a very long list which can easily span multiple pages on a computer display. Such a list will require the user to scroll through the pages. As elements are selected on a page in the current focused view, it is difficult to know which elements and how many elements have been selected on pages that are not currently in focus. 
     For example, it is difficult to know whether previously selected elements in other views are still selected, or if they were accidentally or inadvertently deselected, as may happen occasionally. Additionally, the user may not be able to recall how many elements have already been selected in the previous or subsequent views, or whether the previous or subsequent views have elements that had been selected, and if so, which ones. The user must page or scroll back-and-forth to find this out. Also, in a very long list, as the user pages or scrolls through the different views, it is not easy to know how far one needs to navigate before getting to a view that contains previously selected elements. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention a computer implemented method for navigating a long list of selectable elements spanning at least two pages of a computer display, comprises the steps of providing a scrollable context menu. A first user visual aid is positioned on the scrollable context menu to indicate at least one element selected in a previous view. A second user visual aid is positioned on the scrollable context menu to indicate at least one element selected in a next view. 
     The first user visual aid comprises an arrow pointing upward, and the second user visual aid comprises an arrow pointing downward. A third visual aid comprising a numerical count of elements selected in the previous view is positioned on the context menu. A fourth visual aid comprising a numerical count of elements selected in the next view is also positioned on the context menu. 
     By scrolling the context menu upward at least one element selected in a previous view can be viewed. By scrolling the context menu downward at least one element selected in a next view can be viewed. By placing a cursor over the first user visual aid on the scrollable context menu, a first list of at least one element selected in a previous view is displayed. By placing the cursor over the second user visual aid on the scrollable context menu, a second list of at least one element selected in a next view is displayed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a hardware diagram that implements an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an example of a long list of elements; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “system.” Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible or readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied in the medium. 
     Any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readable storage media may be utilized. The computer usable or computer readable storage medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer usable or computer readable storage medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer readable storage medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc. 
     Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     The present invention is described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that some blocks of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
       FIG. 1  is one example of a computer system  10  suitable for executing computer software for a scrollable context menu for multiple elements selection in long lists in accordance with the techniques described above. Other processing devices which are suitable for executing the software can be a wireless telephone, personal assistant device (PDA), portable computer, smart remote control device, or any other processing devices that can execute such software. 
     The computer system  10  is of a type that executes under a suitable operating system installed on the computer system  10 , and may be thought of as comprising various software code means for achieving the particular steps of the aforementioned methods of for executing computer software for a scrollable context menu for multiple elements selection in long lists. The components of the computer system  10  include a computer  12 , a keyboard  22 , mouse  24 , and a video display  20 . The computer  12  includes a processor  26 , a memory  28 , input/output (I/O) interfaces  30  and  32 , a video interface  34 , and a storage device  36 . 
     The processor  26  is a central processing unit (CPU) that executes the operating system and the computer software executing under the operating system. The memory  28  includes random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM), and is used under direction of the processor  26 . 
     The video interface  34  is connected to video display  20  and provides video signals for display on the video display  20 . User input to operate the computer  12  is provided from the keyboard  22  and mouse  24 . The storage device  36  can include a disk drive or any other suitable storage medium. Each of the components of the computer  12  is connected to an internal bus  40  that includes data, address, and control buses, to allow components of the computer  12  to communicate with each other via the bus  40 . The computer system  10  can be connected to one or more other similar computers via an input/output (I/O) interface  32  using a communication channel  38  to a network, represented as the Internet  18 . 
     The computer software may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium, in which case, the computer software program is accessed by the computer system  10  from the storage device  36 . Alternatively, the computer software can be accessed directly from the Internet  18  by the computer  12 . In either case, a user can interact with the computer system  10  using the keyboard  22  and mouse  24  to operate the programmed computer software executing on the computer  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an illustration of a long list (as used herein, a long list is a list that spans multiple pages of a computer display requiring scrolling through the multiple pages to view all the elements in the list) is shown.  FIG. 2  illustrates one page  50  of the list and  FIG. 3  shows a next page  60  of the list. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are multiple elements  100 ,  102 , and  104  selected. Since they are on different pages and not viewable without scrolling up or down, the user cannot tell whether the elements on a page not currently in focus are still selected, how many have been selected, or which elements have been selected. 
     One embodiment of the present invention is now illustrated in  FIG. 4 . While  FIG. 4  only shows one page  70  of a long list, it is to be understood that at least one other page (not shown) would be required to view the entire long list. As shown, a user has opened a context menu  408 . In addition to the normal elements found in the context menu  408 , the present invention adds icons as visual aids to indicate previous and/or next elements have been selected. Thus, while only three elements  410 ,  412 , and  414  are shown selected on page  70 , there are additional elements selected on previous and next pages not currently in focus. A visual aid, for example, an arrow  400  pointing upward, can be used to indicate there are elements selected but not currently viewable on pages previous to page  70 . Similarly, a visual aid such as an arrow  404  pointing downward can be used to indicate there are elements selected but not currently viewable on the next pages after page  70 . 
     In addition, the present invention may provide other visual aids to the user. For example, a first number  402  can be positioned near the arrow  400  to indicate how many elements have been selected previously to page  70 . In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the number  402  indicates there are five elements selected previously to page  70 . Also, a second number  406  can be positioned near the arrow  404  to indicate how many elements have been selected on the next pages after page  70 . In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the number  406  indicates there are ten elements selected on the next pages after page  70 . Thus, the user knows how many elements are selected previously and how many elements are selected on the pages after the current page without having to scroll back-and-forth between pages. 
     The user is provided with other tools for ease of use with the present invention. For example, if the user clicks on the arrow  400 , the previous pages containing selected elements not currently viewable will be brought to focus. Similarly, if the user clicks on the arrow  404 , the next pages containing selected elements not currently viewable will be brought to focus. The same result may be obtained if the user drags the context menu  408  upwards or downwards, i.e., dragging the menu  408  upward will bring a previous page with selected elements into view, and dragging the menu  408  downward will bring a next page with selected elements into view. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a further user visual aid available with the present invention is illustrated. The same page  70  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 5  with the additional visual aid. By “mousing over” arrow  400 , a list  416  of the elements selected on previous pages to the current page  70  will “pop-up” into view. Although not shown, by “mousing over” arrow  404 , a list of the elements selected on the next pages below the current page  70  will also “pop-up” into view. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , a flowchart describing the present invention is illustrated. The invention starts at  600  and a graphical user interface (GUI) event is received at block  602 . It is then determined at decision block  604  whether or not an element selection signal (i.e., a user has selected an element, such as element  410  in  FIG. 5 ) has been received from the GUI. If the response to decision block  604  is yes, the element (element  410 ) is highlighted at block  606 . It is then determined at decision block  608  whether or not to append the highlighted element to a previous selection (i.e., the highlighted element is added to other selections already highlighted in a long list). If the response to decision block  608  is no, the present invention at block  610  resets counters and clears the selection from a holding area. Subsequent to block  610  or if the response to decision block  608  was yes, the present invention adds the element to a selection area at block  612 . Then, the invention returns to block  600  to start another cycle. 
     If the response to decision block  604  was no, the invention checks at decision block  614  whether or not a context menu calling signal has been received. If the response to decision block  614  is yes, the number of elements in the previous and next views is calculated at block  616 . It is then determined at decision block  618  whether or not the element is in a previous (i.e., before the current page) view. If the response to decision block  618  is yes, an icon indicating the element is in a previous selection view is enabled in the context menu at block  620 . If the response to decision block  618  is no, an icon indicting the element is in a previous selection view is disabled in the context menu at block  622 . 
     After block  620  or block  622 , it is determined at decision block  624  whether or not the element is in the next selection view. If the response to decision block  624  is yes, the icon for a next selection view is enabled in the context menu at block  626 . On the other hand, if the response to decision block  624  is no, the icon for a next selection view is disabled in the context menu at block  628 . After either block  626  or  628 , the count of elements in the next and previous selection views is set in the context menu at block  630 . The context menu information is then displayed at block  632  and the invention returns to start at block  600 . 
     If the response to decision block  614  is no, the present invention determines whether a selection window was scrolled at block  634 . If the response to decision block  634  is no, it is determined at decision block  636  whether a selection window was resized. If the answer to decision block  636  or decision block  634  is yes, it is determined at decision block  638  whether a context menu is active. If the response is no, the number of elements in previous and next selection views is calculated at block  640  and then returns to start block  600 . 
     If the response to decision block  636  was no, it is determined at decision block  642  whether an icon for previous views was clicked. If the response is no, the invention detects at decision block  644  whether or not there is a scrolling up action at a context menu. If the response to decision block  642  or decision block  644  is yes, a previous view containing the selection is scrolled to at block  646  and the invention returns to start at block  600 . 
     If the response to decision block  644  was no, it is determined at decision block  648  whether an icon for a next view was clicked. If the response to decision block  648  is no, it is determined at decision block  652  whether a context menu has been detected to be scrolling down. If the response to decision block  652  or decision block  648  is yes, at block  650  the selection window is scrolled to the next view containing a selection. The invention then returns to start at  600 . 
     If the response to decision block  652  was no, it is determined at decision block  654  whether a “mouse over” for a previous selection view was detected. If the response to decision block  654  is yes, a list of selected elements in previous selection views is gathered at block  658 . If the response to decision block  654  is no, it is determined at decision block  656  whether a “mouse over” for a next selection view was detected. If the response to decision block  656  is no, the invention returns to start at block  600 . 
     If the response to decision block  656  is yes, a list of selected elements in the next selection view is gathered at block  660 . After block  660  or block  658 , a scrollable window with the elements gathered in the previous steps is built at block  662 . The scrollable window is made semi-transparent at block  664  and is then displayed at block  666 . The invention then returns to start at block  600 . 
     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.