Abstract:
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a window positioner/sizer. A computer-implemented method of displaying information on a computer display device includes displaying a first popup window on a primary window, the first popup window comprising controls enabling selective positioning and sizing of the first popup window relative to the primary window.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to a window positioner/sizer. 
     User interfaces (UIs) are an integral part of many business enterprise software applications. For example, Web Dynpro from SAP AG enables companies to model and design UIs cost-effectively and precisely. A Web Dynpro application includes a set of views, navigation between the views, concepts for managing the views and determining their sequence, a context for keeping session data, and the business logic of the application. 
     Within Web Dynpro application, popup (e.g., internal) windows are frequently used to help a user to make decisions about one or more operations that can be preformed on data in a main or primary window. The popup window, when open, can hide data of interest in the main window. The popup window is not resizable and not movable, so the user may have to close the popup window, memorize the data of interest from the primary window, and then reopen the popup window. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a window positioner/sizer. 
     In one aspect, the invention features a method including displaying a first popup window on a primary window, the first popup window including controls enabling selective positioning and sizing of the first popup window relative to the primary window. 
     In embodiments, the controls can include an up position control, a down position control, a left position control, a right position control, and a center position control. 
     The controls can include a popup window width control, and a popup window height control. 
     The controls can be absolute or relative. 
     The controls can be positioned in a second popup window. The second popup window can be displayed in response to a user selection of a popup manager. 
     The invention can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. 
     The window positioner/sizer enables the movement and re-sizing of a popup window that is originally created to be non-resizable and non-moveable. 
     The window positioner/sizer enables a user to see all the data in the background (e.g., main window, primary window) without having to close and re-open the popup window. 
     Since the popup window can be resized it enables the user to better see the popup window data. 
     The window positioner/sizer enables sizing and positioning for a non-resizable non-movable internal window. 
     The window positioner/sizer is easy to implement (e.g., common DC or additional UI element) and improves user-friendliness of a popup window. 
     One implementation of the invention provides all of the above advantages. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a graphical user interface (GUI). 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of exemplary popup window controls. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of exemplary popup window controls. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a GUI. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of exemplary popup window controls. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a GUI. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a GUI. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a GUI. 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram of a GUI. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , an exemplary computer system  10  includes a processing unit  12 , one or more input devices  14 , and a display device  16 , upon which a user is presented displays. The display device  16  has a video screen  18  upon which displays appear. 
     The processing unit  12  can include a processor  20 , random access memory (RAM)  22 , and read-only memory (ROM)  24 , all interconnected by a data bus  26 . Input device controllers  28 , also connected to the data bus  26 , receive command signals from input devices  14  and forward the command signals in the appropriate format for processing. A video controller  30 , connected to the data bus  26 , receives video command signals from the data bus  26  and generates the appropriate video signals that are forwarded to the display device  16  so that the desired display is provided on the screen  18 . The system  10  is not limited to a personal computer (PC), but could include a personal digital assistant (PDA), a terminal, a workstation, or other such device. 
     ROM  24  provides non-volatile data storage for various application programs. In the example shown, a number of different application programs  32 ,  34 , are stored in ROM  24 . Also stored in ROM  24  is a user interface (UI) program  36  designed to work in concert with each of the application programs  32 ,  34 . This is conceptually depicted by the UI program  36  shown as a layer on top of the application programs  32 ,  34 . With such a design, UI program modules common to several application programs need not be duplicated in each of the application programs  32 ,  34 . In addition, such a design may enable a common “look-and-feel” to the UI for the different program applications  32 ,  34 . In other examples, the UI program, or module, is not a common program or module for more than one program application. In still other examples, the components described can be combined or separated in various manners, and can be stored in various manners, such as on various non-volatile storage medium. 
     Programs  32 ,  34 ,  36  have program instructions that can be loaded into RAM  22  during operation. Processor  20  then executes the program instructions, as required, to perform desired program functions. 
     Also stored in ROM  24  are various data in database  38 . Database  38  includes data needed or generated during operation of the application programs  32 ,  34 . Although only a single database  38  is shown that serves as a common database for all applications  32 ,  34 , in other examples there can be separate databases for one, or more, of the applications  32 ,  34 . 
     System  10  includes connection to a server  40  and a network interface  42 , connected to its data bus  26 . As such, system  10  can access server  40  over network  44  to run applications residing on the server  40 . Network  44  can be, for example, a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. 
     The server  40  includes a network interface  46 , a processor  48 , RAM  50 , and ROM  52 , all interconnected by a data bus  54 . The server&#39;s network interface  46  provides the connection to network  44  so that client computer systems, such as system  10 , can access the server  40 . In similar fashion to computer system  10 , the server ROM  52  includes various different application programs  56 ,  58 , as well as a common user interface program  60  for the application programs  56 ,  58 . ROM  52 , in this example, includes data stored in database  62 , although in other implementations separate databases or a separate database server may be required. 
     A Web Dynpro Application Programming Interface (API) enables the creation of windows using an IWDWindowManager interface. The IWDWindowManager interface includes createExternalWindow, a method that generates a window that contains/displays a Web Dynpro Components window with its view hierarchy. An external window, which is assigned an URL address, opens a new widow that is re-sizable and movable. 
     The IWDWindowManager interface includes createWindow, a method that generates a window that contains/displays a Web Dynpro Components window with its view hierarchy. Here the window type is “internal,” meaning some clients can display it above the current view assembly and others will replace the view assembly. An internal window is an embedded window that is not re-sizable and not movable. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an exemplary primary window  100  includes an electronic mail (email) application  102 . Pressing a “To:” button  104  causes generation of a popup window  106 . In this particular example, the popup window  106  includes an address book used in conjunction with the To: button  104  (i.e., address field). It should be noted that the popup window  106  is not movable and not resizable, causing it to partially hide information contained in the primary window  100 . More particularly, in this example, the address book in the popup window  106  is partially obstructing a previously entered address in the “To:” address field of the primary window  100  and the user cannot view that previously entered address. Accordingly, the user may have to close the popup window  106  in order to see what the entry in the address filed of primary window  100 . 
     In other examples, if the primary window  100  is a large table, there is almost no room to enable a popup window to be positioned that does not obstruct at least part of the large table. If the user has to make an operation using a popup and on the data of the tables, the user may have to memorize table values or make a copy of them or close the popup window and reopen the popup window. 
     Memory  22  includes a window positioner/sizer process  100  that overcomes the disadvantages of popup windows obstructing primary windows. Process  100  enables a set of commands for positioning a popup window (e.g., up, down, left, right, and center). Process  100  enables a set of commands for resizing the popup window (e.g., width, height, or both). 
     The commands can be implemented, for example, as an additional feature of Web Dynpro&#39;s WDWindow class, a UI element for a popup window in the same way a table has a tool bar table that can contain a set of UI Elements, such as buttons, input fields, and so forth. The commands can also be implemented as a common DC. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , process  100  can display controls  120  that enable moving a popup window in an absolute or a relative manner. For example, commands enable the user to move the popup window in the following positions: top left, top center, top right or center left, center center, center right, bottom left, bottom center, and bottom right. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , if moving if the popup window is relative, the user can enter the number of pixels  124  desired to move the popup window from previous coordinates. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a sample of the effect of positioning a popup window  128  top center, center right, and bottom right, is illustrated. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , sizing of the popup window can be done by increasing the width only, the height only, or both. The sizing can also be absolute, relative, or a predefined quantity. In one particular example, a predefined quantity is 50 or 100 pixels at a time. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , process  100  enables a popup window  132  size to be reduced to allow more visible data for the primary background window. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , process  100  enables a popup window  136  to be enlarged to better see the data within the popup window. 
     Window positioning/sizing controls can be directly incorporated in the popup window  140 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , or incorporated within a popup window  144  of the popup window  146 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Embodiments of the invention can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. Embodiments of the invention can be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine readable storage device, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. 
     Method steps of embodiments of the invention can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program to perform functions of the invention by operating on input data and generating output. Method steps can also be performed by, and apparatus of the invention can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). 
     Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry. 
     It is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.