Patent Publication Number: US-2022214776-A1

Title: Application window divider control for window layout management

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/863,369, entitled “Application Window Divider Control for Window Layout Management,” filed on Apr. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A computer operating system, including its corresponding user interface, allows a user to adjust an application window for presentation to the user through the user interface. However, such user-directed adjustments come with inconvenient limitations, particularly as user interfaces become more modern and flexible. 
     SUMMARY 
     Implementations described and claimed herein address the foregoing problems by providing an application window divider control that is shared by a first application window and a second application window in a user interface. Based on a received directional instruction that moves the application window divider control along an axis of the user interface, placement of the first application window and the second application window may be positioned across a range of consistently spaced points along an axis of the user interface. Placement adjustment can also impact other application windows in the user interface. The application window divider control may also snap to provide “magnetic” points along the axis when certain conditions are satisfied. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     Other implementations are also described and recited herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates two application windows sharing an application window divider control in an example user interface screen. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic of two application windows sharing an application window divider control in an example user interface. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic of two application windows sharing an application window divider control and a third application window in an example user interface. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example sequence of user interface operations implementing an application window divider control. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic of two application windows sharing an application window divider control at a magnetic point in an example user interface. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates example operations for adjusting placement of two application windows using an application window divider control. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates example operations for operating an application window divider control relative to a magnetic point in an example user interface. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an example system that may be useful in implementing the described technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Launching an application window includes without limitation initially executing the application and switching to a new or hidden application window of an already executing application. In addition, an application window may include without limitation a window of the operating system components, an operating system utility, and a special purpose application program (e.g., a Web browser program, a word processing program, a spreadsheet program). 
       FIG. 1  illustrates two application windows  100  and  102  sharing an application window divider control  110  in an example user interface screen  104 . A window management system  106  is typically a component of an operating system or user interface environment but could also be an independent application. The window management system  106  manages the display, placement, layout, appearance, and other aspects of the application windows  100  and  102 , as well as other windows and user interface characteristics and operations. 
     The application window  100  presents a search result window displaying search results from a Web search engine. The individual search results (such as a search result  108 ) includes representative text and/or one or more images along with a browser navigable link, which can be selected by the user for navigation to a Web site identified by the browser navigable link. The application window  102  presents results from a weather application or Web site, including a 4-day forecast of weather in Denver, Colo. A window boundary control  110  divides the displayed area of the application window  100  and displayed area of the application window  102 , in the illustrated case, separating the application windows. In some implementations, the window boundary control  110  may be manipulated by the user to change the size and/or location of one or both windows. 
     The application windows  100  and  102  are shown in  FIG. 1  as being non-overlapping windows. However, the described technology is not limited to non-overlapping windowing environments. For example, in such environments, each application window in an overlapping windowing environment may be bounded by a window boundary control, which can be manipulated by the user to change the location, size, and front-to-back ordering (collectively, “placement”) of the potentially overlapping windows (e.g., the z-ordering of the windows). The window management system  106  receives input through the application windows  100  and  102  and through other user interface components (e.g., the keyboard interface, a touch screen interface, a voice interface, and pointing device) and displays the applications windows  100  and  102 , the window boundary control  110 , and other application windows and controls through the user interface. 
     The window boundary control  110  represents a divider between the two distinct application windows  100  and  102  or between an application window and an empty space in the user interface, and therefore may also be referred to as an “application window divider control.” The application window divider control may be manipulated through the user interface to communicate changes in the size of an application window (with respect to an empty space) or in the relative sizes of the application windows  100  and  102  to the window management system  106 . Accordingly, functionality of the application window divider control represents a window management system control that, rather than being a component of one application window or another, provides an external boundary of one or more application windows and, in some configuration, may be shared by the two or more application windows as part of the user interface and window management system  106 . 
     In one implementation, two or more application window divider controls may merge together to form a single application window divider control. For example, two application windows may be presented along a horizontal axis of a user interface, separated by an empty space. In this scenario, each application is displayed with an application window divider control between the application window and the empty space. If one of the application window divider controls is dragged to the other application window divider control, the empty space is filled with the expanded application window and the two application window divider controls merge into a single application window divider control within the user interface. In addition, the two application window divider controls can “snap” into a single application window divider control when the empty space between then narrows to a minimum empty space width. 
     Although  FIG. 1  illustrates a non-overlapping windowing environment, overlapping windowing environments may also employ an application window divider, whether as a window management system control dividing one application window from another or dividing/bounding an application window relative to an empty space in the user interface or another application window partially occluded by the application window. 
     A user can select the application window divider control (e.g., via a touch screen, a pointing device, keyboard input) and drag it right and left along a wide range of relatively continuous locations along the horizontal extent of the user interface. For example, a user can give the application window divider control focus (e.g., by selecting it), and then the user can move the application window divider control by depressing or otherwise activating a keyboard input (e.g., an arrow key) until the application window divider control is at a desired location along the axis. In one implementation, the relatively continuous locations comprise tightly and consistently spaced points along the horizontal axis (e.g., each point separated from an adjacent point by a small number of pixels or some other visually continuous spacing). It should be understood that alternative implementations may provide relatively continuous window divider control along the vertical extent of the user interface or along some other axis. A user interface may also include multiple application window divider controls, some of which may intersect on different axes. 
     In one implementation, responsive to the user-induced movement of the application window divider control in a horizontal direction, the user interface provides a visual cue suggesting the continuous relative sizing of the application windows  100  and  102 . For example, the application window divider control itself moves, at least one of the application windows appears to resize dynamically, or some other user-friendly suggestion of resizing is animated in the user interface. In one implementation, the application windows may be represented during resizing as snapshots of each window captured at or near the initiation of the directional instruction. In another implementation, the application windows may be represented during resizing as live application windows or other window placeholder representations. 
     When the user commits to the resizing (e.g., removes his or her touch, deselects the pointing device button, etc.), then both application windows snap into place at the relative sizes designated by the last location of the application window divider control. In another implementation, responsive to the user-induced movement of the application window divider control in a horizontal direction, the adjacent sides of the application windows  100  and  102  move in visual conformity with the application window divider control. For example, the application window divider moves continuous and both application windows  100  and  102  resize dynamically. When the user commits to the resizing (e.g., removes his or her touch, deselects the pointing device button, etc.), then both application windows remain at the relative sizes designated by the last location of the application window divider control. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic of two application windows (e.g., application window  200  for App A and application window  202  for App B) sharing an application window divider control  204  in an example user interface  206 . The application window divider control  204  is shared by the application windows  200  and  202  but is not a component of either application window. The application window divider control  204  is a control of a window management system  208 , which manages the display, placement, layout, appearance, and other aspects of the application windows  200  and  202 , as well as other windows and user interface characteristics and operations. The window management system  208  manages the user manipulation of the application window divider control  204 , including the receipt of user input (e.g., a directional instruction, such as a drag), the mutual resizing of the application windows  200  and  202 , and the presentation of the application windows  200  and  202  within the user interface  206 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the application window divider control  204  can be moved along the horizontal axis of the user interface  206  in response to a user-provided directional instruction. Upon completion of the directional instruction (e.g., the user commits to the dragging of the application window divider control by lifting a finger from the touch screen), the application windows  200  and  202  adjust their placement in according to the end point of the direction instruction (e.g., the location of the application window divider control  204  along the axis when the directional instruction is completed). In  FIG. 2 , this placement adjustment would result in the complimentary resizing of the application windows  200  and  202  based on the final location of the application window divider control  204 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic of two application windows (e.g., application window  300  for App B and application window  302  for App C) sharing an application window divider control  304  and a third application window (e.g., application window  310  for App A) in an example user interface  306 . The application window divider control  304  is shared by the application windows  300  and  302  but is not a component of either application window. Another application window divider control  305  is also presented in the user interface  306  and is shared by the application windows  310  and  300 . The application window divider controls  304  and  305  are controls of a window management system  308 , which manages the display, placement, layout, appearance, and other aspects of the application windows  300 ,  302 , and  310 , as well as other windows and user interface characteristics and operations. The window management system  308  manages the user manipulation of the application window divider controls  304  and  305 , including the receipt of user input (e.g., a directional instruction, such as a drag), the mutual resizing of the application windows  300  and  302  based on the application window divider control  304 , the mutual resizing of the application windows  300  and  310  based on the application window divider control  305 , and the presentation of the application windows  300 ,  302 , and  310  within the user interface  306 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the application window divider controls  304  and  305  can be moved along the horizontal axis of the user interface  306  in response to a user-provided directional instruction. Upon completion of the directional instruction (e.g., the user commits to the dragging of the application window divider control by lifting a finger from the touch screen) relating to the application window divider control  304 , the window management system  308  adjusts the placements of the application windows  300  and  302  in accordance with the end point of the direction instruction (e.g., the location of the application window divider control  304  along the axis when the directional instruction is completed). In  FIG. 3 , this placement adjustment would result in the complimentary resizing of the application windows  300  and  302  based on the final location of the application window divider control  304 . A similar behavior for application windows  300  and  310  would occur responsive to a directional instruction provided to the application window divider control  305 . In addition, each application window divider control  304  and  305  may also impact placement of application windows that it does not share (e.g., divide). For example, in some circumstances, a directional instruction to the application window divider control  304  can cause a placement adjustment to the application window  310 , as described below. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example sequence of user interface operations implementing an application window divider control  400 . At  402 , a user interface presents application windows for App A, App B, and App C. A directional instruction is provided to the application window divider control  400 , moving it in the left direction toward App B and App A and adjusting the placement (e.g., the sizing) of the application window for App B (e.g., decreasing its width) and adjusting the placement (e.g., the sizing) of the application window for App C (e.g., increasing its width). At  404 , the placement of the application window for App B has satisfied a minimum size condition  412 —once the width of the application window for App B decreases to a given width threshold, which may be statically or dynamically determined, the width of the application window for App B does not continue to decrease. 
     Instead, as shown at  406 , the continuing directional instruction causes the application window for App A to adjust its placement (e.g., decreasing its width), while the width of the application window for App B remains at its minimum size condition  412 . When the placement of the application window for App A has satisfied its minimum size condition  414 , the width of the application window for App A also stops decreasing. 
     Accordingly, the continuation of the directional instruction has decreased the widths of the applications windows for App A and App B to their minimum size conditions  414  and  412  respectively. Therefore, at  408 , the continuation of the directional instruction causes the application window for App A to be removed from the user interface. In one implementation, the application window for App A is animated to appear to be pushed out of the left edge of the user interface (e.g., in the direction of the directional instruction). 
     At  416 , the directional instruction continues to cause the application window for App B to be removed from the user interface. In one implementation, the application window for App B is animated to appear to be pushed out of the left edge of the user interface (e.g., in the direction of the directional instruction). 
     At each stage in the operational flow in  FIG. 4 , the directional instruction can be completed (e.g., by the user lifting a finger off of the touch screen, by the user removing a finger from the depressed button of a pointing device, by the user providing an appropriate keyboard input to complete the directional instruction). At any point along the axis in the user interface that an application window divider control is located when the directional instruction is completed, the window management system presents the placement of the application windows in accordance with the placement of the corresponding application window divider controls. 
     In one implementation, the window management system records previous window sizes and placements to allow a user to undo one or more resizing operations. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic of two application windows  500  and  502  sharing an application window divider control  504  at a magnetic point  506  in an example user interface  508 . The application window divider control  504  is shared by the application windows  500  and  502  but is not a component of either application window. The application window divider control  504  is a control of a window management system  512 , which manages the display, placement, layout, appearance, and other aspects of the application windows  500  and  502 , as well as other windows and user interface characteristics and operations. The window management system  512  manages the user manipulation of the application window divider control  504 , including the receipt of user input (e.g., a directional instruction, such as a drag), the mutual resizing of the application windows  500  and  502 , and the presentation of the application windows  500  and  502  within the user interface  508 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the application window divider control  504  can be moved along the horizontal axis of the user interface  508  in response to a user-provided directional instruction. Based a completion of the directional instruction (e.g., the user commits to the dragging of the application window divider control by lifting a finger from the touch screen), the application windows  500  and  502  adjust their placement in according to the end point of the direction instruction (e.g., the location of the application window divider control  504  along the axis when the directional instruction is completed). In  FIG. 5 , this placement adjustment would result in the complimentary resizing of the application windows  500  and  502  based on the final location of the application window divider control  504 . 
     In addition,  FIG. 5  shows three “magnetic” points along the horizontal axis of the user interface  508 , although any number of magnetic points is contemplated. Each magnetic point represents a position on the horizontal axis of the user interface  508  to which the application window divider control  504  is pulled when, during a directional instruction, the movement of the application window divider control  504  satisfies a speed condition (e.g., movement slows below a speed threshold) and/or a distance condition (e.g., movement brings the application window divider  504  within a given distance threshold  510  from the magnetic point). For example, as the application window divider control  504  is moved from the left to the right across the horizontal axis of the user interface  508 , the user can slow the movement near the magnetic point  506 , which can cause the application window divider control  504  to snap to its location shown as  504 ′. 
     The location of the magnetic points may be determined statically for a set of visible application windows or dynamically during a directional instruction. For example, a statically determined magnetic point may be located at the center of the horizontal axis when two application windows are visible or magnetic points may be placed at thirds along the horizontal axis when three application windows are visible. In contrast, the location of some magnetic points may be determined dynamically during a directional instruction. For example, responsive to initiation of the directional instruction, the window management system can calculate the locations of any magnetic points along the axis, and in some implementations, the locations may be dynamically updated as the directional instruction continues to be executed, subject to application window placement preferences and other constraints. Eventually, when the directional instruction is committed, the application window divider controls will snap to the dynamically calculated locations of the magnetic points. 
     The term “snap” describes moving the application window divider control  504  to align with the magnetic point  506  along the axis when the application window divider control  504  is not initially aligned with the magnetic point  506  but the movement of the application window divider control  504  satisfies a speed condition and a distance condition relative to the magnetic point  506 . Visually, in one implementation, this snapping operation appears as a relatively rapid movement or jump by the application window divider control  504  to align with the magnetic point  506 . Although, in alternative implementations, the snapping operation can be presented through the user interface  508  in other ways (e.g., the snapping of window boundaries, the rapid movement of ghost images of application windows, etc.). 
     It should be understood that various types of magnetic points may be employed. In one example, magnetic points may be positioned to maintain consistent horizontal and/or sizing of application windows (e.g., each of three windows have the same width). In another example, minimum and maximum windows sizes, user-defined size preferences, and system defined window preferences may also be considered in the placement of magnetic points along an axis within the user interface. 
     In one implementation, one or more application window divider controls may be automatically snapped to appropriate magnetic points via a double-click, a double-tap, or a key combination on or in relation to one of the application window divider controls. Such user input can instruct one or more application window divider controls to move in an appropriate direction to snap to the nearest magnetic point, subject to application window placement preferences and other constraints. In one implementation, repeating the user input on the same application window divider control causes the application window divider controls of the visible application windows within the user interface to move in appropriate directions to snap to the nearest magnetic points, subject to application window placement preferences, and other constraints. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates example operations  600  for adjusting placement of two application windows using an application window divider control. A presenting operation  602  presents an application window divider control shared by two application windows in a user interface. In one implementation, the application window divider control separates or acts as a boundary between the two application windows. An instruction operation  604  receives a directional instruction (e.g., a drag gesture) in association with the application window divider control. An adjusting operation  606  adjusts the relative placement of the two application windows based on the directional instruction applied to the application window divider control. For example, one application window gets narrower and the other application window gets wider within the user interface as the application window divider control moves or after its movement is completed. 
     A decision operation  608  determines whether one of the application windows has been sized to satisfy a minimum size condition (note: different application windows can have different minimum size conditions). If not, the adjusting operation  606  continues processing the directional instruction. If the decision operation  608  determines whether one of the application windows has satisfied a minimum size condition, that application window stops getting narrower, and another decision operation  610  determines whether another application window is located in the direction of the directional instruction within the user interface. If not, the application window satisfying the minimum size condition is removed from the user interface in a removal operation  612 . Otherwise, another adjusting operation  610  adjusts the placement of the other application window based on the directional instruction. In one implementation, the visual effect of the adjusting operation  610  resembles the first minimum window freezing at its minimum width and starting to push the side of the next window so that the next window gets narrower. 
     It should be understood that the next window may also reach a width that satisfies its minimum width condition. Accordingly, if the directional instruction continues in the same direction, then the next minimum window may be removed from the user interface in a manner similar to that discussed with regard to the removal operation  612 . Further, subsequent to removal of the next minimum window and subject to a continued directional instruction in the same direction, the first minimum window may be removed in a manner similar to that discussed with regard to the removal operation  612 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates example operations  700  for operating an application window divider control relative to a magnetic point in an example user interface. A presenting operation  702  presents an application window divider control shared by two application windows in a user interface. In one implementation, the application window divider control separates or acts as a boundary between the two application windows. An instruction operation  704  receives a directional instruction (e.g., a drag gesture) in association with the application window divider control. An adjusting operation  706  adjusts the relative placement of the two application windows based on the directional instruction applied to the application window divider control. 
     A decision operation  708  determines whether movement of the application window divider control satisfies a speed condition and/or a distance condition relative to a magnetic point located along an axis of the user interface. For example, the decision operation  708  may determine that the speed of the application window divider control movement is below a given speed threshold. In another example, the decision operation  708  may determine that the distance between the application window divider control and the magnetic point is below a given distance threshold. In yet another example, the decision operation  708  tests both the speed condition and the distance condition to proceed to a snap operation  710 . If the appropriate conditions are not satisfied in the decision operation  708 , the adjusting operation  706  continues to adjust the relative placement of the two application windows. 
     If the appropriate condition or conditions are satisfied in the decision operation  708 , the snap operation  710  snaps the application window divider control to the magnetic point in the user interface. In one implementation, the snap operation  710  presents a rapid movement by the application window divider control along the axis from a location that is not aligned with the magnetic point to a location that is aligned with the magnetic point. 
     It should be understood that such directional instructions, magnetic points, and application window divider controls may be performed, manipulated, or positioned along any axis of the user interface, including without limitation a horizontal axis or a vertical axis. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example system that may be useful in implementing the described technology. The example hardware and operating environment of  FIG. 8  for implementing the described technology includes a computing device, such as general purpose computing device in the form of a gaming console or computer  20 , a mobile telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a set top box, or other type of computing device. In the implementation of  FIG. 8 , for example, the computer  20  includes a processing unit  21 , a system memory  22 , and a system bus  23  that operatively couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit  21 . There may be only one or there may be more than one processing unit  21 , such that the processor of computer  20  comprises a single central-processing unit (CPU), or a plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment. The computer  20  may be a conventional computer, a distributed computer, or any other type of computer; the implementations are not so limited. 
     The system bus  23  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a switched fabric, point-to-point connections, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory may also be referred to as simply the memory, and includes read only memory (ROM)  24  and random access memory (RAM)  25 . A basic input/output system (BIOS)  26 , containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer  20 , such as during start-up, is stored in ROM  24 . The computer  20  further includes a hard disk drive  27  for reading from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive  28  for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk  29 , and an optical disk drive  30  for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk  31  such as a CD ROM, DVD, or other optical media. 
     The hard disk drive  27 , magnetic disk drive  28 , and optical disk drive  30  are connected to the system bus  23  by a hard disk drive interface  32 , a magnetic disk drive interface  33 , and an optical disk drive interface  34 , respectively. The drives and their associated tangible computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  20 . It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any type of tangible computer-readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the like, may be used in the example operating environment. 
     A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk  29 , optical disk  31 , ROM  24 , or RAM  25 , including an operating system  35 , one or more application programs  36 , other program modules  37 , and program data  38 . A user may enter commands and information into the personal computer  20  through input devices such as a keyboard  40  and pointing device  42 . Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone (e.g., for voice input), a camera (e.g., for a natural user interface (NUI)), a joystick, a game pad, a satellite dish, a scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  21  through a serial port interface  46  that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  47  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  23  via an interface, such as a video adapter  48 . In addition to the monitor, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. 
     The computer  20  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer  49 . These logical connections are achieved by a communication device coupled to or a part of the computer  20 ; the implementations are not limited to a particular type of communications device. The remote computer  49  may be another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer  20 , although only a memory storage device  50  has been illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 8  include a local-area network (LAN)  51  and a wide-area network (WAN)  52 . Such networking environments are commonplace in office networks, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet, which are all types of networks. 
     When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer  20  is connected to the local network  51  through a network interface or adapter  53 , which is one type of communications device. When used in a WAN-networking environment, the computer  20  typically includes a modem  54 , a network adapter, a type of communications device, or any other type of communications device for establishing communications over the wide area network  52 . The modem  54 , which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus  23  via the serial port interface  46 . In a networked environment, program engines depicted relative to the personal computer  20 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are example and other means of and communications devices for establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. 
     In an example implementation, software or firmware instructions and data for providing a window management system, a magnetic point, an application window divider control, and other instructions and data may be stored in memory  22  and/or storage devices  29  or  31  and processed by the processing unit  21 . The user interface data, speed thresholds, distance thresholds, and other data may be stored in memory  22  and/or storage devices  29  or  31  as persistent datastores. 
     Some embodiments may comprise an article of manufacture. An article of manufacture may comprise a tangible storage medium to store logic. Examples of a storage medium may include one or more types of computer-readable storage media capable of storing electronic data, including volatile memory or non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and so forth. Examples of the logic may include various software elements, such as software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, for example, an article of manufacture may store executable computer program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform methods and/or operations in accordance with the described embodiments. The executable computer program instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. The executable computer program instructions may be implemented according to a predefined computer language, manner or syntax, for instructing a computer to perform a certain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language. 
     The implementations described herein are implemented as logical steps in one or more computer systems. The logical operations may be implemented (1) as a sequence of processor-implemented steps executing in one or more computer systems and (2) as interconnected machine or circuit modules within one or more computer systems. The implementation is a matter of choice, dependent on the performance requirements of the computer system being utilized. Accordingly, the logical operations making up the implementations described herein are referred to variously as operations, steps, objects, or modules. Furthermore, it should be understood that logical operations may be performed in any order, unless explicitly claimed otherwise or a specific order is inherently necessitated by the claim language. 
     The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary implementations. Since many implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, the claims hereinafter appended define the invention. Furthermore, structural features of the different examples may be combined in yet another implementation without departing from the recited claims.