Patent ID: 7103853

Claim:
A method for operating a digital computer to dynamically select and display in a graphical user interface of a computer display device an action bar presenting only actions appropriate with respect to successive documents presented in a current view based on document properties, comprising the steps of: during action creation, operating said computer to provide in an action list a record for each action including text attributes and action button, define a hide-when formula for each dynamic action by reference to a current document field, and set said hide-when formula to null for each static action, static actions being those actions which are not to be evaluated dynamically as a user selects successive documents; during view creation, operating said computer to define for said view a view record including a document filter, formatting specification, action selection list, and a hide-when flag, and further to define in said action selection list a plurality of actions applicable to said view and, responsive to at least one said action being a dynamic action, to set said hide-when flag to characterize said view as a view to be dynamically evaluated for each document selected for presentation in said view; responsive to user selection of a next document for presentation in a current view, which current view is characterized by said hide-when flag by being set as a view to be evaluated, operating said computer to dynamically evaluate for said next document each action in said action list applicable to said current view with respect to its respective hid-when formula and display in an action bar for said current view for said next document only those actions for which said hide-when formula is set to null and those actions for which a hide-when exists and evaluates as an action to be displayed; and responsive to user selection of a next document for presentation in said in said current view, which current view is characterized by said hide-when flag as not to be evaluated, operating said computer to display for said next document in said action bar of said current view all actions applicable to said current view.