Patent ID: 7853889

Claim:
A method for operating a graphical user interface (GUI) in a computer, comprising: displaying a first stack of palettes and a second stack of palettes in the GUI, the first stack of palettes and the second stack of palettes each including a plurality of tabbed palettes and a title bar, each tabbed palette including a tab, and the second stack of palettes being in an auto-hidden state; receiving first user input in the GUI to grab the title bar of the first stack of palettes and to drag the first stack of palettes into proximity with the second stack of palettes; in response to receiving the first user input, rolling out the second stack of palettes and displaying an XOR outline around the second stack of palettes indicating that the second stack of palettes is an eligible drop target; receiving second user input to drop the dragged first stack of palettes onto the second stack of palettes to create a combined stack of palettes; and in response to receiving the second user input, displaying a combined stack of palettes comprising the tabbed palettes from both the first stack and the second stack of palettes, the combined stack taking on one or more characteristics of the second stack of palettes, and the one or more characteristics including size, justification and auto-hide state of the second stack of palettes.