Patent ID: 8046712

Claim:
A method for managing a plurality of palettes within a computer software application comprising: presenting a palette that is actively controlled by a user interface of a computer software application on a computer display screen, by (i) displaying the palette within a window, or (ii) docking the palette within a docking bar and displaying a docking tab for enabling the palette; detecting that a user is applying (a) a docking action, (b) a generation action or (c) a detaching action, at a location within the display screen; docking the palette within the docking bar when said detecting detects that the user is applying the docking action to a window within which the palette is displayed; and displaying the palette within a window when said detecting detects that the user is applying the generation action to the docking tab, comprising: fastening the palette to at least one other already displayed palette if the generation action positions the palette in proximity to the at least one other already displayed palette, wherein palettes fastened together subsequently move together rigidly as a single geometrical area when one of the fastened palettes is moved; and moving one palette together with those and only those of the palettes of a plurality of fastened-together palettes that are below and to the right of the one palette, to separate them from the plurality of fastened-together palettes, when said detecting detects that the user is applying the detaching action to the one palette.