International Business Machines Corporation

Triteal Corporation

John C Beer

Mark T Bowman

Julieta Kaoru Yamakawa

Georgia Ann Gibson

Jon Harald Werner

Ricky Lee Poston

Troy Lee Cline

John Lovgren

Steven C Wilson

Steven K Beal

Timothy T Kraft

Marianne Poythress Radding

A method and apparatus for displaying to a user attributes of a computer workstation includes a processor, user controls for controlling a pointer, a display device, and a database. The processor first displays a template area on the display device and then retrieves the attributes of the computer workstation from the database. After retrieving the attributes, the processor displays icons representing the attributes in the template area displayed on the display device.

Method and apparatus for displaying attributes of a computer work station on a graphical user interface

A method and apparatus for enhancing template manipulation and creation in a graphical user interface. The user can create numerous additional templates from an existing object, template, or 'generic' template. The method includes the computer-implemented steps of positioning a copy of at least one object into a template area pane and creating at least one template in the template area pane from that copied object. The apparatus includes a processor, a display device, pointing device, a template area pane displayed on the display device, at least one object which is positioned into the template area pane. The template area pane creates at least one template from the object and displays that template in the template area pane.

Method and apparatus for enhancing template creation and manipulation in

A universal resource locator ('URL') login system. The invention makes full use of the internet/intranet concept by using a URL instead of a specific home directory as a fixed location to control and access a login function. The URL login function causes objects to be collected from various locations on a network and brought to a local client computer system where they are rendered. The content of one URL may reference another URL, so that a compound object is created comprising a collection of objects drawn from various storage locations on a network. The invention permits a user to access the user's private information and personal desktop no matter where the user is located. Accordingly, a user can use public computer systems to fully access private networks. Upon a successful login, the invention fetches objects from remote locations and instantiates them locally for the duration of the user's session. The user need only tell, via a URL, a local client computer system where the objects are located, and if required, the login system of the invention will return a challenge for access. The challenge is for access to the desired object, and not access to a particular computer system.

URL login

A method and system for allowing a user to retrieve a user interface and a visual style from a local or remote storage unit, rapidly display the visual stylized user interface, and dynamically switch between visual styles, without comprising security over a network system. Once displayed, the user can customize or configure the visual style of the user interface. The invention includes a programmable graphics user interface (PGUI). The PGUI is initialized to a default visual style or to a user's preferred style when the user logs onto a network system. In the preferred embodiment, after proper login, a user interface, stored on a server as a description in a text-based User Interface Language (UIL), is transferred to user's client system. The PGUI parses the UIL description and creates the user interface controls defined in the description. The PGUI then uses the currently selected visual style to display the user interface, and then reads any content (e.g., text, images, or other content) for the interface. The PGUI displays the content within the user interface, such as in a scrollable area or any other area described by the UIL. Once the user interface is displayed, the user can change the user interface, save the user interface, change the contents, save the contents, or switch visual styles. Compound or complex user interfaces can be easily created by combining simple user interface components.

Method for dynamically switching between visual styles

A computer implemented method, computer system, and article of manufacture embodying computer readable program means direct a computer system to create in a window an insertion bar for inserting hierarchical level identifiers into any hierarchically arranged data. The method includes the first step of inserting a blank line at the location of an insert event, in response to detecting the insert event at the location in the window. The second event includes the step of counting a number of hierarchical levels above the blank line and placing a marker on the blank line, each marker corresponding to a horizontal position of each hierarchical level, thereby creating the insertion bar. The third step includes the step of in response to detecting a move event over one of the markers in the insertion bar, creating an additional hierarchical level identifier of the same hierarchical level and in succession to the hierarchical level corresponding to the selected marker.

Growing community of inventors

Oceanside, CA, United States of America

John C Beer