International Business Machines Corporation

Robert Edward Medl

David Brooks Hamilton

Ricardo L Gonzalez

Catherine Christensen

Daina Edvina Pupons Wickham

Joseph Phillip Bigus

Daina Pupons Wickham

Lindsay Richard Bennion

Jingwoan Chang

A graphic symbol is created having a specified pattern and being associated with at least a first graphical object. Color attribute(s) is/are designated for the graphic symbol. While displaying related graphical object(s), the created graphic symbol and its specified pattern and color attribute(s) are retained within such displayed related graphical object(s), wherein the related graphical object(s) are recognizable as related to the first graphical object by the persistence of the specific graphic symbol pattern and designated colors.

Color and symbol coded visual cues for relating screen items to each other

Described is a system and method for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects allows them to be recognized as related.

Described is a system and a computer program product for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related but graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects allows them to be recognized as related. In a particular instance, the icon is displayed with each graphical object in a series of graphical objects that represent an evolution of progression of development.

Described is a method for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related but graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects allows them to be recognized as related.

Described is a system and method for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has a specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects them to to be recognized as related.

Hyperlinks within an application program interface enable selective, non-intrusive, recall of help functions, such as definitions of critical terms located within a textual or graphical interface panel. Elements of a user interface for an application program are predefined as help functions by the programmer or developer. These predefined help functions are then hyperlinked to the specified predefined element. When a user traverses the interface, highlighted elements corresponding to the predefined help functions may be selected by a mouse or mouse-type function. Upon selection of a highlighted hyperlinked element, a help window appears providing definitions, functional instructions, etc.

Pop-up definitions with hyperlinked terms within a non-internet and non-specifically-designed-for-help program

The present invention provides a color background for an icon. As a user traverses related objects the color background is persistent throughout each of the related objects. In addition, iconic symbols present in the original icon will be retained through various stages of related object development. A graphical icon is also added to the related object which conveys the present status of a processing sequence. In Data Mining sequences a series of object development panels are created. Within panels of this series are the corresponding icon background colors, iconic symbols and a graphical icon. The specific graphical icon starts as a representation of a rough stone and ends as a polished diamond. The rough stone representing the starting point in the series and the polished diamond, the ending or completion of the series.

Color and symbol coded visual cues for relating screen menu to executed process

A GUI is used to reduce the large task of creating data mining objects into a structured series of smaller steps. Generic headings for a sequence of GUI panels used in developing data mining objects are: Introduction (Welcome) panel; Selection of technique and settings name panel; Selection of a data source (when appropriate); Setting of general parameters (one or more panels); Output/results created and named for executable objects particular to the technique selected (depends on object selected); Naming the settings object and Finish page (completed). Each GUI panel intelligently leads the user through a series of low-level decisions. Each succeeding panel is chosen by the data input during the present panel. At completion, the user may review the series of GUI panels and selections and entries made to modify the resulting mining object. Once created, the objects are graphically ordered to create a sequence object which is then named and saved, thus preserving the sequence for future use.

GUI guide for data mining

A GUI enabling instant access to a sequence of previously executed assistance programming GUIs. The assistance programming GUIs lead the user through a specific sequence of templates until an object is created. Within each template, various prompts will solicit information variables to complete the template. The assistance program will analyze the returned variables and determine a related next step template to complete the object according to a required finished product. As each step may diverge into branches based on user input, the final result becomes an interrelated sequence of steps specific to the session history of the object creation. The sequence of assistance templates are grouped into a tabular notebook. The notebook is arranged according to the original historical relationships created during the creation of the subject. Each tab is labeled to equate to the various title bars found within each individual template. To edit an information variable, the user would select a particular tab, i.e., one or more clicks from a mouse or similar known cursor pointing device. Upon editing one or more information variables, the overall result may be changed, but the original interrelationships and dependencies defined by the sequence created during the object creation is preserved.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Robert Edward Medl