Extended support for numerical controls

Abstract

A user-interface (UI) device allows the assignment of multiple parameter values to a multiple-selection of objects through a familiar UI mechanism. A multiple selection of objects is made. A object inspector is opened such as would normally be used to enter single values to be applied to properties of all the selected objects. For example, a group of graphical objects is selected and a line-weight parameter is adjusted to make the lines of the objects heavier. According to the invention, the same type of inspector device may be used to apply multiple values by providing for the indication of a function definition instead of an explicit value in a field normally used to enter a single value. The text boxes normally used for entry of values are provided with the ability to accept symbolic notation, e.g, a string, to indicate value ranges instead ofjust discrete values. The UI is programmed to parse the symbolic definition and generate values for each selected object so that each object receives a value of the selected parameter independently of the other objects. In an example, an indicator of a Gaussian probability function is entered as a string with a mean and variance to specify a range. The objects receive values pseudorandomly so that each may be assigned a different value for the parameter. This avoids the need to separately assign values to a large number of objects.