Patent Application
20060064649
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice shall apply to this document: Copyright© 2004, Microsoft Corp.
This invention relates to computer graphical user interface environments. More particularly, this invention relates to navigation of a graphical user environment having a number of previously opened items.
Many computer users are heavily keyboard-centric users because in a number situations it is often quicker to use the keyboard to input a command or series of commands than using a mouse or other input device. For a graphical user environment (GUI) to accommodate these users, certain keystrokes (or keyboard shortcuts) are often provided as an alternative to entering commands with a mouse. For example, software developers generally rely heavily on such keyboard commands and regularly use these keyboard shortcuts. In an integrated development environment (IDE) such as MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC 6® or MICROSOFT VISUAL C/C++6® the user would traditionally encounter 10 tool windows and 300 commands. Thus, it was relatively easy for these users to remember the important keyboard shortcuts to successfully use the application. As utilized herein with respect to the invention, a development environment is defined as a software coding environment wherein a developer creates or modifies computer readable instructions according to desired functionality for execution in a computing environment.
The software development industry, however, is currently going through a transition from traditional, focused IDEs to tools platforms. MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO®, for example, currently has over 70 tool windows and 3,000 commands, and it is desirable for users to quickly and easily use the keyboard to navigate such tools platforms. Traditional keyboard navigation of these platforms often requires the user to remember a large number of keyboard shortcuts and states of particular tool windows to open a desired item. Users of other software applications having a GUI that involves working with a number of items that the user may need to activate would also benefit from a better way to navigate through such items.
In this regard, there is a need for a system and method that provides a more efficient and natural navigation of a graphical user environment.
In consideration of the above-identified shortcomings of the art, the invention provides systems and methods for navigating a graphical user environment. A list may be invoked to appear while in the graphical user environment of a particular software application comprising different types of items that were opened previously with the software application. Also, a list may be invoked to appear comprising previously opened items associated with a development environment for developing software applications.
An item then may be selected from the list and the list is then dismissed automatically once the item is selected. The list may be invoked via a keyboard. One way the list may be invoked via a keyboard is by a user pressing and holding down a first key on a keyboard and then pressing a second key on the keyboard at least once while holding down the first key. The list can then be dismissed simply by releasing the first key. The items in the list may be selected, while holding down the first key, by scrolling through the list by pressing the second key, by pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard in the direction one whishes to scroll, or by pressing any alpha-numeric key to jump directly to that portion of the list. The items in the list may be, for example, files and/or software development tools, or views into abstract containers of information. The list may also be sorted by items most recently used and also such that the list is first sorted by type of item and then by items most recently used. Other advantages and features of the invention are described below.
The systems and methods for navigation of a graphical user environment are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and figures to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. Certain well-known details often associated with computing and software technology are not set forth in the following disclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments of the invention. Further, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that they can practice other embodiments of the invention without one or more of the details described below. Finally, while various methods are described with reference to steps and sequences in the following disclosure, the description as such is for providing a clear implementation of embodiments of the invention, and the steps and sequences of steps should not be taken as required to practice this invention.
Overview
Systems and methods are provided for navigating a GUI. The exemplary GUI is one of an IDE for software development wherein there are a number of items such as open files and development tools between which a user must navigate. A navigation dialog may be invoked by the user from the keyboard wherein the navigation dialog has a list of recently accessed items such as open files and tool windows. Once invoked, the user may navigate the list to select an item to open by using the arrow keys for, example, on the keyboard or pressing the “Tab” key, for example, while holding down the key used to initially invoke the navigation dialog. Once the user selects the desired item, the navigation dialog may be dismissed by releasing the key initially used to invoke it.
First, an exemplary GUI is introduced in the section “Exemplary GUI,” for which the system and method for GUI navigation described herein may be suitable. Second, an exemplary method of navigation is described in the section “GUI Navigation.” Third, a suitable system architecture is described in the section “System Architecture” for the systems and methods of GUI navigation described herein. Finally, a description of a computing and networked environment is provided which will be recognized as generally suitable for use in connection with the systems and methods set forth herein. Because the material in the figures corresponding to the exemplary computing and networked environment is generally for exemplary purposes, the corresponding description is reserved for the end of this specification, in the section entitled “Exemplary Computing and Network Environment.”
Exemplary GUI
Referring first to
Before a user can navigate around the IDE with a keyboard, the user must know the state of a tool window. In doing so, the user must locate that tool window on the screen. For example, in MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO 7®, if the object browser tool window is docked in the MDI space, called the EZMDI® space, the user will likely press Ctrl-F6 on the keyboard to indirectly walk the EZMDI® documents. If the object browser is a visible docked tool window, the user may press Alt-F6, for example, to indirectly walk the tool windows. If the object browser is an auto hide tool window the user may press Ctrl-Alt-J on the keyboard to directly jump to that control.
In a clean MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO 7® installation with a new C# project open, for example, a user must know 11 keyboard shortcuts to efficiently navigate the IDE without using a mouse. This number grows significantly when the remaining 35 tool windows are factored in and when the user changes the state of tool windows. For example, in a worst case scenario a user could be forced to know 31 different keyboard shortcuts to navigate the IDE.
In addition to the sheer number of keyboard shortcuts discussed above, moving between open files with the keyboard provides additional challenges. A user may press Ctrl-F6 and Ctrl-Shift-F6, for example, to indirectly walk the open files. However, when more than 10 files are open it is often inconvenient.
Discussed below is a more intuitive way for users to navigate a GUI, such as an IDE, from the keyboard. More efficient and natural navigation of a GUI is provided by eliminating the user having to first think about things such as state information, about whether the user is jumping to a file or a tool window, and about whether a direct or indirect keyboard shortcut is needed to open an item.
GUI Navigation
Referring to
Once invoked by the user, the navigator dialog 301 appears. The navigator dialog 301 comprises a list of items such as open files 302 and active tools 303, a cursor 304 indicating to the user which item is currently selected, and an object information area 305 containing information about the currently selected item in the navigator dialog 301. The list of open files and active tools is sorted according to the file or tool window most recently used (MRU) by the user. Files, as used herein, means any set of stored bits that can be referenced for retrieval by a file system of a computer, and includes, but is not limited to, object files, dynamic link libraries, source code files, content such as image files, sound files, movie files, etc. In the example provided in
Referring additionally to
Once invoked, the navigator dialog 301 opens 403 with a list of open files 302 and active tools 303 sorted in an MRU order as described above. The most recently used file is selected by default when the navigator dialog 301 is invoked. For example, the position of the cursor 304 is at the most recently used file initially when the navigator dialog 301 opens. However, if the user is already working in a file when the navigator dialog 301 is invoked, then the next most recently used file is initially selected. Alternatively, the most recently used active tool may be selected by default when the navigator dialog is invoked. This may be implemented instead of, or as an additional command to invoking the navigator dialog with the most recently used file being selected initially. In the case of it being an additional command, the user would invoke it by holding down the standard keyboard key “Alt” and then pressing the “F7” key concurrently. This will allow users to quickly jump between a file and tool window.
The navigator dialog will remain open as long as the “Ctrl” key is being pressed by the user. However, if the user releases the “Ctrl” key 404, then the navigator dialog dismisses 405 and the currently selected item (i.e., the item at which the cursor 304 is currently positioned) is activated by opening the window of that item 406, for example. The navigator dialog 301 may then be invoked again by pressing the “Ctrl” and “Tab” keys.
If the user continues to hold down the “Ctrl” key but at any time presses a key on the keyboard that does not otherwise affect navigation 419 in the navigator dialog 301, then that keystroke is eaten 420 without being passed to the application such as the IDE. The navigator dialog 301 then dismisses 407 without taking any action. For example, if the user is working in the editor of the IDE and invokes the navigator dialog and the user then presses the “Backspace” key, the Navigator dialog will dismiss 407 and the backspace will not occur in the editor of the IDE. This prevents keys accidentally pressed by the user from making unintended changes in other areas of the IDE.
Continuing to hold down the “Ctrl” key, if the user at any time double-clicks on an item in the navigator dialog 301 with a mouse, then that item is selected 409, the navigator dialog 301 is dismissed 405 and that item is activated 406 (say by opening the window of the file selected, for example). Also, if at any time while holding down the “Ctrl” key, the user presses the “Tab” key again 421 after initially invoking the navigator dialog 301, the cursor scrolls to 410 and selects 411 (by highlighting, for example) the next item in the current direction of navigation, which is either up or down the current list in the navigator dialog 301At that point, if the user releases the “Ctrl” key 404 the navigator dialog 301 is dismissed 405 and the item currently selected is activated 406 (such as by opening the widow of that item, for example). Also, if at any time the user presses any of the arrow keys 412 while holding down the “Ctrl’ key, the cursor 304 then scrolls 413 in the direction of the arrow key pressed. This may be up, down, left or right and enables the user to easily go between items within a list or between lists, such as between the list of open files and active tools in the navigator dialog 301. The cursor 304 selects 414 the item at which the cursor stops when the arrow key is released. Again, at that point the user may release the “Ctrl” key 404 to dismiss 405 the navigator dialog 301 and activate the item currently selected 406.
If the user chooses to use a mouse to select an item, at any time while holding down the “Ctrl” key the user may single-click 415 on an item in the navigator dialog 301 with the mouse and it will be selected 416 by having the cursor move to the position of that item. Then, by releasing the “Ctrl” key, the navigator dialog 301 will be dismissed 405 and that item will be activated 406. Also, the user may change the current direction of navigation for use in navigation with the “Tab” key as described above by at any time pressing the “Shift” key 417 while continuing to hold down the “Ctrl” key. The direction of navigation is then changed 418 such that when the user presses the “Tab” key again 409 while continuing to hold down the “Ctrl” key, the cursor 304 will scroll 410 in the opposite direction as it would have before pressing the “Shift” key.
System Architecture
Referring next to
At the presentation layer filter 502, the recently accessed items of particular interest from all the stored recently accessed items is selected. For example, this may be the 15 most recently used visible tool windows from a stored group of 500 most recently used visible tool windows as it may not be practicable to display all of the recently accessed items stored. This group of recently accessed items of particular interest is then passed to the presentation layer for display in the navigator user interface 503 (i.e., the navigator dialog).
Referring next to
Exemplary Computing and Network Environment
Referring to
Aspects of the invention are operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
Aspects of the invention may be implemented in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
An exemplary system for implementing aspects of the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 241. Components of computer 241 may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit 259, a system memory 222, and a system bus 221 that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 259. The system bus 221 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus.
Computer 241 typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 241 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computer 241. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.
The system memory 222 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 223 and random access memory (RAM) 260. A basic input/output system 224 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 241, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 223. RAM 260 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 259. By way of example, and not limitation,
The computer 241 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,
The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in
The computer 241 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 246. The remote computer 246 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 241, although only a memory storage device 247 has been illustrated in
When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 241 is connected to the LAN 245 through a network interface or adapter 237. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 241 typically includes a modem 250 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 249, such as the Internet. The modem 250, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 221 via the user input interface 236, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 241, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,
It should be understood that the various techniques described herein may be implemented in connection with hardware or software or, where appropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, the methods and apparatus of the invention, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take the form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other machine-readable storage medium wherein, when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. In the case of program code execution on programmable computers, the computing device generally includes a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor (including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device. One or more programs that may implement or utilize the processes described in connection with the invention, e.g., through the use of an API, reusable controls, or the like. Such programs are preferably implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the program(s) can be implemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language, and combined with hardware implementations.
Although exemplary embodiments refer to utilizing aspects of the invention in the context of one or more stand-alone computer systems, the invention is not so limited, but rather may be implemented in connection with any computing environment, such as a network or distributed computing environment. Still further, aspects of the invention may be implemented in or across a plurality of processing chips or devices, and storage may similarly be effected across a plurality of devices. Such devices might include personal computers, network servers, handheld devices, supercomputers, or computers integrated into other systems such as automobiles and airplanes.
An exemplary networked computing environment is provided in
Distributed computing provides sharing of computer resources and services by exchange between computing devices and systems. These resources and services include the exchange of information, cache storage and disk storage for files. Distributed computing takes advantage of network connectivity, allowing clients to leverage their collective power to benefit the entire enterprise. In this regard, a variety of devices may have applications, objects or resources that may implicate the processes described herein.
b provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary networked or distributed computing environment. The environment comprises computing devices 271, 272, 276, and 277 as well as objects 273, 274, and 275, and database 278. Each of these entities 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 may comprise or make use of programs, methods, data stores, programmable logic, etc. The entities 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 may span portions of the same or different devices such as PDAs, audio/video devices, MP3 players, personal computers, etc. Each entity 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 can communicate with another entity 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 by way of the communications network 270. In this regard, any entity may be responsible for the maintenance and updating of a database 278 or other storage element.
This network 270 may itself comprise other computing entities that provide services to the system of
It can also be appreciated that an object, such as 275, may be hosted on another computing device 276. Thus, although the physical environment depicted may show the connected devices as computers, such illustration is merely exemplary and the physical environment may alternatively be depicted or described comprising various digital devices such as PDAs, televisions, MP3 players, etc., software objects such as interfaces, COM objects and the like.
There are a variety of systems, components, and network configurations that support distributed computing environments. For example, computing systems may be connected together by wired or wireless systems, by local networks or widely distributed networks. Currently, many networks are coupled to the Internet, which provides an infrastructure for widely distributed computing and encompasses many different networks. Any such infrastructures, whether coupled to the Internet or not, may be used in conjunction with the systems and methods provided.
A network infrastructure may enable a host of network topologies such as client/server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures. The “client” is a member of a class or group that uses the services of another class or group to which it is not related. In computing, a client is a process, i.e., roughly a set of instructions or tasks, that requests a service provided by another program. The client process utilizes the requested service without having to “know” any working details about the other program or the service itself. In a client/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer, e.g., a server. In the example of
A server is typically, though not necessarily, a remote computer system accessible over a remote or local network, such as the Internet. The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system, communicating with one another over a communications medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server. Any software objects may be distributed across multiple computing devices or objects.
Client(s) and server(s) communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by protocol layer(s). For example, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a common protocol that is used in conjunction with the World Wide Web (WWW), or “the Web.” Typically, a computer network address such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address or other reference such as a Universal Resource Locator (URL) can be used to identify the server or client computers to each other. The network address can be referred to as a URL address. Communication can be provided over a communications medium, e.g., client(s) and server(s) may be coupled to one another via TCP/IP connection(s) for high-capacity communication.
In light of the diverse computing environments that may be built according to the general framework provided in
