Methods and systems for managing a graphical user interface
Methods and systems for managing a graphical user interface involve, for example, defining, using a processor coupled to memory, a threshold distance between windows on a display screen at which a mutual attraction between the windows is activated to draw the windows together as components of a picture of windows. Also using the processor, all windows of a same functional type that are components of the picture of windows are resized simultaneously without affecting the size of windows of other functional types that are also components of the picture of windows. Likewise using the processor, all windows on the display screen are maintained in an active state regardless of a focus of a user input device.
1. A method for managing a graphical user interface, comprising:
defining, using a processor coupled to memory, a threshold distance between a moving window that is not a component of a picture of windows and a stationary window of a same functional type that is a component of a picture of windows on a display screen at which a mutual attraction between the moving window and the stationary window is activated to draw the windows together as components of the picture of windows;
resizing, using the processor, the moving window that is not a component of the picture of windows from a size larger or smaller than a size of the stationary window of the same functional type that is a component of the picture of windows to a same size as the size of the stationary window when the mutual attraction is activated;
resizing, using the processor, all windows of a same functional type that are components of the picture of windows simultaneously without affecting a size of windows of other functional types that are also components of the picture of windows; and
maintaining, using the processor, all windows on the display screen in an active state regardless of a focus of a user input device with no visual indication of focus on any of the windows regardless of user input.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises defining the threshold distance between edges of the windows on the display screen at which the mutual attraction between the windows is activated.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises defining the threshold distance between the windows on the display screen at which the mutual attraction between the windows is activated regardless of a state of alignment of the windows relative to one another.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein defining the threshold distance between the windows on the display screen at which the mutual attraction between the windows is activated regardless of the state of alignment of the windows relative to one another further comprises aligning the windows neatly and precisely to one another when the mutual attraction between the windows is activated.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises defining the threshold distance between the windows on the display screen at which the mutual attraction between the windows is activated to draw the windows together without overlapping.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises displaying an indicator on the display screen when the mutual attraction is activated.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein displaying the indicator on the display screen when the mutual attraction is activated further comprises deactivating the mutual attraction in response to a user input signal and overlapping or superposing the windows on the display screen.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving all components of the picture of windows together as a single unit from one location to another location on the display screen displayed on one or more visual display units in response to a single input signal.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises defining the threshold distance for activation of mutual attraction between the windows as a fixed parameter.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the threshold distance between windows on the display screen further comprises defining the threshold distance for activation of mutual attraction between the windows as a user-adjustable parameter.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein resizing all windows of the same functional type further comprises resizing all windows of the same functional type that are components of the picture of windows simultaneously in response to a single input signal.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein resizing all windows of the same functional type further comprises resizing all windows of the same functional type that are components of the picture of windows simultaneously without affecting the size of windows of different functional types that are components of the same picture of windows.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining all windows on the display screen in the active state further comprises maintaining all windows on the display screen in the active state while resizing.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein maintaining all windows on the display screen in an active state while resizing further comprises maintaining a data feed to all windows on the display screen while resizing.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining all windows on the display screen in the active state further comprises maintaining all overlapped or superposed windows on the display screen in the active state.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein maintaining all overlapped or superposed windows on the display screen in the active state further comprises providing active tabs on overlapping or superposing windows for all overlapped or superposed windows on the display screen.
17. A system for managing a graphical user interface, comprising:
a processor coupled to memory, the processor being programmed for:
defining a threshold distance between a moving window that is not a component of a picture of windows and a stationary window of a same functional type that is a component of a picture of windows on a display screen at which a mutual attraction between the moving window and the stationary window is activated to draw the windows together as components of the picture of windows;
resizing the moving window that is not a component of the picture of windows from a size larger or smaller than a size of the stationary window of the same functional type that is a component of the picture of windows to a same size as the size of the stationary window when the mutual attraction is activated;
resizing all windows of a same functional type that are components of the picture of windows simultaneously without affecting a size of windows of other functional types that are also components of the picture of windows; and
maintaining all windows on the display screen in an active state regardless of a focus of a user input device with no visual indication of focus on any of the windows regardless of user input.