Method and system for providing feedback for docking a content pane in a host window

Abstract

A method and system for providing feedback for docking a content pane in a host window is disclosed. The method and system include providing a docking map. The docking map includes a plurality of docking areas therewithin. The method and system also include positioning a thumbnail associated with a content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas. Finally, the method and system include providing a hotspot on the thumbnail. The hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one docking area. The feedback enables a user to precisely dock a content pane. In addition, a user can predict the final configuration of the host window. In addition, the docking of the content pane can determine complex configurations within a host window including nested splitters and notebooks whose tabs are oriented in any direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing at least one docking map, wherein the at least one docking map includes a plurality of docking areas therewithin;    (b) positioning a thumbnail associated with a content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas; and    (c) providing a hotspot visually on the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one docking area.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising (d) providing at least one docking pane, wherein the at least one docking map is associated with the at least one docking pane.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising (e) darkening the content pane to distinguish it from the at least one docking pane.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising (e) lightening the at least one docking pane to render the at least one docking map more clearly.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (d) generating a preview of a final configuration of the host window; and  
 (e) displaying the preview on the thumbnail.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the final configuration indicates at least one of a configuration of tabs in a notebook and a configuration of a plurality of docking panes in the host window.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hotspot providing (c) further comprises (c1) visually distinguishing the hotspot from other portions of the thumbnail by varying at least one of the shape, color, shading, texture, and size of the hotspot.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising (d) floating the content pane when it is placed but not placed into one of the plurality of docking areas, wherein there are no restrictions as to where the content pane can be placed.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising (d) generating at least one new notebook when the content pane is dropped into one of the plurality of docking areas.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising (e) configuring the at least one new notebook based on the docking area into which the content pane is dropped.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising (d) configuring a plurality of docking panes based on a docking area into which the content pane is dropped.  
     
     
         12 . A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window, the program instructions which when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to execute a method comprising: 
 (a) providing at least one docking map, wherein the at least one docking map includes a plurality of docking areas therewithin;    (b) positioning a thumbnail associated with a content pane over one of the plurality of docking areas; and    (c) providing a hotspot visually on the thumbnail, wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one docking area.    
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising (d) providing at least one docking pane, wherein the at least one docking map is associated with the at least one docking pane.  
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  further comprising program instructions for (e) darkening the content pane to distinguish it from the at least one docking pane.  
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  further comprising program instructions for (e) lightening the at least one docking pane to render the at least one docking map more clearly.  
     
     
         16 . The Computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 (d) generating a preview of a final configuration of the host window; and  
 (e) displaying the preview on the thumbnail.  
 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16  wherein the final configuration indicates at least one of a configuration of tabs in a notebook and a configuration of a plurality of docking panes in the host window.  
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the hotspot providing (c) further comprises (c1) visually distinguishing the hotspot from other portions of the thumbnail by varying at least one of the shape, color, shading, texture, and size of the hotspot.  
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the hotspot providing (c) further comprises (c1) positioning the hotspot in a corner of the thumbnail.  
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising program instructions for (d) floating the content pane when it is dropped but not dropped into one of the plurality of docking areas, wherein there are no restrictions as to where the content pane can be dropped.  
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising program instructions for (d) generating at least one new notebook when the content pane is dropped into one of the plurality of docking areas.  
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21  further comprising program instructions for (e) configuring the at least one new notebook based on the docking area into which the content pane is dropped.  
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising program instructions for (d) configuring a plurality of docking panes based on a docking area into which the content pane is dropped.  
     
     
         24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein at least one of a symbol, a label, and the relative position of the at least one docking area visually indicates its function.  
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the thumbnail represents a pointer.  
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the at least one docking map can be used for docking a tool bar.  
     
     
         27 . A system for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window, the system comprising: 
 at least one docking map, wherein the at least one docking map includes a plurality of docking areas therewithin; and    a thumbnail associated with a content pane, wherein the thumbnail represents the content pane as it is dragged over one of the plurality of docking areas, the thumbnail comprising a hotspot, wherein the hotspot is visually distinct from the other portions of the thumbnail, and wherein the hotspot indicates that the content pane can be dropped into the one docking area.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the hotspot is positioned in a corner of the thumbnail.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the thumbnail represents a final configuration of the host window.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the final configuration indicates at least one of a notebook configuration and a configuration of a plurality of docking panes.