Abstract: A system and method for generating collections of media are provided. A media collage is constructed such that all its contained media, such as digital images, are selected and organized according to an associated characteristic. Sequential media collages can be generated by the same selection and organization approach.

Abstract: A task dialog having a main instruction and a command region, and optionally a content and/or footer region, is automatically generated in response to a request from an application program. The task dialog main instruction is automatically sized and located so as to form a concise instruction or question located prominently in the dialog. A command region is below the instruction and includes UI controls for responding to the dialog. Optional content and footer regions can be used by a developer for inclusion of text that provides guidance to the user regarding the main instruction. If included, however, the content and/or footer regions are automatically sized and placed so that they do not obscure the main instruction or the command region controls.

Abstract: One or more task page dialogs are housed within a frame. Each task page includes a header region and a content region. The header region includes a title serving as a main instruction regarding what input is expected within the content region. The content region includes text and/or user interface controls as defined by an application program requesting creation of the task page. A task page may also contain a footer region having button controls for a user to indicate that he or she has completed the task page and/or to terminate the task (or series of tasks) with which the page is associated. An application program requests creation of a task page by calling a programming interface function. Included in the function call are references to data for each of one or more pages.

Abstract: A command link input control has a main title portion describing a user input option corresponding to selection of that command link. Upon selection of the command link, a dialog containing that command link is completed without requiring a user to select additional input controls. The command link may optionally contain a subtitle portion for providing supplementary text further explaining or otherwise elaborating upon the option corresponding to the command link. The command link may also contain a glyph. Upon hovering a cursor over a command link or otherwise indicating potential selectability of the command link, the entire link is highlighted by, e.g., altering the background color of the display region containing the main title, subtitle and/or glyph.

Abstract: A system and method for improved directional focus navigation in a user interface is provided. The directional focus navigation engine may receive directional input for changing the input focus of a user interface object in the user interface. A target candidate selector may select target candidates in a direction of travel among one or more user interface objects for receiving the input focus. A target candidate scorer may score the target candidates selected and the directional focus navigation engine may change the input focus to user interface object based upon the scoring. Scoring the target candidates may be biased when navigation continues in the same traversal direction for changing input focus.

Abstract: An architectural software framework is provided for creating Web-style application software incorporating protocols and means for expansion and interfacing with other Web-style programs, as well as a reusable basic programming structure, including abstract and concrete data types, that assist in building Web-style applications. The architectural software framework includes a page function and frame. Each Web-style application includes one or more page functions which communicate via the frame.