Abstract: A system and method utilizing test notifications. An application is able to construct a test notification that is sent to a user context system and which receives back an indication whether the notification would draw or not draw on the screen at the present time, in accordance with the user's current context. In another embodiment, the calling application receives back richer indications, such as details as to whether the notification would have been deferred or routed, the sound level at which it would have played, etc. In a polling implementation, an application may periodically re-send test notifications to re-poll the system to determine if changes have occurred. In a subscription implementation, an application may subscribe to the system to receive updates that are provided when there are changes.

Abstract: A system and related techniques to collect and manage a set of incoming message notification objects, such as instant message notifications, email notifications, download notifications, transaction notifications and others and present those objects to the user with an icon, tile or other representation on a dynamically scaled timeline. According to embodiments, the dynamically scaled timeline may present the most recently received object farthest to the right on a notifications bar or facility and slide objects to the left to represent passage of time as those objects age. Instead of presenting those objects on a linear scale, according to the invention, the time intervals in which objects may be presented may be scaled to cause the oldest message objects to be presented on a relatively compressed dimension. The most recently received messages may be presented on wider intervals, to permit the user to perceive differences in arrival of items more clearly.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, method, and computer-readable media are provided for specifying and editing the values of a multi-valued property. According to one method, a field is displayed for entering the values of the multi-valued property. A selection or alphanumeric characters may be received in the field. In response to receiving one or more alphanumeric characters in the field, one or more possible values for the field are identified based on the received alphanumeric characters. In response to receive a selection of the field, one or more suggested values for the field are identified. A menu is then displayed adjacent to the field. The menu includes the suggested or possible values and is presented in a manner that allows each of the values to be individually selectable as a value of the property. Multiple possible values may be simultaneously selected from the menu. Once the desired values have been selected, the selected values are inserted into the field.

Abstract: In a display of properties (or metadata) for multiple selected files, properties may be aggregated. Visual differentiation may be used to associate displayed aggregated values with one or more selected files to which the values pertain. Multi-value properties may also be aggregated and differentiated and/or accentuated. When aggregating multiple multi-value properties, steps may be taken to carry relative priority or positioning assigned by each of the selected files to which the multi-value properties pertain. Aggregated multi-value properties may include prompt text informing them of editing options, and users may edit properties by editing the displayed aggregated properties. Changes to the aggregated properties may be applied to the properties of the various selected files.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which static lists facilitate arbitrary grouping of items of data independent of their locations and in ways that are meaningful to the user. A static list is a set of items defined by a root item, a direction, and the entry relationships with that root item in that direction. The static list also defines the properties that each entry relationship in the list is required to have. Verbs are provided to manage a static list. A verb is an action that may be performed on the items in the static list, and includes, among others, move, copy, add, remove, and delete. A view is provided to specify characteristics for displaying data from a static list, including visibility, order, and formatting, among other characteristics.

Abstract: Computer system navigation tools provide “links” to various different files, lists, folders, and/or other storage elements and allow users to organize files, e.g., by hierarchical properties, lists, auto lists, folders, and the like. Such systems and methods allow users to assign properties to a file (optionally in a hierarchical manner), to change assigned properties, to search, view, and retrieve information based on the assigned properties, and the like.

Abstract: A system for controlling the delivery of notifications. The system brokers and serializes the delivery of notifications from multiple sources. In addition, a shared notion of user context is provided for determining the appropriate handling for each of the notifications. In one embodiment, a user context consists of a condition that may be true or false, and an instruction that is to be followed if the condition is true. For example, if a user is listening to music, the instruction may be to show the notification on the screen but not play any sound for the notification. A user's contexts are declared by the operating system and arbitrary programs. The user's contexts may be presented to the user for modification in accordance with the user's preferences. The user may also define rules which dictate how notifications that contain specified elements should be handled, and may provide exceptions to the instructions of the user's contexts.

Abstract: A system and method for public consumption of communication events between arbitrary processes. In one embodiment, mechanisms are provided by which the system can effectively act to broker a user's communications and thus act as a type of automated assistant. The invention is provided in a notification user context system which determines when it is appropriate or not appropriate to interrupt a user with a notification based on the user's context (i.e., availability to interruption). The system provides for processes to be informed when these notification events are occurring, thus allowing the processes to act on these types of events on the user's behalf. In one example embodiment, a calendaring program may be a type of process that is registered to be informed when communication events occur. When the calendaring program is informed that a notification from another program (e.g., e-mail, instant messaging, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for virtual folder sharing, including utilization of static and dynamic lists. Static and dynamic lists may be created as types of virtual folders. Virtual folders expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. A static list consists of a folder of items that are in a specific order, while a dynamic list gathers a set of items based on a scope and a set of criteria. When a list is shared, the actual list is left in place on the sharer's machine or server, while permission is granted to the sharee to remotely access the list and the referenced items. If the list is changed by adding or removing items, these items are also automatically re-permissioned to allow or disallow the sharee to have access to the items.

Abstract: A system for controlling the delivery of notifications. The system brokers and serializes the delivery of notifications from multiple sources. In addition, a shared notion of user context is provided, for determining the appropriate handling for each of the notifications. In one embodiment, a user context consists of a condition that may be true or false, and an instruction that is to be followed if the condition is true. For example, if a user is listening to music, the instruction may be to show the notification on the screen but not play any sound for the notification. A user's contexts are declared by the operating system and arbitrary programs. The user's contexts may be presented to the user for modification in accordance with the user's preferences. The user may also define rules, which dictate how notifications that contain specified elements should be handled, and may provide exceptions to the instructions of the user's contexts.

Abstract: A system and method utilizing test notifications. An application is able to construct a test notification that is sent to a user context system and which receives back an indication whether the notification would draw or not draw on the screen at the present time, in accordance with the user's current context. In another embodiment, the calling application receives back richer indications, such as details as to whether the notification would have been deferred or routed, the sound level at which it would have played, etc. In a polling implementation, an application may periodically re-send test notifications to re-poll the system to determine if changes have occurred. In a subscription implementation, an application may subscribe to the system to receive updates that are provided when there are changes.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer system realizes a user's preferences for launching applications for corresponding kinds of files. The method launches a first application to service a file unless a second application is available to service the same kind of file. If such is the case, the method presents a consent user interface to allow the user to indicate a preference between the first application and the second application. Changes to the preference are inhibited unless made via the consent user interface.

Abstract: A method for selecting records from a displayed database table by generating an SQL SELECT command for filtering the displayed records in accordance with cell values highlighted by user input. A presently selected set of records from a desired table (generally referred to as a record set or record source) are displayed on the user's display screen. The user selects particular values in cells (an intersection of a row and a column of the displayed table) by highlighting the values using the pointer device or keyboard of the computer system. Methods of the present invention then generate an SQL select (filter) command to selectively retrieve those records from the displayed records which match the user's highlighted values.

Abstract: A method and computer system for coaching a user how to perform application program tasks is provided. The user activates the coaching program of the present invention while an application program is running on the computer system. If the user needs such assistance, the coaching program helps the user determine the next task the user wishes to perform in the application program. The coaching program then determines if the application program is in the correct state for performance of the next task. If the application program is not in the correct state, the coaching program guides the user through performing essential preliminary tasks that place the application program in the correct state for performance of the next task. The computer system simultaneously displays on the display screen output, such as application program instructions, generated by the coaching program and a user interface display generated by the application program.