Abstract: A method and a data processing apparatus are disclosed for marking characters of a character string, which string is resident in the data processing system. The disclosed invention finds, in the string, a first character that matches a character of a predefined set of characters; as a result of finding the first character, identifies a character predefined as paired with the matched character of the predefined set of characters; finds, in the string, a second character that matches the paired character; and marks the characters of the string between the first character and second character.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for permitting automatic interaction between data and multiple applications in a data processing system. A selectable graphic representation associated with each application is displayed within the data processing system and after user selection of a particular graphic representation, designated data is automatically transferred to or utilized to access the associated application. A distinctive highlight overlay is associated with each graphic representation and utilized to graphically highlight data selected by user for interaction with a selected application. Alternately, data selected by a user may be utilized to automatically select a particular application to transfer that data to or for access and the distinctive highlight overlay associated with the particular application is then utilized to visually confirm access to that application.