Abstract: The present invention provides a method for a developer to create and display a “dialog definition”, i.e., a description of the dialog that has the position and size of its constituent elements expressed in relative layout rules. These layout rules include expressions of alignment and/or justification of the elements within a container, rather than expressions of the coordinate positions of the elements. In addition, a set of text strings is provided for each language in a separate language file. The user may identify an operating system and a language in which the dialog will be displayed, and the size of the elements in the identified operating system and language will be determined by the computer. The description is interpreted in the computer to lay out the dialog.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) for use in a graphical display on a computer monitor includes a cursor that allows a user to point to an area of interest in the graphical display. The GUI also includes an information element that provides a first level of information in the graphical display when the user first points to the area of interest and then provides a subsequent level of information in the graphical display if the user continues to point to the area of interest or presses a selected keystroke.