Multi-source, multi-destination data transfers
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers that include identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects; selecting source content for transfer; displaying destination contexts for the destination points; and directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts. In typical embodiments, identifying destination points includes recording each identified destination point and storing in association with each recorded destination point a copy of a destination context for each recorded destination point.
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1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, systems, and products for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical computer application software and computer operating systems provide at least some support for copies and moves of content from sources to destinations. In actual usage, however, the demand for accurate, sophisticated content transfer often outstrips available support. In effecting multiple transfers, for example, user are often required to laboriously identify or label blocks of source content or destinations for transfers, and there is little support for identifying multiple destinations for transfers. For these reasons, there is an ongoing need for improvement in the area of multi-source, multi-destination data transfers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONMethods, systems, and products are disclosed for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers that include identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects; selecting source content for transfer; displaying destination contexts for the destination points; and directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts. In typical embodiments, identifying destination points includes recording each identified destination point and storing in association with each recorded destination point a copy of a destination context for each recorded destination point.
Typical embodiments include inserting source content at a destination point in a copy of a destination context. Typical embodiments include checking spelling of a copied destination context that includes inserted source content. Typical embodiments include checking grammar of a copied extracted destination context that includes inserted source content.
In typical embodiments, directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts further comprises inserting source content at an identified destination point in a destination object. Typical embodiments include inserting source content at a selected destination point in a copied destination context and replacing the destination context in the destination object with the copied destination context including the inserted source content.
Typical embodiments include mapping a plurality of selected source content to a plurality of selected destination points. Typical embodiments include designating at least one source content for transfer, inserting the designated source content at a selected destination point in a destination object, and deleting the designated source content from a source object.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally represent like parts of exemplary embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is described to a large extent in this specification in terms of methods for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers. Persons skilled in the art, however, will recognize that any computer system that includes suitable programming means for operating in accordance with the disclosed methods also falls well within the scope of the present invention. Suitable programming means include any means for directing a computer system to execute the steps of the method of the invention, including for example, systems comprised of processing units and arithmetic-logic circuits coupled to computer memory, which systems have the capability of storing in computer memory, which computer memory includes electronic circuits configured to store data and program instructions, programmed steps of the method of the invention for execution by a processing unit.
The invention also may be embodied in a computer program product, such as a diskette or other recording medium, for use with any suitable data processing system. Embodiments of a computer program product may be implemented by use of any recording medium for machine-readable information, including magnetic media, optical media, or other suitable media. Persons skilled in the art will immediately recognize that any computer system having suitable programming means will be capable of executing the steps of the method of the invention as embodied in a program product. Persons skilled in the art will recognize immediately that, although most of the exemplary embodiments described in this specification are oriented to software installed and executing on computer hardware, nevertheless, alternative embodiments implemented as firmware or as hardware are well within the scope of the present invention.
Multi-Source, Multi-Destination Data TransfersMethods, systems, and products are disclosed for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers that operate generally by allowing a user to first identify multiple destination points in destination objects, then to select multiple source content, and direct the transfer of information such that some destination points may received transfers of source content and other may receive copies of source content. For example, a user may identify destination points A, B, C, and D in a destination object such as a destination word processing document and then select source content blocks X, Y, and Z in one or more source objects. The user may then direct the transfer of source content so that source content block X is copied to destination point A and to destination point B, source content block Y is transferred to destination point C, and source content block Z is transferred to destination point D.
Systems according to embodiments of the present invention typically provide for a subscreen image depicting a destination context of an identified destination point stored in memory when a destination point is identified. Thus when a paste operation is to be performed, images depicting destination contexts may be displayed to aid users in remembering or deciding which source content is to be directed to which destination. More particularly, such systems operate generally, as described in more detail below, by identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects, selecting source content for transfer, displaying destination contexts for the destination points, and directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts.
Methods and systems according to embodiments of the present invention are implemented generally upon automated computing machinery, referred to here as “computers.” For further explanation,
Also stored in RAM (168) is an operating system (154). Operating systems useful in computers according to embodiments of the present invention include Unix, Linux, Microsoft NT™, and many others as will occur to those of skill in the art. Computer program instructions for multi-source, multi-destination data transfer according to embodiments of the present invention may be implemented at least to some extent in application software (152). It is operating systems, however, that include many of the computer software instructions that support inter-application operations, and operating systems will often include many of the computer program instructions needed for multi-source, multi-destination data transfer according to embodiments of the present invention.
The computer (134) of
The example computer (134) of
The example computer of
In the example of
As mentioned above, systems according to embodiments of the present invention operate generally by selecting source content for transfer to one or more identified destination points, displaying destination contexts for the destination points, and directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts.
In the example of
The selected source content in the example of
In the example of
Transfer map (420) may, for example, be implemented for use as a window or dialogue box in a GUI so that a user may edit the map entries (424). Such an implementation of a transfer map may support other user functions such as, for example, deleting transfer map records from the transfer map—to the extent that, for example, a user has identified a destination point whose destination context is therefore displayed in the transfer map when the user subsequently has decided not to insert any source content at that destination point. The example of
Further explanation is provided with reference to
In the method of
The method of
In the method of
The example of
It will be understood from the foregoing description that modifications and changes may be made in various embodiments of the present invention without departing from its true spirit. The descriptions in this specification are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the language of the following claims.
Claims
1. A method for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers, the method comprising:
- identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects;
- selecting source content for transfer;
- displaying destination contexts for the destination points; and
- directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying destination points further comprises:
- recording each identified destination point; and
- storing in association with each recorded destination point a copy of a destination context for each recorded destination point.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising inserting source content at a destination point in a copy of a destination context.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising checking spelling of a copied destination context that includes inserted source content.
5. The method of claim 3 further comprising checking grammar of a copied extracted destination context that includes inserted source content.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts further comprises inserting source content at an identified destination point in a destination object.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
- inserting source content at a selected destination point in a copied destination context; and
- replacing the destination context in the destination object with the copied destination context including the inserted source content.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising mapping a plurality of selected source content to a plurality of selected destination points.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
- designating at least one source content for transfer;
- inserting the designated source content at a selected destination point in a destination object; and
- deleting the designated source content from a source object.
10. A system for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers, the system comprising:
- means for identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects;
- means for selecting source content for transfer;
- means for displaying destination contexts for the destination points; and
- means for directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein means for identifying destination points further comprises:
- means for recording each identified destination point; and
- means for storing in association with each recorded destination point a copy of a destination context for each recorded destination point.
12. The system of claim 111 further comprising means for inserting source content at a destination point in a copy of a destination context.
13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for checking spelling of a copied destination context that includes inserted source content.
14. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for checking grammar of a copied extracted destination context that includes inserted source content.
15. The system of claim 10 wherein means for directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts further comprises means for inserting source content at an identified destination point in a destination object.
16. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
- means for inserting source content at a selected destination point in a copied destination context; and
- means for replacing the destination context in the destination object with the copied destination context including the inserted source content.
17. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for mapping a plurality of selected source content to a plurality of selected destination points.
18. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
- means for designating at least one source content for transfer;
- means for inserting the designated source content at a selected destination point in a destination object; and
- means for deleting the designated source content from a source object.
19. A computer program product for multi-source, multi-destination data transfers, the computer program product comprising:
- a recording medium;
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a plurality of destination points having destination contexts in one or more destination objects;
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting source content for transfer;
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying destination contexts for the destination points; and
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying destination points further comprises:
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for recording each identified destination point; and
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing in association with each recorded destination point a copy of a destination context for each recorded destination point.
21. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for inserting source content at a destination point in a copy of a destination context.
22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for checking spelling of a copied destination context that includes inserted source content.
23. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for checking grammar of a copied extracted destination context that includes inserted source content.
24. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing source content to at least one destination point in dependence upon the displayed destination contexts further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for inserting source content at an identified destination point in a destination object.
25. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for inserting source content at a selected destination point in a copied destination context; and
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for replacing the destination context in the destination object with the copied destination context including the inserted source content.
26. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for mapping a plurality of selected source content to a plurality of selected destination points.
27. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for designating at least one source content for transfer;
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for inserting the designated source content at a selected destination point in a destination object; and
- means, recorded on the recording medium, for deleting the designated source content from a source object.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 26, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 27, 2005
Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION (ARMONK, NY)
Inventors: Viktors Berstis (Austin, TX), Yen-Fu Chen (Austin, TX), John Dunsmoir (Round Rock, TX)
Application Number: 10/832,036