Asynchronous Folder Grouping with Dynamic Animation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional graphical user interfaces require users to perform multiple steps to group items into a new folder, including creating the folder and then moving items into it, which can be cumbersome and disrupt the user experience with asynchronous file system operations.
Innovation Solution
A single input command can be used to group multiple items into a destination folder, with animations illustrating the creation of the folder and movement of items, allowing these operations to be completed asynchronously without disrupting the user interface, and system events can be queued during this process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple steps are used to group items into a new folder (create folder first, then move items), then the folder creation and item movement can be performed sequentially, but the user experience is disrupted and the operation becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the folder creation operation and item movement operation into a single unified action. When a user selects items and chooses the 'group into folder' command, the system simultaneously creates the destination folder and moves all selected items into it in one operation, eliminating the need for separate sequential steps and significantly improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically creating the destination folder before moving items into it. The folder is created at the appropriate location in the file system hierarchy, and then all selected items are moved into this pre-created folder, streamlining the entire grouping process
2Reliability
If file system operations are performed synchronously with UI updates, then the folder creation and item movement complete immediately, but the user interface becomes unstable and unresponsive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements asynchronous operation where the file system operations (folder creation and item movement) execute in the background without blocking the user interface thread. The UI remains responsive and stable during these operations, while the file system changes are applied dynamically. This dynamic separation allows both reliability of operation completion and stability of interface to be maintained
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that decouples the user interface from the file system operations. A background task or thread handles the actual folder creation and item movement, while the UI receives updates through event notifications. This intermediary layer ensures that UI stability is maintained while file system operations complete reliably
3Ease of operation
If animations are displayed showing item movement, then the user experience is enhanced with visual feedback, but the operations may not complete within expected time and user interface responsiveness is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic animation timing where visual feedback is provided during background file system operations. The animations play asynchronously without blocking the operation completion, and the system can queue UI updates to maintain responsiveness. This allows enhanced user experience through visual feedback while maintaining acceptable operation timing
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by overlapping the animation playback with the actual file system operations. While items are being moved in the background, the animation continues to play showing the visual representation of this movement. The UI remains responsive throughout, and queued updates ensure that interface changes are applied continuously without time loss
Data Source
AI summary
User interface changes and file system operations related to grouping items in a destination folder are disclosed. A user can group multiple items displayed on a user interface into a destination folder using an input command. An animation can be presented in the user interface illustrating the creation of the destination folder and the movement of each selected item into the newly created folder. The movement of each selected item can be along a respective path starting from an initial location on the user interface and terminating at the destination folder, and initiation of the movement of each selected item can be asynchronous with respect to the other selected items. Implementations showing the animations in various types of user interfaces are also disclosed.