Search window for adding program elements to a program

Abstract

A system and method for searching for items in a hierarchy of palette windows and for incorporating located items into programs. Palette windows may include one or more palette window selection items that, when selected, open child palette windows of the current palette window. Palette windows may include one or more items for navigating in the hierarchy. A search mechanism for locating palette windows and/or palette window content may be provided. From the search mechanism, the user may locate and open palette windows in one or more hierarchies. The user may also incorporate palette window content into something, for example, a program being edited in a graphical programming environment. In one embodiment, the user may drag-and-drop palette window content onto a window being edited.

1 . A computer-implemented method for adding program elements to programs, the method comprising: 
 displaying a program currently being edited in a first graphical user interface displayed on a computer system, wherein the computer system comprises a display;    displaying a search window on the display;    receiving user input to the search window specifying one or more search criteria;    identifying and displaying information indicating a plurality of possible program elements in the search window in accordance with the one or more search criteria;    receiving user input to the search window selecting a program element from the plurality of possible program elements indicated in the search window; and    including the selected program element in the program in response to said receiving user input to the search window selecting the program element.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of possible program elements are selectable by the user from the search window to add functionality to the program.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the program includes a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface of the program is different from the first graphical user interface, wherein during execution of the program, one or more elements of the graphical user interface of the program are operable to receive and/or output information;    wherein the plurality of possible program elements includes graphical user interface elements which are each selectable by the user to add a particular graphical user interface function associated with a particular graphical user interface element of the one or more elements of the graphical user interface of the program.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of possible program elements includes function elements each selectable by the user to add a particular computer-executable function.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said including the selected program element in the program comprises receiving user input to drag-and-drop the selected program element to the program.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input in the search window specifying the one or more search criteria includes a search string, and wherein said identifying and displaying information indicating the plurality of possible program elements in the search window in accordance with the one or more search criteria comprises: 
 searching for the search string in a plurality of text items comprising text items related to the plurality of possible program elements; and    displaying one or more text items located by said searching for the search string, wherein each of the one or more located text items includes the search string, and wherein each of the one or more located text items references one of the plurality of possible program elements.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user input selecting the program element from the plurality of possible program elements specifies one of the one or more located text items, wherein the specified located text item references the selected program element.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying the search window is performed in response to user input to the first graphical user interface.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the program is a graphical program comprising a plurality of connected nodes which visually indicates functionality of the graphical program;    wherein one or more of the plurality of possible program elements comprise possible nodes for inclusion in the graphical program.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , 
 wherein the graphical program is a data flow graphical program.    
   
   
       11 . A system comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory which stores program instructions, wherein the memory is coupled to the processor;    an input device configured to receive user input, wherein the input device is coupled to the processor; and    a display device, wherein the display device is coupled to the processor;    wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to: 
 display on the display a program currently being edited;  
 display a search window on the display;  
 receive user input to the search window specifying a one or more search criteria;  
 identify and display information indicating a plurality of possible program elements in the search window in accordance with the one or more search criteria;  
 receive user input to the search window selecting a program element from the plurality of possible program elements indicated in the search window; and  
 include the selected program element in the program in response to the user input to the search window selecting the program element.  
   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , 
 wherein the program comprises a graphical user interface;    wherein the plurality of possible program elements are selectable by the user from the search window to add functionality to the graphical user interface of the program.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , 
 wherein the program includes a graphical user interface, wherein during execution of the program, one or more elements of the graphical user interface of the program are operable to receive and/or output information;    wherein the plurality of possible program elements includes graphical user interface elements which are each selectable by the user to add a particular graphical user interface function associated with a particular graphical user interface element to the program.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of possible program elements includes function elements each selectable by the user to add a particular computer-executable function associated with the particular function element to the program.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein, in said including the selected program element in the first window, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to: 
 receive user input to drag-and-drop the selected program element from the search window to the program.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user input in the search window specifying the one or more search criteria includes a search string, and wherein, in said identifying and displaying information regarding the plurality of possible program elements in the search window, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to: 
 search for the search string in a plurality of text items comprising text items related to the program elements; and    display one or more text items located by said searching for the search string, wherein each of the one or more located text items includes the search string, and wherein each of the one or more located text items references one of the plurality of possible program elements;    wherein the user input selecting the program element from the plurality of possible program elements specifies one of the one or more located text items, wherein the specified located text item references the selected program element.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , 
 wherein the program is a graphical program comprising a plurality of connected nodes which visually indicates functionality of the graphical program;    wherein one or more of the plurality of possible program elements comprise possible nodes for inclusion in the graphical program.    
   
   
       18 . A carrier medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement: 
 displaying a program on a display of a computer system;    displaying a search window on the display of the computer system;    receiving user input to the search window specifying one or more search criteria;    identifying and displaying information indicating a plurality of possible program elements in the search window in accordance with the one or more search criteria, wherein the plurality of possible program elements are selectable by the user from the search window to add functionality to the program;    receiving user input to the search window selecting a program element from the plurality of possible program elements indicated in the search window; and    including the selected program element in the program in response to said receiving user input to the search window selecting the program element.    
   
   
       19 . The carrier medium of  claim 18 , wherein said including the selected program element in the first window comprises receiving user input to drag-and-drop the selected program element from the search window to the program.  
   
   
       20 . The carrier medium of  claim 18 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement: 
 displaying a first palette window of a hierarchy of palette windows, wherein one or more of the palette windows in the hierarchy each comprise one or more palette items that represent one of the plurality of possible program elements.    
   
   
       21 . The carrier medium of  claim 18 , 
 wherein the program is a graphical program comprising a plurality of connected nodes which visually indicates functionality of the graphical program;    wherein one or more of the plurality of possible program elements comprise possible nodes for inclusion in the graphical program.    
   
   
       22 . The carrier medium of  claim 21 , 
 wherein the graphical program is a data flow graphical program.    
   
   
       23 . A computer-implemented method for adding program elements to a program, the method comprising: 
 displaying the program on a display of a computer system;    displaying a search field on the display, wherein the search field is operable to receive user input;    receiving user input to the search field specifying one or more search criteria;    determining one or more program elements in correspondence with the one or more search criteria;    displaying information indicating the one or more program elements in correspondence with the one or more search criteria;    receiving user input to the search window selecting a program element of the one or more program elements indicated in the search window; and    including the selected program element in the program in response to said receiving user input to the search window selecting the program element.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , 
 wherein the program is displayed in a first area of the display and the one or more program elements are displayed in a second area of the display;    wherein said including the selected program element in the program comprises receiving user input to drag-and-drop the selected program element from the second area to the first area.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the program is displayed within a graphical user interface displayed on the display.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , 
 wherein the program is displayed in a first window of the graphical user interface and the one or more program elements are displayed in a second window of the graphical user interface;    wherein said including the selected program element in the program comprises receiving user input to drag-and-drop the selected program element from the second window to the first window.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the one or more program elements includes a graphical user interface program element.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the program is a graphical program which comprises a plurality of connected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the one or more program elements includes a node which is operable to be interconnected with the plurality of interconnected nodes.