User interface for a tabbed pane

Abstract

The present invention provides a user interface for a tabbed pane. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: displaying a plurality of ordered tabs in a tab folder; selecting one of the tabs; scrolling through the plurality of tabs; and docking the selected tab within the tab folder if the scrolling will cause the selected tab to disappear from the tab folder.

1 . A method for providing a tabbed pane user interface, comprising:
 displaying a plurality of ordered tabs in a tab folder;   selecting one of the tabs;   scrolling through the plurality of tabs; and   docking the selected tab within the tab folder if the scrolling will cause the selected tab to disappear from the tab folder.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the docking step further comprises:
 docking the selected tab at an edge of the tab folder.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scrolling step further comprises:
 providing a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the scroll button is selected from the group consisting of a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs in a first direction and a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs in a second, opposite direction. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 relocating the scroll button when the selected tab is docked within the tab folder.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 relocating the scroll button to a first side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a first position within the tab folder; and   relocating the scroll button to a second side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a second position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 un-docking the selected tab if the selected tab can be displayed in its normal order in the tab folder; and   relocating the scroll button to its original position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       8 . A system for providing a tabbed pane user interface, comprising:
 a system for displaying a plurality of ordered tabs in a tab folder;   a system for selecting one of the tabs;   a system for scrolling through the plurality of tabs; and   a system for docking the selected tab within the tab folder if the scrolling will cause the selected tab to disappear from the tab folder.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system for docking further comprises:
 a system for docking the selected tab at an edge of the tab folder.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system for scrolling further comprises:
 a system for providing a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scroll button is selected from the group consisting of a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs in a first direction and a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs in a second, opposite direction. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a system for relocating the scroll button when the selected tab is docked within the tab folder.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system for relocating the scroll button further comprises:
 a system for relocating the scroll button to a first side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a first position within the tab folder; and   a system for relocating the scroll button to a second side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a second position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a system for un-docking the selected tab if the selected tab can be displayed in its normal order in the tab folder; and   a system for relocating the scroll button to its original position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       15 . A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, provides a tabbed pane user interface, the program product comprising program code for:
 displaying a plurality of ordered tabs in a tab folder;   selecting one of the tabs;   scrolling through the plurality of tabs; and   docking the selected tab within the tab folder if the scrolling will cause the selected tab to disappear from the tab folder.   
   
   
       16 . The program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program code for:
 docking the selected tab at an edge of the tab folder.   
   
   
       17 . The program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program code for:
 providing a scroll button for scrolling through the plurality of tabs.   
   
   
       18 . The program product of  claim 17 , further comprising program code for:
 relocating the scroll button when the selected tab is docked within the tab folder.   
   
   
       19 . The program product of  claim 17 , further comprising program code for:
 relocating the scroll button to a first side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a first position within the tab folder; and   relocating the scroll button to a second side of the selected tab if the selected tab is docked at a second position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       20 . The program product of  claim 17 , further comprising program code for:
 un-docking the selected tab if the selected tab can be displayed in its normal order in the tab folder; and   relocating the scroll button to its original position within the tab folder.   
   
   
       21 . A method for deploying an application for providing a tabbed pane user interface, comprising:
 providing a computer infrastructure being operable to:
 display a plurality of ordered tabs in a tab folder; 
 select one of the tabs; scroll through the plurality of tabs; and 
 dock the selected tab within the tab folder if the scrolling will cause the selected tab to disappear from the tab folder.