Color labeling in a graphical user interface

Abstract

A method for providing visual cues to a user of a graphical user interface (GUI) for a computer system is disclosed. The visual cues indicate a relationship with an icon having text and/or image elements. In some embodiments, the method receives a color for labeling an icon that has a text-element and an image-element. The method applies the color to a background-region of the text-element of the icon without applying the color to the image-element. In some embodiments, the method does not affect the font of the text. In some embodiments, the method receives a selection of an icon. The icon has a background-region that has a first color. The method changes the first color of the background-region to a second color but retains the first color in a section of the background-region. In some of these embodiments, the method outlines the section of the background-region with a third color.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program that when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:
 a display area for displaying at least one selectable icon that includes a text element having a first line of text, and a second line of text that is a different size in one dimension than the first line of text; and   a color labeling tool for (i) receiving a selection of a color from a plurality of different colors, and (ii) labeling the icon by applying the selected color to at least a background region about the icon's text element so that an outer boundary of the background region follows a contour around the first and second lines of the text element, wherein the contour is a different size in the one dimension around the second line than around the first line.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the outer boundary of the background region does not follow the contour around the lines of the text element before the color is applied to the background region. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the display area comprises a background color that is different from the selected color, and the text element comprises a font color that is different from the selected color. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the selected color is applied to the background region upon the selection of the color from the plurality of different colors. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the icon further comprises an image element. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein labeling the icon further comprises applying the selected color to the background region so that background region appears in the display area with rounded corners. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein said dimension is one of horizontal and vertical dimensions. 
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program that when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:
 a display area for displaying a set of selectable icons; and   a color labeling tool for (i) receiving a selection of a color from a plurality of different colors, and (ii) labeling an icon by applying the selected color to at least a background region about the icon so that the background region appears in the display area with rounded corners.   
     
     
         42 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 41 , wherein the icon comprises a text element surrounded by the background region, wherein the text element comprises a font color that is different from a background color, wherein the selected color is different from the font color and the background color. 
     
     
         43 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , wherein the text element retains the font color after the selected color is applied to the background region of the icon. 
     
     
         44 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , wherein labeling the icon further comprises applying the selected color so that the background region follows a contour of the text element of the icon. 
     
     
         45 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the icon comprises an image element surrounded by the background region. 
     
     
         46 . A method of defining a graphical user interface (“GUI”), the method comprising:
 defining a display area for displaying at least one selectable icon that includes a text element having a first line of text, and a second line of text that is a different size in one dimension than the first line of text; and 
 defining a color labeling tool for (i) receiving a selection of a color from a plurality of different colors, and (ii) labeling the icon by applying the selected color to at least a background region about the icon's text element so that an outer boundary of the background region follows a contour around the first and second lines of the text element, wherein the contour is a different size in the one dimension around the second line than around the first line. 
 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the outer boundary of the background region does not follow the contour around the lines of the text element before the color is applied to the background region. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the display area comprises a background color that is different from the selected color, and the text element comprises a font color that is different from the selected color. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the selected color is applied to the background region upon the selection of the color from the plurality of different colors. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the icon further comprises an image element. 
     
     
         51 . A method of defining a graphical user interface (“GUI”), the method comprising:
 defining a display area for displaying a set of selectable icons; and 
 defining a color labeling tool for (i) receiving a selection of a color from a plurality of different colors, and (ii) labeling an icon by applying the selected color to at least a background region about the icon so that the background region appears in the display area with rounded corners. 
 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the icon comprises a text element surrounded by the background region, wherein the text element comprises a font color that is different from a background color, wherein the selected color is different from the font color and the background color. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the text element retains the font color after the selected color is applied to the background region of the icon.