Inventors:
Ching-Fa Hwang - Cupertino CA
Her-Daw Che - Cupertino CA
Kong Li - San Jose CA
Prayoon Phathayakorn - San Jose CA
Thomas Richard Kemp - Menlo Park CA
Assignee:
NetIQ Corporation - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:
G06F 314
Abstract:
A method is provided for enabling a user to select and manipulate resource objects of a given type by selecting a program of a type compatible with the type of the resource objects via the graphical user interface of a computer system. This is achieved by first controlling a cursor control device of the computer system to drag a program icon onto a resource object icon. Then, a type of the program is compared to a type of the resource object to determine whether the program can manipulate the resource object. If the program can manipulate the resource object, a visual display of the resource object icon is modified to indicate to the user that the program can manipulate the resource object. In response to the visual display, the user has the option of either electing to manipulate the object using the program by dropping the program icon onto the resource object icon, or of terminating the operation by dragging the program icon away from the resource object icon. If the user elects to manipulate the resource object via the program, the program is executed by the computer system.