Resolution policy for direct manipulation on hierarchically structured visuals

摘要

A method and apparatus for applying a resolution policy for direct manipulation of nested graphical elements. This policy resolves the allowance or disallowance of dragging and dropping of a guest graphical element onto a host graphical element. This is particularly useful when applied to hierarchically structured visual, wherein nested graphical elements may delegate direct manipulation to parent graphical elements. A number of allowed manipulations are defined for the guest and host visual objects. A guest visual object may not have a defined manipulation with a host visual object, but its immediate parent might. The present invention resolves policies for defining allowed manipulations for guest and host visual objects that do not have direct definitions for manipulations and must rely on definitions attributed to their parent.