Method and apparatus for graphic association of user dialog displays with primary applications in a data processing system

摘要

A method and apparatus for the graphic association of a user dialog display with its primary application in a data processing system. A unique miniature graphic representation, or icon, is created for each primary application within a data processing system which has a plurality of primary applications simultaneously active therein. Thereafter, each time a user dialog for a selected primary application is displayed within a window, a copy of the unique miniature graphic representation of the selected primary application is displayed, in a normally unused portion of the user dialog window, thereby permitting a user to readily identify the association between the user dialog window and its underlying primary application. In a depicted embodiment of the present invention, the selection of a unique miniature graphic representation within a user dialog window, by means of a graphic pointing device, will result in the creation of a textual display identifying the primary application by name.