System and method for executing functions associated with function icons

摘要

A data processing system and method in which processing operations represented as icons are selectable by a user for application to subsequently selected data items. The icon representing the operation is selected and then a pointer giving a visual indication of the selected operation is moved over data items to select them and then the operation is automatically performed. This sequence of processing is more efficient than the alternative of selecting data and then selecting an operation to be performed, since the user knows what process will be applied at the time of selecting the data. Also, repeated performance of the operation to a different data set merely requires selection of the new data.