Patent attributes
Disclosed are various approaches for allowing the selection of graphical objects in a graphical user interface. In one embodiment, selection overlays are generated for each of a plurality of graphical objects. The selection overlays are sorted into layers over the layers of the graphical objects, with the sorting based in part of a characteristic of the associated graphical objects other than the layers to which those objects are assigned. The plurality of objects and the selections overlays (which may be transparent) are displayed. In response to user input (e.g., mouse click or mouse motion) relative to a screen region associated with one selection overlay, the state of the overlay and the associated graphical object are updated and displayed accordingly.
