Adding and removing white space from a document

• US 20030212958A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Iwema, Marieke, Lui, Charlton E., Altman, Dan, Fox, Eric, Weil, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,028,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/517
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

A method, a computer system and a computer-readable medium having instructions for a processor stored thereon are provided for growing a page on a display. Input indicating a first position or designation of content on a page of an electronic document and an amount of white space to be inserted in the page is received. Responsive to the received input, at least some of the content of the page of the electronic document is moved to insert white space. The moving starts from a point based on the first position. The portion of the content being moved is moved a distance based on the amount of white space indicated in the received input. The page is grown by an amount based on the amount of the white space indicated in the received input. A respective size of other pages of the electronic document remains unchanged. Also provided are a method, a computer system and a computer-readable medium having instructions for a processor stored thereon for deleting a portion of a page and reducing a size of the page.

Claims

1. A method of growing a page of an electronic document displayed on a display by an amount of white space, comprising:

A) receiving input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document containing content;

B) responsive to the input from the step A, moving at least some of the content of the page of the electronic document to insert the white space, the movement starting from the first indication, said at least some of the content being moved a distance corresponding to the amount of white space; and

C) growing a size of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount of white space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step C is performed only when, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would have been moved beyond the page, the size of the page being grown such that the portion of the content remains on the page.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein when the step C grows the size of the page, the size of the page is grown no more than an amount that is needed to keep the portion of the content on the page.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step B further comprises:

B1) determining whether, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would move beyond the page;

B2) when the step B1 determines that a portion of the content of the page would move beyond the page, determining whether any white space exists within said at least some of the content to be moved; and

B3) when, as a result of performing step B2, white space is determined to exist, removing at least some of the white space from said at least some of the content to be moved when removal of said at least some of the white space allows said at least some of the content to remain on the page without performing the step C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step C includes growing a width of the page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first designation is a first position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be inserted.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of white space to be inserted is predefined.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first designation is a complex path.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.

13. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon relating to the insertion of an amount of white space in an electronic document, such that when the instructions are loaded and executed by a processor, the processor is caused to perform:

A) receiving input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document containing content;

B) responsive to the input from the step A, moving at least some of the content of the page of the electronic document to insert white space, the movement starting from the first designation, said at least some of the content being moved a distance corresponding to the amount of white space; and

C) growing a size of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount of white space.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step C is performed only when, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would have been moved beyond the page, the size of the page being grown such that the portion of the content remains on the page.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein when the step C grows the size of the page, the size of the page is grown no more than an amount that is needed to keep the portion of the content on the page.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step B further comprises:

B1) determining whether, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would move beyond the page;

B2) when the step B1 determines that a portion of the content of the page would beyond the page, determining whether any white space exists within said at least some of the content to be moved; and

B3) when, as a result of performing step B2, white space is determined to exist, removing at least some of the white space from said at least some of the content to be moved when removal of said at least some of the white space allows said at least some of the content to remain on the page without performing the step C.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step C includes growing a width of the page.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first designation is a first position.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be inserted.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the amount of white space to be inserted is predefined.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said first designation is a complex path.

25. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a display to display at least a portion of an electronic document in which an amount of white space will be inserted;

an input device to input at least a first designation on a page of an electronic document, wherein the processor is arranged to;

A) receive input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document containing content;

B) responsive to the input from the step A, move at least some of the content of the page of the electronic document to insert the white space, the movement starting from the first designation, said at least some of the content being moved a distance corresponding to the amount of white space; and

C) grow a size of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount of white space.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the step C is performed only when, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would have been moved beyond the page, the size of the page being grown such that the portion of the content remains on the page.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein when the step C grows the size of the page, the size of the page is grown no more than an amount that is needed to keep the portion of the content on the page.

28. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the step B further comprises:

B1) determining whether, as a result of performing the step B, a portion of the content would move beyond the page;

B2) when the step B1 determines that a portion of the content of the page would beyond the page, determining whether any white space exists within said at least some of the content to be moved; and

B3) when, as a result of performing step B2, white space is determined to exist, removing at least some of the white space from said at least some of the content to be moved when removal of said at least some of the white space allows said at least some of the content to remain on the page without performing the step C.

29. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the step C includes growing a width of the page.

30. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the first designation is a first position.

31. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

32. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be inserted.

33. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the amount of white space to be inserted is predefined.

34. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

35. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.

36. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said first designation is a complex path.

37. A method of reducing a size of a page in an electronic document on a display by removing an amount of white space, comprising:

A) receiving input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document;

B) responsive to the input of the step A, moving at least some of content of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount to be removed from the page, said at least some of the content being moved such that an indicated portion of the page is removed and overwritten by at least a portion of said at least some of the content of the page; and

C) shrinking the size of the page by an amount based on the amount to remove from the page.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the size of the page is reduced such that the size of the page is at least as large as the original size of the page.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the step C includes shrinking a width of the page.

40. The method according to claim 37, wherein the first designation is a first position.

41. The method according to claim 37, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

42. The method according to claim 37, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be removed.

43. The method according to claim 37, wherein the amount of white space to be removed is predefined.

44. The method according to claim 37, wherein the amount of white space to be removed is all white space near said first designation.

45. The method according to claim 37, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

46. The method according to claim 37, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.

47. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, said instructions relating to removing an amount of white space from a page, such that when the instructions are loaded and executed by a processor, the processor is caused to perform:

A) receiving input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document;

B) responsive to the input of the step A, moving at least some of content of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount to be removed from the page, said at least some of the content being moved such that an indicated portion of the page is removed and overwritten by at least a portion of said at least some of the content of the page; and

C) shrinking the size of the page by an amount based on the indicated amount to remove from the page.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the size of the page is reduced such that the size of the page is at least as large as the original size of the page.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the step C includes shrinking a width of the page.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the first designation is a first position.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be removed.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the amount of white space to be removed is predefined.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the amount of white space to be removed is all white space near said first designation.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.

57. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a display to display at least a portion of an electronic document from which an amount will be removed;

an input device to input at least a first designation of a page of an electronic document, wherein the processor is arranged to;

A) receive input indicating a first designation on a page of an electronic document;

B) responsive to the input of the step A, move at least some of content of the page by an amount corresponding to the amount to be removed from the page, said at least some of the content being moved such that an indicated portion of the page is removed and overwritten by at least a portion of said at least some of the content of the page; and

C) shrink the size of the page by an amount based on the indicated amount to remove from the page.

58. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the size of the page is reduced such that the size of the page is at least as large as the original size of the page.

59. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the step C includes shrinking a width of the page.

60. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the first designation is a first position.

61. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the first designation is a line or lines separating content.

62. The computer system of claim 57, wherein said input includes the amount of white space to be removed.

63. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the amount of white space to be removed is all white space near said first designation.

64. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the moved content is determined based at least in part on a structural component on the page.

65. The computer system of claim 57, wherein the moved content includes modifying a structural component on the page.