Providing contextually sensitive tools and help content in computer-generated documents

• US 20030229608A1
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Broman, Paul, Yap, Joe Keng, Reynar, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system are provided for creation, implementation, and use of computer-generated “smart” documents to which functionality is attached for providing contextually sensitive tools, controls and help content to users of those documents. Portions of documents are annotated with Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags and structure so that when a user enters those portions, such as by placing a computer cursor in those portions, the user is provided contextually sensitive tools, controls and/or help content. A document tools pane may open on the user'"'"'s computer screen adjacent to the document being edited for providing the document tools, controls or help content related to the context of the text or data in which the cursor is located. If the user moves the cursor to another portion of the document, the user may obtain information associated with the context of the new portion of the document in which the cursor is located.

Claims

1. A method of providing contextually sensitive functionality to a computer-generated document, comprising the steps of:

attaching a schema to the document defining permissible data content, data type and data structure for the document;

structuring the document to associate the document with the schema;

associating a solution with the document structure;

assembling a plurality of software components for providing the solution to the document; and

enabling the document to call the plurality of software components for providing the solution to the document based on an editing position in the document.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby the schema includes a definition of permissible data content, data type and data structure for the whole document.

3. The method of claim 1, whereby the schema includes a definition of permissible data content, data type and data structure for particular portions of the document.

4. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of attaching a schema to the document, includes attaching an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema to the document.

5. The method of claim 3 whereby the step of structuring the document includes structuring the particular portions of the document to associate the particular portions of the document with permissible data content, permissible data type, and permissible data structure for the particular portions of the document as defined by the schema.

6. The method of claim 5, whereby the step of structuring the particular portions of the document includes annotating the particular portions of the document with XML structure.

7. The method of claim 6, whereby the step of annotating the document with XML structure further comprises defining XML elements associated with the particular portions of the document.

8. The method of claim 7, whereby the step of defining XML elements further comprises defining XML elements associated with a plurality of text strings in the document.

9. The method of claim 7, whereby the step of defining XML elements further comprises defining XML elements associated with a plurality of data elements within the document.

10. The method of claim 6, whereby the step of associating a solution with the document structure, further comprises associating help content and document tools with the XML structure.

11. The method of claim 10, whereby the help content and document tools are associated with XML elements comprising the XML structure.

12. The method of claim 6, whereby the step of associating a solution with the document structure, further comprises associating controls with the XML structure.

13. The method of claim 12, whereby the step of associating controls with the XML structure includes associating radio buttons, check boxes or text boxes with the XML structure.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

listing the plurality of software components in a manifest of software components; and

storing a pointer to the manifest in a library of software components.

15. The method of claim 14, whereby the library of software components is a schema library.

16. The method of claim 7, whereby the step of enabling the document to call the plurality of software components further comprises the step of attaching a solution property to the document to associate the plurality of software components for providing the solution with the document.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of associating the solution property with the XML structure.

18. The method of claim 17, whereby the step of attaching a solution property to the document further comprises attaching a plurality of solution properties to the document to associate of plurality of contextual subsets of the solution with the particular portions of the document.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising associating each of the plurality of contextual subsets of the solution with a plurality of corresponding XML elements.

20. The method of claim 19, whereby each of the plurality of contextual subsets of the solution include help content or document tools associated with each of a plurality of XML elements.

21. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of enabling the document to receive the solution by receiving a call to the solution from the document based on initiation of editing the document within an XML element associated with the solution.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

booting a software application for opening the document;

initiating opening the document;

determining whether the document refers to the solution;

determining whether the plurality of software components for providing the solution is present in a library of software components; and

calling the plurality of software components for providing the solution to the document.

23. The method of claim 22, in response to calling the plurality of software components, providing the solution to the document.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the document refers to more than one solution.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the document contains a solution property pointing to the solution.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising determining whether the document contains a pointer to the solution.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining whether the document contains a pointer to a contextual subset of the solution.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of completing opening the document with functionality provided by the plurality of software components available for use by the document.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

focusing document editing in a particular portion of the document;

generating a list of XML elements enclosing a position of the editing focus;

determining if any available solutions are associated with the list of XML elements; and

after determining if any available solutions are associated with the list of XML elements, calling each associated solution and obtaining each associated solution for use by the document.

30. The method of claim 29, whereby the step of focusing document editing in a particular portion of the document includes placing a computer cursor within the particular portion of the document.

31. The method of claim 25, whereby the step of determining if any available solutions are associated with the list of XML elements, further comprises the step of parsing a look-up table of solutions to determine if any available solutions are associated with any XML element in the list of XML elements.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of determining whether any of the available solutions are dynamic by calling on each of a plurality of software components comprising the any available solutions.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of determining types of functionality associated with the available solutions that are to be displayed to a user of the document by calling on each of a plurality of software components comprising the available solutions.

34. The method of claim 33, in response to the step of determining types of functionality associated with the available solutions that are to be displayed to a user, designating a help content for display to the user.

35. The method of claim 34, in response to the step of determining types of functionality associated with the available solutions that are to be displayed to a user, designating a document tool for display to the user.

36. The method of claim 33, in response to the step of determining types of functionality associated with the available solutions that are to be displayed to a user, designating a control for display to the user.

37. The method of claim 36, whereby controls designated for display include radio buttons, check boxes and text boxes.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of:

creating an XML schema for defining a list of document actions, controls or help content associated with the available solutions associated with the list of XML elements.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of launching a graphical user interface for displaying each solution obtained for use by the document.

40. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of displaying each solution obtained for use by the document includes drawing the help content and document tools in a help pane displayable to a user of the document.

41. The method of claim 39, whereby the step of displaying each solution obtained for use by the document includes drawing the radio buttons, check boxes or text boxes in a help pane displayable to a user of the document.

42. The method of claim 13, further comprising a method for implementing an Application Programming Interface is for providing the solution to the document, comprising the steps of:

providing a SmartDocXMLTypeCount property including a number of XML element types associated with the solution;

providing a SmartDocXMLTypeName property including unique identifiers for the XML element types associated with the solution;

providing a SmartDocXMLTypeCaption property including captions associated with XML elements that may be displayed to a user;

providing a ControlCount property including a number of controls associated with the solution;

providing a ControlID property including unique identifiers for the controls;

providing a ControlTypeFromID property including the types of controls available for use with the solution;

providing a ControlNameFromID property for returning a name associated with each control for use internally by an application program providing the document;

providing a PopulateRadioGroup method including routines and instructions that are executed for populating radio controls that may be displayed to a user;

providing an OnRadioGroupSelectChange method including routines and instructions that are executed when a radio control is selected;

providing a PopulateImage method including routines and instructions that are executed for populating an image associated with the solution;

providing an ImageClick method including routines and instructions that are executed when an image is selected;

providing a PopulateDocumentFragment method including routines and instructions that are executed for displaying data;

providing a PopulateActiveXProps method including routines and instructions that are executed for obtaining ActiveX functionality associated with the solution;

providing a PopulateCheckbox method including routines and instructions for providing a checkbox control;

providing an OnCheckboxChange method including routines and instructions that are executed when a checkbox control is selected;

providing a PopulateListOrComboContent method including routines and instructions that are executed to populate a list box control;

providing OnListOrComboSelectChange method including routines and instructions that are executed upon the selection of an item in a list box control;

providing a PopulateTextboxContent method including routines and instructions for populating a textbox;

providing an OnTextboxContentChange method including routines and instructions that are executed for handling an event associated with a change of content in the textbox control;

providing a PopulateHelpContent method including routines and instructions for populating a help content field with data; and

providing an InvokeControl method including routines and instructions that are executed when a control is selected.

43. A method of providing contextually sensitive functionality to a computer-generated document, comprising the steps of:

attaching an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema to the document defining permissible data content, data types and data structures for the document;

annotating particular portions of the document with XML structure associated with the permissible data content, the permissible data types, and permissible data structures for the particular portions of the document as defined by the schema;

associating help content and document tools with XML elements comprising the XML structure;

assembling a plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document; and

enabling the document to call the plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document based on an editing position in the document.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the steps of:

listing the plurality of software components in a manifest of software components; and

storing the manifest in a library of software components.

45. The method of claim 43, whereby the step of enabling the document to call the plurality of software components further comprises the step of attaching a solution property to the document to associate the plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of enabling the document to receive the help content and document tools by calling to the plurality of software components upon initiation of editing the document within an XML element associated with a particular help content or a particular document action.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising the steps of:

booting a software application for opening the document;

determining whether the document refers to help content or document tools;

determining whether the plurality of software components for providing help content or document tools is present in a library of software components; and

calling the plurality of software components for providing the help content or document tools to the document.

48. The method of claim 47, in response to calling the plurality of software components, providing the help content or document tools to the document.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising the steps of:

opening the document;

placing a computer cursor in a particular portion of the document;

generating a list of XML elements enclosing a position of the cursor;

determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements; and

after determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements, calling each associated help content or document action; and

obtaining each associated help content or document action for use by the document.

50. The method of claim 49, whereby the step of determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements, further comprises the step of parsing a look-up table of solutions to determine if any available help content or document tools are associated with any XML element in the list of XML elements.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the steps of:

launching a graphical user interface for displaying each help content or document action obtained for use by the document; and

displaying each help content or document action in the graphical user interface.

52. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, perform the steps of:

attaching an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema to the document defining permissible data content, data types and data structures for the document;

annotating particular portions of the document with XML structure associated with the permissible data content, the permissible data types, and permissible data structures for the particular portions of the document as defined by the schema;

associating help content and document tools with XML elements comprising the XML structure;

assembling a plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document; and

enabling the document to call the plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document based on an editing position in the document.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 52 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the steps of:

listing the plurality of software components in a manifest of software components; and

storing the manifest in a library of software components.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 53 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the step of:

whereby the step of enabling the document to call the plurality of software components further comprises the step of attaching a solution property to the document to associate the plurality of software components for providing the help content and document tools to the document.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 54 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the step of:

enabling the document to receive the help content and document tools by calling to the plurality of software components upon initiation of editing the document within an XML element associated with a particular help content or a particular document action.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 55 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the steps of:

booting a software application for opening the document;

determining whether the document refers to help content or document tools;

determining whether the plurality of software components for providing help content or document tools is present in a library of software components; and

calling the plurality of software components for providing the help content or document tools to the document.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 56 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the step of:

providing the help content or document tools to the document in response to calling the plurality of software components.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 57 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the steps of:

opening the document;

placing a computer cursor in a particular portion of the document;

generating a list of XML elements enclosing a position of the cursor;

determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements; and

after determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements, calling each associated help content or document action; and

obtaining each associated help content or document action for use by the document.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 58 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the step of:

whereby the step of determining if any available help content or document tools are associated with the list of XML elements, further comprises the step of parsing a look-up table of solutions to determine if any available help content or document tools are associated with any XML element in the list of XML elements.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 59 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer, further perform the steps of:

launching a graphical user interface for displaying each help content or document action obtained for use by the document; and

displaying each help content or document action in the graphical user interface.