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Snaplines for control object positioning

  • US 20040261012A1
  • Filed: 06/17/2003
  • Published: 12/23/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. In a visual code designer that allows a user to manipulate a plurality of control objects on a common design surface, wherein each control object comprises one or more extensible snaplines that define alignment characteristics for each control, a method of helping the user to position a control on the common design surface by automatically aligning the control during design-time without the use of gridlines, the method comprising acts of:

  • requesting one or more snaplines from an unselected control on a visual design surface;

    monitoring position information for a selected control within the visual design surface;

    comparing each snapline of the unselected control on the visual design surface to each snapline of the selected control, to identify a snapline of the unselected control that matches a snapline of the selected control, wherein the unselected control snapline and the selected control snapline are extensible in that a developer can specify matching and alignment criteria; and

    automatically snapping the selected control into alignment with the unselected control when the selected control snapline is within a predetermined distance of the unselected control snapline.

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