Event routing model for an extensible editor

• US 20040261083A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bedworth, John G., Alcazar, Mark A., Michail, Ashraf A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

An extensible editor allows integration of extensions that modify the editor'"'"'s default behavior and provide customized feedback to users. The editor includes an event routing model that works to decrease the occurrence of conflicts between the editor and extensions and between extensions. Upon the occurrence of an event, the editor routes the event to each extension before the editor'"'"'s default handling of the event occurs. When an extension responds to an event, the extension may “consume” the event by indicating to the editor not to allow further processing of the event. After an event has been pre-processed by each extension, the default editor acts on the event. The editor then routes the event to each extension again, to allow each extension to process the event after the default editor has acted. When the post-processing is completed, each extension is notified of the actions taken by the editor and by each of the other extensions.

The editor includes interfaces through which extensions are connected to the editor and through which selection services and highlight rendering services are provided. The selection services interfaces provide a clear separation of a logical selection position in the document and the visual feedback provided for the selection, allowing extensions to be designed that provide customized selection feedback. The highlight rendering services interfaces provide an extension with the ability to augment an existing selection without modifying the actual document.

Claims

1. In an extensible editor having an editor extension coupled therewith, the editor having an edit designer interface comprising a pre-handle event method, the pre-handle event method comprising:

routing an editing event to the editor extension before the editor acts on the editing event; and

receiving notification from the editor extension indicating whether the editor should continue to process the editing event after the editing event has been routed to the editor extension.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the routing an editing event to the editor extension further comprises routing an event identifier to the editor extension, the event identifier uniquely identifying an editing event.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the routing an editing event to the editor extension further comprises routing an event object interface to the editor extension, the event object interface providing the editor extension with means to process the editing event.

4. In an extensible editor having an editor extension coupled therewith, the editor having an edit designer interface comprising a post-handle event method, the post-handle event method comprising:

routing an editing event to the editor extension after the editor acts on the editing event; and

receiving notification from the editor extension indicating whether the editor should continue to process the editing event after the editing event has been routed to the editor extension.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the routing an editing event to the editor extension further comprises routing an event identifier to the editor extension, the event identifier uniquely identifying an editing event.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the routing an editing event to the editor extension further comprises routing an event object interface to the editor extension, the event object interface providing the editor extension with means to process the editing event.

7. A system, comprising:

an extensible editor that processes editing events, the extensible editor having an event routing controller and a default event handler;

an extension coupled with the extensible editor for processing the editing events; and

wherein the event routing controller provides an editing event received by the editor to the extension prior to providing the editing event to be processed by the default event handler.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the extension is a first extension;

the system further comprises a second extension for processing the editing events; and

the event routing controller provides the editing event to the second extension prior to providing the event to the default event handler.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the event routing controller provides the editing event to the extension after the default event handler has processed the editing event.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the extension is a first extension;

the system further comprises a second extension for processing the editing events;

the event routing controller routes editing events to the first extension, the second extension and the default event handler; and

each event is notified of any action taken in response to the editing event by the other extension or by the default event handler.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the event routing controller further provides an event identifier uniquely identifying the editing event.

12. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the event routing controller provides an event object interface to the extension to allow the extension to access information regarding the editing event.

13. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the editor further comprises an edit designer interface that includes a pre-handle event method for providing the event to the extension prior to the default event handler receiving the event.

14. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the editor further comprises an edit designer interface that includes a post-handle event method for providing the editing event to the extension after the default event handler has processed the event; and

the event routing controller is further configured to provide the editing event to the extension through the edit designer interface.

15. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the extension is a first extension;

the editor further comprises an edit designer interface that includes a post-editor event notify method that is called by the event routing controller after the editing event has been processed by the first extension, a second extension and the default event handler to provide data to the first extension and the second extension regarding actions taken in response the editing event.

16. A method for processing events in an extensible editor that communicates with a first extension and a second extension, the method comprising:

sending an event to the first extension; and

receiving a signal from the first extension indicating whether to continue processing the event.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising notifying the second extension about actions taken by the first extension in response to receiving the event if the signal indicates that the event should not be processed further.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising processing the event if the signal indicates that processing should continue.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising sending the event to the second extension if the signal indicates that processing should continue.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

determining if the event is a command; and

if the event is a command, translating the command and withholding the event from the extensions.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

determining if the event is a command; and

if the event is a command, translating the command and notifying the extensions that the command has been processed.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

detect an editing event;

routing the editing event to a designer;

receiving a response from the designer that indicates whether the editing event was consumed by the first designer.

23. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer-executable instructions to perform the following step:

processing the editing event if the response from the designer indicates that the editing event was not consumed by the first designer.

24. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the designer is a first designer, and further comprising computer-executable instructions to perform the following step:

notifying a second designer that the first designer consumed the event if the response from the first designer indicates that the first designer consumed the event.

25. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the designer is a first designer, and further comprising computer-executable instructions to perform the following step:

routing the event to the second designer if the response from the first designer indicates that the first designer did not consume the event.