User interface for creation and editing of variable data documents

• US 20050094207A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Lo, Andrew James, Crew, Laurence, Tonisson, Alan Valev, Patrick, Lachlan James, King, Andrew John Whitfield
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for variable document printing are disclosed in which a graphical user interface is configured to allow user manipulation of layout rules associated with content containers within a template for variable document generation. One method involves creating a layout for a variable data document based upon a template. The method firstly sets at least one container in the template to form the layout, and then establishes at least one constraint associated with each selected one of at least one feature of the container, the establishing including, for each feature, detecting a user instigated selection of the corresponding feature. The layout is then modified to thereby generate the document by placing content into the containers, wherein at least one dimension of the least one container and/or a position of the at least one container in the layout are varied based on a property of the placed content on a condition that each constraint in the layout is satisfied.

Claims

1. A method of creating a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said method comprising the steps of:

setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

establishing at least one constraint associated with each selected one of at least one feature of the container;

displaying the constraint established by said establishing step in association with the container set by said setting step using a graphical user interface (GUI); and

modifying the layout to generate the document by placing content into a plurality of containers, wherein at least one of at least one dimension of said least one container and a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based on a property of the placed content on a condition that each constraint in the layout is satisfied.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said establishing comprises establishing two said constraints each on a respective feature of said container.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said features are selected from the group consisting of corners of said container, centre-points of sides of said container, non-centre-points of said sides, non-centre-points on centre-lines of said container, and a centre-point of said container.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said property of said placed content comprises a size of said placed content.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said size comprises a width of said placed content.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein said size comprises a height of said placed content.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user instigated selection is performed by user actuation of a pointing device coincident with said corresponding feature as depicted by a representation of said layout within a graphical user interface.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said establishing comprises one of:

setting a constraint at said corresponding feature where no constraint was previously set; and

resetting said corresponding feature to remove a constraint where said constraint was previously set.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein a constraint symbol is provided at each said feature having a set constraint.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said container is rectangular and said dimensions comprise a width and height of said container and said content comprises, for each said container, text and/or image content.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said features comprise corners of said container and each said corner having a set constraint remains fixed in said layout.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said features comprise centre-points of edges of said container, wherein the dimensions and/or position of the container are varied based on the condition that, for each said edge centre having a set constraint, (1) the edge can expand or contract symmetrically, and (2) the centre of the edge remains fixed.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein said features comprise non-centre-points on corresponding edges of said container, wherein the dimensions and/or position of the container are varied on the condition that, for each edge having a set constraint, (1) a length of the edge can expand or contract freely, and (2) the edge is not moved in that direction perpendicular to the edge.

14. A method according to claim 10 wherein said features comprise non-centre locations upon horizontal and vertical centre-lines of said container, wherein at least one of the dimensions and position of the container are varied on the condition that, for each centre-line having a set constraint, (1) the centre-line remains fixed, (2) edges parallel to the centre-line can expand or contract symmetrically, and (3) edges perpendicular to the centre-line can be located independent of the fixed centre-line.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein said one feature comprises a centre-point of said container, wherein the dimensions and/or position of the container are varied on the condition that, for a centre-point having a set constraint (1) the centre-point remains fixed, and (2) a first pair of parallel edges of the container expand or contract by a first amount and the other pair of parallel edges expand or contract by a second amount.

16. A method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

setting a further constraint at an another corner of said container, wherein said further constraint is set according to a predetermined rule.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said setting step comprises setting first and second containers in the template to form said layout;

said establishing step comprises selecting a (first) edge of the first container, and selecting a (second) edge of the second container, said selecting including displaying selection of said first and second edges using said GUI; and

said modifying comprises modifying said layout to thereby generate the document by placing content into the containers, wherein at least one of a dimension and a position of the first container and the second container are varied based on a property of the placed content on a condition that a positional offset between the first edge and the second edge is fixed.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the user instigated selection is performed by user actuation of a pointing device at least coincident with the corresponding said edge as depicted by a representation of said layout within a graphical user interface, said method further comprising displaying in the graphical user interface a strut symbol representative of said positional offset between the first edge and the second edge.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said selection is performed by a selective actuation of said pointing device within said first container and moving said actuated pointing device into said second container, thereby spanning said first and second edges, whereupon a de-selective actuation of said pointing device thereby forms said strut between said edges.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said selection is performed by a first actuation of said pointing device within said first container and a second actuation of said pointing device in said second container.

21. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said establishing comprises establishing a guide in the layout and setting an offset between said one container and the guide; and

said modifying comprises modifying the layout by generating the document by placing content into said one container, wherein at least one of a dimension and a position of said one container are varied based on a property of the placed content on condition that the offset is maintained.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising said setting a further container in said template and setting a further offset between said further container and said guide.

23. A method according to claim 21 further comprising the step of moving the guide within the layout.

24. A method according to claim 21 wherein said setting of said offset is performed by user actuation of a pointing device coincident with said guide as depicted by a representation of said layout within a graphical user interface, said method further comprising displaying in the graphical user interface an association symbol representative of the association between said guide and said container.

25. A method according to claim 1:

wherein said setting comprises setting a first container and a second container in the template to form said layout; and

said modifying step comprises modifying the layout by generating the document by placing content into the first container and the second container wherein at least one of a dimension and position of the first container and the second container are varied based on property of the content on condition that at least one property of the first container is varied and synchronized with a corresponding one property of the second container.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said content comprises at least text content and said one property of the first container is selected from the group consisting of text size, line spacing and character spacing of said text content.

27. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said establishing further comprises establishing multiple columns in the at least one container such that adjacent columns are separated by a gutter; and

said modifying comprises modifying the document by placing text content into the at least one container such that dimensions of the one container and the columns are variable whilst dimensions of the gutters are fixed.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein said container has a visible background and said setting said multiple columns further comprises setting a border within said container within which said columns are located.

29. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said establishing further comprises establishing multiple columns in at least one said container such that adjacent columns are separated by a gutter; and

said modifying comprises modifying the layout to thereby generate at least one said document by placing at least text content into said one container such that dimensions of said one container and the columns are variable whilst dimensions of the gutters are fixed.

30. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said establishing further comprises establishing multiple columns in said at least one container such that adjacent columns within which the text is to be placed are formed by two borders and a gutter line centrally positioned between said two borders and varying a position of one of said two borders to vary dimensions of a gutter between adjacent said columns; and

said modifying comprises modifying the document by placing text content into said at least one container.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said position of said one border is varied by user instigated selection of said one border at a location along said one border.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein said selection is performed by user actuation of a pointing device coincident with said one border as depicted by a representation of said layout within a graphical user interface and moving said selected border to a further location within said layout.

33. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said modifying comprises modifying the layout by generating the document by placing content into the container such that at least one of a dimension and a position of the container are varied based on a condition that an internal margin of the container is determined based on a relation between a background color of the container and a background of the template.

34. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said establishing comprises establishing a container extent having a fixed size and a variable position associated with said container; and

said modifying comprises modifying said layout by generating the documents by placing content into the container such that at least one of a dimension and a position of the container are varied based on property of the placed content on a condition that the container does not violate the associated container extent.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein said container extent is a maximum extent surrounding said container.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein said container extent is a minimum extent within said container.

37. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said at least one container has a height and a width;

said establishing comprises setting at least one of said height and width to a fixed dimension; and

said modifying comprises modifying said layout by generating the documents by placing content into the container, such that at least one of a further dimension and a position of the container are varied based on property of the placed content on a condition that the set one of said height and width remains at said fixed dimension.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein said setting includes detecting a user instigated selection of edges of said container defining said one height and width.

39. A method according to claim 38 wherein the user instigated selection is performed by user actuation of a pointing device at least coincident with the corresponding said edge as depicted by a representation of said layout within a graphical user interface, said method further comprising displaying in the graphical user interface a symbol representative of a fixed dimension between said edges.

40. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said setting comprises setting an array of containers in the template to form said layout;

said establishing comprises (i) setting plural guides in the layout to separate said array into columns and rows forming cells defined by said containers, and (ii) establishing an offset between each said guide and a corresponding adjacent side of each said container; and

said modifying comprises modifying the layout by generating the document by placing content into the containers, such that at least one of a dimension and a position of the containers are varied based on a property of the placed content on condition that the offsets are maintained.

41. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said setting comprises setting an array of containers in columns and rows in the template to form said layout;

said establishing comprises establishing offsets between edges of adjacent containers to thereby specify a margin size of said columns and rows; and

said modifying comprises modifying the layout by generating the document by placing content into the containers, such that at least one of a dimension and a position of the containers are varied based on a property of the placed content on condition that the offsets are maintained.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein said offsets are set between a first container and immediately adjacent containers in the adjacent column and row, said method further comprising setting a plurality of zero-length offsets between adjacent containers in each column and row.

43. A computer readable medium having a program recorded thereon and adapted to make a computer execute a procedure to create a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said program comprising:

code for setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

code for establishing at least one constraint associated with each selected one of at least one feature of the container;

code for displaying the established constraint in association with the set container using a graphical user interface (GUI); and

code for modifying the layout to generate the document by placing content into a plurality of containers, wherein at least one of at least one dimension of said least one container and a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based on a property of the placed content on a condition that each constraint in the layout is satisfied.

44. Computer apparatus for creating a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said apparatus comprising:

means for setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

means for establishing at least one constraint associated with each selected one of at least one feature of the container;

means for displaying on a display device the established constraint in association with the set container using a graphical user interface (GUI); and

means for modifying the layout to generate the document by placing content into a plurality of containers, wherein at least one of at least one dimension of said least one container and a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based on a property of the placed content on a condition that each constraint in the layout is satisfied.