Methods and systems for abstraction of logical editing operations

• US 20050185920A1
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mogilevsky, Alex, Harper, Mark, Westbrook, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/282
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and computer-readable media for editing an object displayed by a computer system. Editing comprises detecting an edit operation for an object displayed on a video display of a computer system. An edit operation request is then sent to an abstraction layer via an interface provided by the abstraction layer to initiate editing of the object by the abstraction layer. The abstraction layer receives the edit operation request and determines the type of container in which the object is displayed based on properties related to the object to be edited. The abstraction layer reads a set of properties related to the object and the container in which the object is displayed. The abstraction layer may then edit the object based the properties of the container and object by modifying one or more of the properties of the container and object.

Claims

1. A method of editing objects displayed on a video display by a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting an edit operation for an object displayed on the video display by the computer system; and

sending an edit operation request to an abstraction layer via an interface provided by the abstraction layer to initiate editing of the object by the abstraction layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the edit operation request to the abstraction layer further comprises sending one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein editing of the object by the abstraction layer comprises:

receiving the edit operation request;

determining a container type for a container in which the object is displayed;

reading a set of properties related to the object to be edited;

reading a set of properties related to the container in which the object is displayed to determine a type for the container; and

editing the object based on the container type and the received edit operation request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the edit operation request further comprises receiving one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein editing the object further comprises editing the object based on the one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the object.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the container.

8. A system for editing objects displayed on a video display comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect an edit operation for an object displayed on the video display by the computer system, send an edit operation request to an abstraction layer via an interface provided by the abstraction layer to initiate editing of the object by the abstraction layer causing the abstraction layer to receive the edit operation request, determine a container type for a container in which the object is displayed, read a set of properties related to the object to be edited, read a set of properties related to the container in which the object is displayed to determine a type for the container, and edit the object based on the container type and the received edit operation request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein sending the edit operation request to the abstraction layer further comprises sending one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the abstraction layer receives one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein editing the object further comprises editing the object based on the one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the object.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the container.

14. A machine-readable medium encoding a computer program of instructions for editing objects displayed on a video display by a computer system, said computer process comprising:

detecting an edit operation for an object displayed on the video display by the computer system; and

sending an edit operation request to an abstraction layer via an interface provided by the abstraction layer to initiate editing of the object by the abstraction layer.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein sending the edit operation request to the abstraction layer further comprises sending one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein editing of the object by the abstraction layer comprises:

receiving the edit operation request;

determining a container type for a container in which the object is displayed;

reading a set of properties related to the object to be edited;

reading a set of properties related to the container in which the object is displayed to determine a type for the container; and

editing the object based on the container type and the received edit operation request.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein receiving the edit operation request further comprises receiving one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein editing the object further comprises editing the object based on the one or more parameters associated with the edit operation.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the object.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein editing the object comprises modifying one or more properties of the container.