Method, system, and computer-readable medium for the layout of automatically-placed elements and user-placed elements in a chart

• US 20060136825A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cory, Daniel P., Lee, Johnny H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable medium are provided for determining a layout of automatically-placed elements and user-placed elements in a chart created in a chart application program. User-placed elements in the chart include chart elements that have been moved and/or resized by a user. User-placed elements include chart elements that have been moved and/or resized by a user. Automatically-placed elements include chart elements that have been laid out according to an automatic position and size calculated by the chart application program. The chart application program executes a method including selecting a group of automatically-placed chart elements and user-placed chart elements previously laid out in the chart and automatically laying out the automatically-placed chart elements and the user-placed chart elements according to an automatic position and size calculated by the chart application program. The method further includes reselecting each of the elements from among the automatically laid out elements in the chart, determining whether the selected chart element are user-placed chart elements, and if the selected chart element are user-placed chart elements, then laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout.

Claims

1. A method for determining a layout of automatically-placed elements and user-placed elements in a chart created in a chart application program, comprising:

(a) selecting a plurality of chart elements in the chart, wherein the plurality of chart elements include automatically-placed chart elements and user-placed placed chart elements;

(b) automatically laying out the automatically-placed chart elements and the user-placed chart elements in the chart;

(c) selecting a first chart element from among the automatically laid out elements in the chart as a current chart element;

(d) determining whether the current chart element is a user-placed chart element;

(e) if the current chart element is a user-placed chart element, then laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout;

(f) selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element; and

(g) repeating the operations (c)-(f) for each of the plurality of chart elements in the chart until all of the user-placed elements are laid out in the chart.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the current chart element is not a user-placed chart element, then selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein laying out the user-placed element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises repositioning and resizing the user-placed chart element according to a previous user manipulation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises:

determining whether the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart;

if the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according the user-specified layout; and

if the user-placed chart element is not associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to the user-specified layout.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according to the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing values representing a previously calculated size and position offset of center of the user-placed element from the data point reference location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to a the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing previously calculated ratios of the center, width, and height of the user-placed element to the width and height of the chart area.

7. A system for determining a layout of automatically-placed elements and user-placed elements in a chart, comprising a client computer operative to execute a chart application program for laying out a plurality of chart elements, the chart application program further operative to:

(a) selecting a plurality of chart elements in the chart, wherein the plurality of chart elements include automatically-placed chart elements and user-placed placed chart elements;

(b) automatically laying out the automatically-placed chart elements and the user-placed chart elements in the chart;

(c) selecting a first chart element from among the automatically laid out elements in the chart as a current chart element;

(d) determining whether the current chart element is a user-placed chart element;

(e) if the current chart element is a user-placed chart element, then laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout;

(f) selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element; and

(g) repeating the operations (c)-(f) for each of the plurality of chart elements in the chart until all of the user-placed elements are laid out in the chart.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein if the current chart element is not a user-placed chart element, then selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein laying out the user-placed element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises repositioning and resizing the user-placed chart element according to a previous user manipulation.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises:

determining whether the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart;

if the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according the user-specified layout; and

if the user-placed chart element is not associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to the user-specified layout.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according to the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing values representing a previously calculated size and position offset of center of the user-placed element from the data point reference location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to a the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing previously calculated ratios of the center, width, and height of the user-placed element to the width and height of the chart area.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for determining a layout of automatically-placed elements and user-placed elements in a chart created in a chart application program, comprising:

(a) selecting a plurality of chart elements in the chart, wherein the plurality of chart elements include automatically-placed chart elements and user-placed placed chart elements;

(b) automatically laying out the automatically-placed chart elements and the user-placed chart elements in the chart;

(c) selecting a first chart element from among the automatically laid out elements in the chart as a current chart element;

(d) determining whether the current chart element is a user-placed chart element;

(e) if the current chart element is a user-placed chart element, then laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout;

(f) selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element; and

(g) repeating the operations (c)-(f) for each of the plurality of chart elements in the chart until all of the user-placed elements are laid out in the chart.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein if the current chart element is not a user-placed chart element, then selecting the next chart element in the chart as the current chart element.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein laying out the user-placed element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises repositioning and resizing the user-placed chart element according to a previous user manipulation.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element in the chart according to a user-specified layout comprises:

determining whether the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart;

if the user-placed chart element is associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according the user-specified layout; and

if the user-placed chart element is not associated with a data point in the chart, then laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to the user-specified layout.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as an offset from a data point reference location calculated according to the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing values representing a previously calculated size and position offset of center of the user-placed element from the data point reference location.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein laying out the user-placed chart element as a proportion of the area of the chart calculated according to a the user-specified layout comprises calculating a layout position and a layout size of the user-placed chart element utilizing previously calculated ratios of the center, width, and height of the user-placed element to the width and height of the chart area.