METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR COLLABORATIVE DIAGRAM EDITING

• US 20090063998A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Starkey, Michael, Huang, Jinchao
• Application Number:
  US11/850,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063998A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The invention provides a method, system, and program product for collaboratively editing a diagram.

Claims

1. A method of editing a diagram comprising:

creating an image file and an extensible markup language (XML) file describing a diagram'"'"'s contents based on a diagram;

providing access to the image file and XML file to at least one user;

accessing the image file and the XML file using a web browser;

editing the XML file using the web browser; and

updating the diagram based on the edited XML file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the edited XML file to a graphical editing program.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

preparing the diagram using the graphical editing program.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical editing program is a server-based program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining at least one updateable area in at least one of the image file and the XML file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein editing the XML file includes editing the at least one updateable area in the XML file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recreating an image file and an XML file based on the updated diagram; and

providing access to the recreated image file and XML file.

8. A system for collaboratively editing a diagram, the system comprising:

a system for creating an image file and an extensible markup language (XML) file describing a diagram'"'"'s contents based on a diagram;

a system for providing access to the image file and XML file to at least one user;

a system for accessing the image file and the XML file using a web browser;

a system for editing the XML file using the web browser; and

a system for updating the diagram based on the edited XML file.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a system for transferring the edited XML file to a graphical editing program.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a system for preparing the diagram using the graphical editing program.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the graphical editing program is a server-based program.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a system for defining at least one updateable area in at least one of the image file and the XML file.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system for editing the XML file includes a system for editing the at least one updateable area in the XML file.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

a system for recreating an image file and an XML file based on the updated diagram; and

a system for providing access to the recreated image file and XML file.

15. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium, which when executed, facilitates collaborative editing of a diagram, the program product comprising:

program code for creating an image file and an extensible markup language (XML) file describing a diagram'"'"'s contents based on a diagram;

program code for providing access to the image file and XML file to at least one user;

program code for accessing the image file and the XML file using a web browser;

program code for editing the XML file using the web browser; and

program code for updating the diagram based on the edited XML file.

16. The program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program code for transferring the edited XML file to a graphical editing program.

17. The program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program code for preparing the diagram using the graphical editing program.

18. The program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program code for defining at least one updateable area in at least one of the image file and the XML file.

19. The program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program code for recreating an image file and an XML file based on the updated diagram; and

program code for providing access to the recreated image file and XML file.

20. A method for deploying an application for collaboratively editing a diagram, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

create an image file and an extensible markup language (XML) file describing a diagram'"'"'s contents based on a diagram;

provide access to the image file and XML file to at least one user;

access the image file and the XML file using a web browser;

edit the XML file using the web browser; and

update the diagram based on the edited XML file.