Method and apparatus for performing type-aware change tracking in a document

• US 20100094815A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Elseth, Paul, Grice, Carl D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,424,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates performing type-aware change tracking in a document. During operation, the system receives from a user a command which changes a content of an object in the document. In response to the command, the system determines a type of the object. Next, the system modifies the content of the object according to the type of the object. The system then creates a history of the modification. Finally, the system displays the history of the modification to the user.

Claims

1. A method for performing type-aware change tracking in a document, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a command which changes a content of an object in the document;

in response to the command, determining a type of the object;

modifying the content of the object according to the type of the object;

creating a history of the modification; and

displaying the history of the modification to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the user a second command which changes a format of the content of the object;

in response to the second command, modifying the format of the content of the object;

creating a history of the modification to the format of the object;

displaying to the user the history of the modification to the format of the object; and

wherein modifications to the format of the object are tracked separately from modifications to the content of the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of the object can include one of:

a table;

a cell in the table;

a column in the table;

a row in the table;

text;

a number;

a date;

a time;

a picture; and

a formula.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more objects from the user; and

displaying to the user a history of modifications to each selected object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying to the user the history of modifications to each selected object involves displaying a summary of the history, and wherein the method further involves:

receiving a command from the user instructing a cursor to hover over a summary of the history of modifications to an object; and

in response to the command, displaying a detailed history of the modifications to the object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the detailed history of modifications to the object can include at least one of:

a time of the modification of the object;

an identifier for a user that modified the object;

a modification to the content of the object;

a modification to the format of the object; and

a modification to the type of the object.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying the history of the modification of each selected object in a threaded list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the threaded list is hierarchical, and wherein portions of the threaded list can be expanded and collapsed.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising color coding the threaded list to indicate which users are responsible for each modification.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising color coding the threaded list to indicate modifications of different types.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the type of the object can include one of:

a table;

a cell in the table;

a column in the table;

a row in the table;

text;

a number;

a date;

a time;

a picture; and

a formula.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a selection of one or more objects from the user; and

displaying to the user a history of modifications to each selected object.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein displaying to the user the history of modifications to each selected object involves displaying a summary of the history, and wherein the method further involves:

receiving a command from the user instructing a cursor to hover over a summary of the history of modifications to an object; and

in response to the command, displaying a detailed history of the modifications to the object.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the detailed history of modifications to the object can include at least one of:

a time of the modification of the object;

an identifier for a user that modified the object;

a modification to the content of the object;

a modification to the format of the object; and

a modification to the type of the object.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises displaying the history of the modification of each selected object in a threaded list.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the threaded list is hierarchical, and wherein portions of the threaded list can be expanded and collapsed.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises color coding the threaded list to indicate which users are responsible for each modification.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for performing type-aware change tracking in a document, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a command which changes a content of an object in the document;

in response to the command, determining a type of the object;

modifying the content of the object according to the type of the object;

creating a history of the modification; and

displaying the history of the modification to the user.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the user a second command which changes a format of the content of the object;

in response to the second command, modifying the format of the content of the object;

creating a history of the modification to the format of the object;

displaying to the user the history of the modification to the format of the object; and

wherein modifications to the format of the object are tracked separately from modifications to the content of the object.

20. An apparatus configured for performing type-aware change tracking in a document, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive from a user a command which changes a content of an object in the document;

a determination mechanism configured to determine a type of the object in response to the command;

a modification mechanism configured to modify the content of the object according to the type of the object;

a history mechanism configured to create a history of the modification; and

a display mechanism configured to display the history of the modification to the user.