Method for editing a graphic object in an interactive draw graphic system

• US 4,703,321 A
• Filed: 09/30/1985
• Issued: 10/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barker, Barbara A., Hernandez, Irene H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bigance, Gerald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fatahi-Yar, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US06/781,621
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/747, 340/731, 340/706, 340/707, 340/709, 340/710, 340/723, 340/724, 340/727, 340/751
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

A method for editing graphic objects in an interactive draw graphic system, in which the operator is allowed to select one of two editing modes which results in a graphic object being either redefined or remaining as is when a graphical editing action is applied only to a portion (sub-object) of the object. In the REDEFINE mode, the graphic editing action e.g., stretch, shrink, scale down, rotate, etc., applied to a sub-object results in the line segments of the object that are attched to the ends of the sub-object to be redrawn or "rubber-banded" as the sub-object is edited (moved). In the AS-IS mode only the sub-object is affected by the graphic editing action and the rest of the object is not altered.

Claims

1. A method for editing a sub-object of a graphic object displayed in an interactive draw graphic system in which said object has at least one pair of selectable segment sub-objects which are interconnected at a common point, said method including the steps of

(a) selecting either a first editing mode in which a graphical editing action on said sub-object causes said object to be redefined in accordance with the movement of said sub-object or a second editing mode in which said graphical editing action on said sub-object affects only said sub-object, and

(b) graphically editing said sub-object.

2. The method recited in claim 1 in which said graphic object comprises at least two selectable segment sub-objects, each of which has at least one end connected to one end of another sub-object and further including the step of selecting one of said sub-objects in the step of graphically editing said selected sub-object.

3. The method recited in claim 2 in which said graphic object is a closed object having a plurality of sides, each of which is a selectable segment sub-object, and said step of selecting said first mode to cause said object to be redefined when said selected sub-object is graphically edited.

4. The method recited in claim 3 in which said step of graphically editing said selected sub-object involves changing the length of said one side which also results in a change in length of at least one of the two sides that adjoin the selected sub-object.

5. The method recited in claim 3 in which said change of length of said one side results in a change of length for said two sides that adjoin the selected sub-object.

6. The method recited in claim 5 in which said step of editing said sub-object results in equal changes of length for both said two sides that adjoin.

7. The method recited in claim 2 in which said graphic object is a closed object having a plurality of sides, each of which is a selectable segment sub-object and said step of selecting said second mode to cause said object to remain "As-Is" except for the editing actions to said selected sub-object.