System and method for editing a structured document to preserve the intended appearance of document elements

• US 5,276,793 A
• Filed: 05/14/1990
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Borgendale, Kenneth W., Dobkin, Darren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Application Number:
  US07/523,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 395/144.sub.]149, 395/155, 395/161
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A data processing system edits a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) text. Look characteristics are controlled for a child document element of the text located within a parent document element of the text. The method performs the step of constructing a child resolved look data set necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of the child element by first accessing modified look value customized by the user for first look parameters and accessing defined look values standardized for second look parameters. For those look parameters which are not customized by the user or which are not defined as standard values for the child element, the values are inherited by the child element from the parent element. To do this, the method performs the step of augmenting the child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of the plurality of look values in the parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to the first or the second look parameters. The resulting resolved look can completely specify the appearance of the child portion of the text when displayed in WYSIWYG form on a display, or when printed in hard copy.

Claims

1. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing a defined look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said defined look value for said first look parameter;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first look parameter;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

2. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing a modified look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

storing a defined look value for a second look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resoled look data set by accessing said modified look value for said first look parameter and accessing said defined look value for said second look parameter;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first or said second look parameters;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of modified and defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

3. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing defined look values for at least a subplurality of a first plurality look parameters sufficient to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

constructing a document structure data set logically relating said child element to said parent element;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for said first plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said defined look values for said subplurality of look parameters;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said subplurality of look parameters;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

4. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing modified look values for at least a first subplurality of a first plurality look parameters sufficient to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

storing defined look values for at least a second subplurality of said first plurality look parameters sufficient to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element;

constructing a document structure data set logically relating said child element to said parent element;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for said first plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said modified look values for said first subplurality of look parameters;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing said defined look values for said second subplurality of look parameters;

augmenting said child resolved data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first subplurality or second subplurality of look parameters;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of modified and defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

5. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing a document construction data set defining a document type and base style intended for an appearance of a document, including storing a defined look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said defined look value for said first look parameter;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first look parameter;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

6. The method of claim 5, which further comprises the step of:

selectively printing said text document with a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

7. The method of claim 5, which further comprises the step of:

selectively transmitting said text document over a communications link to a remote data processing system, where said child element can be displayed with a WYSIWYG appearance which can be specified by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

8. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, a method for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising the steps of:

storing a document construction data set defining a document type and base style intended for an appearance of a document;

storing a modified look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

said document construction data set including a defined look value for a second look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element;

storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said modified look value for said first look parameter and accessing said defined look value for said second look parameter;

augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first or said second look parameters;

displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of modified and defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

9. The method of claim 8, which further comprises the step of:

selectively printing said text document with a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

10. The method of claim 9, which further comprises the step of:

selectively transmitting said text document over a communications link to a remote data processing system, where said child element can be displayed with a WYSIWYG appearance which can be specified by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

11. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, an apparatus for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising:

a memory for storing a document construction data set defining a document type and base style intended for an appearance of a document, including a memory partition for storing a defined look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

said memory storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

a processor coupled to said memory for constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said defined look value for said first look parameter;

said processor augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first look parameter;

a display means coupled to said processor for displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, which further comprises:

a printer coupled to said processor for selectively printing said text document with a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, which further comprises:

a communications means coupled to said processor for selectively transmitting said text document over a communications link to a remote data processing system, where said child element can be displayed with a WYSIWYG appearance which can be specified by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

14. In a data processing system for editing a text document stored as at least one alphanumeric string of structured document text and displayed as WYSIWYG text, an apparatus for controlling look characteristics of a child element of the text located within a parent element of the text, comprising:

a memory for storing a document construction data set defining a document type and base style intended for an appearance of a document;

said memory storing a modified look value for a first look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element, wherein said child element has a first level in a structured document hierarchy;

said document construction data set including a defined look value for a second look parameter necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element;

said memory storing a parent resolved look data set having a plurality of look values for a plurality of look parameters necessary to specify a WYSIWYG appearance of said parent element, wherein said parent element has a second level higher than said first level in said structured document hierarchy;

a processor coupled to said memory for constructing a child resolved look data set by accessing said modified look value for said first look parameter and accessing said defined look value for said second look parameter;

said processor augmenting said child resolved look data set by accessing at least one of said plurality of look values in said parent resolved look data set which does not correspond to said first or said second look parameters;

a display means coupled to said processor for displaying a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of modified and defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, which further comprises:

a printer coupled to said processor for selectively printing said text document with a WYSIWYG appearance of said child element controlled by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, which further comprises:

a communications means coupled to said processor for selectively transmitting said text document over a communications link to a remote data processing system, where said child element can be displayed with a WYSIWYG appearance which can be specified by a combination of defined look values for said child element and inherited look values for said parent element.