Method of manipulating elements of a structured document, function key operation being dependent upon current and preceding image element types

• US 5,285,526 A
• Filed: 09/03/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hesse, Eric M., Bennett, Clayton J. III, Walsh, David W., Foulger, Davis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US07/940,732
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 395/100, 395/118, 395/144, 395/145, 395/146, 395/148, 395/155, 395/600
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/258 Heading extraction; Automatic titling; Numbering

Abstract

A method is described for manipulating commonly used elements within a structured document. The method takes advantage of a user'"'"'s intent in selecting certain keystrokes to complete a task. By making assumptions on the user'"'"'s intent at the current position within the document and dynamically changing the functions of keystrokes based on those assumptions, the method allows the user to quickly and easily manipulate the commonly used elements of a structured document without having to specify any tag names or markup language, and without having to understand the rules for creating a structured document.

Claims

1. In a data processing system including a processor for executing program instructions, a display device coupled to said processor for displaying a plurality of images in an ordered sequence in response to said program instructions, and a keyboard coupled to said processor having a function key, said display device including a cursor displayed thereon and related to a selected location in said sequence of images where a result of actuating said function key is to have effect, a method for selecting one of a plurality of text editing functions to be performed when said function key is actuated, based on the location of said cursor in said sequence of images, comprising the steps of:

storing said plurality of images in said system in association with an image type value and a sequence indication;

storing a plurality of text editing instruction routines, each routine corresponding to one of said plurality of functions of said function key and related to said image type value;

displaying at least a portion of said plurality of images on said display device and displaying said cursor at a selected cursor location thereon;

identifying a focal image of said plurality of images in said sequence, having a sequence indication related to said selected cursor location;

identifying a preceding image of said plurality of images in said sequence which is adjacent to and precedes said focal image in said sequence;

accessing a selected text editing instruction routine from said plurality of instruction routines, based on said image type value of said focal image and an image type value of said preceding image;

executing said accessed text editing instruction routine to perform a selected one function of said plurality of functions of said focal image.

2. In a document editing system including a processor for executing program instructions stored in a memory coupled to said processor, a display device coupled to said processor for displaying a plurality of document images in an ordered sequence specified by a corresponding ordered sequence of a plurality of image control elements controlled by said program instructions, and a keyboard coupled to said processor having a function key, said display device including a cursor displayed thereon and related to a current document position in said sequence of image control elements where a result of actuating said function key is to have effect, a method for selecting one of a plurality of editing functions represented by said program instructions, to be performed when said function key is actuated, based on a location of said cursor in said sequence of image control elements, comprising the steps of:

storing said plurality of image control elements in said system in association with an control element type value and a control element sequence indication;

storing a plurality of instruction routines in said memory, each routine corresponding to one of said plurality of editing functions of said function key and related to said control element type value;

displaying at least a portion of said plurality of document images on said display device corresponding to at least a portion of said plurality of image control elements and displaying said cursor at a selected current document position thereon;

identifying a focal image control element of said plurality of image control elements in said control element sequence, having a sequence indication related to said selected current document position;

identifying a preceding image control element of said plurality of image control elements in said control element sequence, which is adjacent to and precedes said focal image control element in said control element sequence;

accessing a selected instruction routine from said plurality of instruction routines, based on said control element type value of said focal image control element and a control element type value of said preceding image control element;

executing said accessed instruction routine to perform a selected one editing function of said plurality of functions on said focal image control element.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List element and said selected editing function is:

1) Insert a List Item element at the current document position;

2) Position the cursor at a start of the List Item element.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element and the current document position precedes any text in a List Item, and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately precedes a List Item begin tag;

2) Insert a List Item element at the current document position;

3) Position the cursor at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the List Item.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element and the current document position does not precede any text in the List Item, and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately precedes a List Item end tag;

2) Insert a List Item element at the current document position;

3) Position the cursor at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the List Item.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a "non-flowing" attribute specified for a current element and said selected editing function is:

insert a line immediately following the line on which the current document position resides.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a paragraph with no contents and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately precedes a begin tag for a current element;

2) Insert a line break instruction at the current document position;

3) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately follows a next begin tag.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, a Tag Set Definition allows a paragraph to be inserted as a child to a current element, and said selected editing function is:

1) Insert a paragraph at the current document position;

2) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately follows a begin tag of the newly inserted paragraph.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, the current document position precedes any text in a List Item and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately precedes a begin tag of a current element;

2) If a Tag Set Definition allows a paragraph to be inserted as a child to the current element;

a) Insert a Paragraph element at the current document position;

b) Position the cursor at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the Paragraph.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is an Enter Key, and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position which immediately follows a current element'"'"'s end tag;

2) If a Tag Set Definition allows a paragraph to be inserted as a child to a current element, then

a) Insert a Paragraph element at the current document position;

b) Position the cursor at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the Paragraph.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a character and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the character.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element with no content and there are no List Item elements between an end tag for a current List item and an end tag for its parent List element, there is an element begin tag for any element which follows an end tag for a current List element, there is a List Item element between a begin tag for a current List element and the begin tag for a current List Item element, and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current List Item element;

2) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the element following the end tag for the current List element.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element, there are no siblings to a current List Item element, and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for a parent List element;

2) Delete a List element at the current document position and remove its child List Item element;

3) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for an element following an end tag for the List element which was just deleted.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element, there is no element begin tag following the List element, a parent to a current List element is a List element, there is a List Item element between a begin tag for the current List element and the begin tag for the current List Item element, and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current List Item element;

2) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows an end tag for the current List element;

3) Insert a List Item element at the current document position;

4) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the newly inserted List Item element.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element, there are no siblings to a current List Item element and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for a parent List element;

2) Delete the List element at the current document position, removing its child List Item element as well;

3) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows an end tag of the List element which was just deleted;

4) Insert a List Item element at the current document position;

5) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the newly inserted List Item element.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element, a parent to a List element is an element different from a List element, a Tag Set Definition allows a paragraph to be inserted as a child inserted as a sibling to a current List element, there is a List Item element between a begin tag for the current List element and a begin tag for a current List Item element, and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current List Item element;

2) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows an end tag for the current List element;

3) Insert a Paragraph element at the current document position;

4) Set the current document position at a document position which immediately follows a begin tag for the newly inserted Paragraph element.

17. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a "non-flowing" attribute specified for a current element, a current line of that element contains no text and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current element;

2) Set the current document position to a document position of a start of a next line in a document.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein there is more than one line within the current element and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current line;

2) Set the current document position to a document position of the start of a next line in the document.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Delete Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a current element containing text and said selected editing function is:

1) Prompt a user to confirm deletion of the current element;

2) If a user confirms a deletion;

a) Delete the current element.

20. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Backspace Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a character and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the character.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Backspace Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element with no content which is the only List Item element within a parent List element and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position immediately following a begin tag for the parent List element;

2) Delete a current List element.

22. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Backspace Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a "non-flowing" attribute specified for the current element, a current line of that element contains no text, and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete the current element;

2) Set the current document position to a document position at an end of a previous line in a document.

23. The method of claim 2 wherein there is more than one line within the current element and said selected editing function is:

1) Delete a current line;

2) Set the current document position to a document position at an end of a previous line in a document.

24. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Backspace Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a current element containing text and said selected editing function is:

1) Prompt the user to confirm the deletion of the current element;

2) If a user confirms a deletion;

1) Delete the current element.

25. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Tab Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a Paragraph element with no content and said selected editing function is:

1) Replace a Paragraph begin and end tags with begin and end tags for a List element;

2) Set the current document position to a document position which is between the List element begin and end tags;

3) Set a format of the List element to "Simple" list;

4) Insert begin and end tags for a List Item element at the current document position;

5) Set the current document position to a document position which is between the List Item element begin and end tags.

26. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Tab Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element with no content and there is at least one other List Item element within a parent List element and said selected editing function is:

1) Replace a List Item'"'"'s begin and end tags with begin and end tags for a List element;

2) Set the current document position to a document position which is between the List element begin and end tags;

3) Set a format of a List element to "Simple" list;

4) Insert a begin and end tags for a List Item element at the current document position;

5) Set the current document position to a document position which is between the List Item element begin and end tags.

27. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Tab Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a paragraph element and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position of a next element begin tag or tab character, whichever comes first.

28. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Tab Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item element and said selected editing function is:

1) Set the current document position to a document position of a next element begin tag or tab character, whichever comes first.

29. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Period Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item whose content consists of the single character "1", "A" or "a" and whose parent List element is of type Simple List consisting of only one List Item element and said selected editing function is:

1) Change a format of the parent List element from "Simple" list to "Ordered" list;

2) Delete the single character within a current List Item element;

3) Set the current document position to a document position which is between a List Item element begin and end tags.

30. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a Character ")" Key, said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item whose content consists of the single character "1", "A" or "a" and whose parent List element is of type Simple List consisting of only one List Item element and said selected editing function is:

1) Change a format of the parent List element from "Simple" list to "Ordered" list;

2) Delete the single character within a current List Item element;

3) Set the current document position to a document position which is between a List Item element begin and end tags.

31. The method of claim 2 wherein said function key is a character key taken from the group consisting of "o", "*", "-", "+" and "]", said image control element type value corresponds to a List Item with no content whose parent List element is of type Simple List consisting of only one List Item element and said selected editing function is:

1) Change a format of the parent List element from "Simple" list to "Unordered" list.