Multi-column page preview using a resizing grid

• US 6,694,487 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ilsar, Eyal David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/208,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 345/661, 345/801, 345/798, 345/428, 345/660, 345/663, 345/665, 707/521, 707/527, 715/521, 715/527, 715/505, 715/507, 715/509
• US Class Current: 715/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

A method of previewing an electronic document using display device forming part of a computer system intended for printing is disclosed. An electronic document having at least one printable page is provided and formed into a print preview representation of at a default preview size. A grid is formed and associated with the representation, the grid having cells corresponding to individual pages at said default preview size. The representation is displayed on the display device with the grid overlying said representation. Using at least one input device of the computer system, a part of the arid is selected. The selected part is moved to cause a change in size of the grid such that an aspect ratio of said cells formed by said grid remains constant. On de-selecting the grid, a further print preview representation of the page is formed at a preview size corresponding to that of the change in the grid.

Claims

1. A method of altering the image presentation of a visual object comprising one or more object components arranged in a predetermined layout, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a matrix of display cells in a first configuration within at least one of which the visual object is displayable;

selecting a component of the image presentation at a first position within the matrix and moving the component to a second position in the matrix;

determining from the movement of the component an extent of change of the first configuration; and

applying the extent of change to the matrix of display cells to alter the image presentation of the visual object to a second configuration while maintaining the predetermined layout of the object components.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display cells are smaller than the visual object and the second position lies within the image presentation.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the matrix is visible within the image presentation and defines boundaries of the display cells.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the boundaries form a grid.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the selected component comprises one of the boundaries.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected component comprises a point location within one of the cells.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the visual object comprises an electronic document and the first configuration comprises a first print preview display of the electronic document in which each of the display cells corresponds to a printable page of the document and the second configuration comprises a second print preview display, different from the first, of the electronic document.

8. A method of previewing an electronic document intended for printing, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic document having a predetermined layout and at least one printable page;

creating a print preview representation of the one page and displaying the representation in a first format on a display;

creating a boundary at an edge of the one page and displaying the boundary over the representation; and

selecting a component of the representation and moving the component within the display to cause an alteration of the representation of the one page to a second format while maintaining the predetermined layout of the electronic document.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the first format includes a first tiling of a plurality of printable pages of the document and the second format includes a second tiling, different from the first, of the plurality of pages.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second tilings include the same relative positioning between pages in the respective formats.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second tilings include different relative positioning between pages in the formats.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein each tiling includes an integral number of pages in a first display direction.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein at least one page not displayed entirely by the tiling is viewable via scrolling in a second display direction.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating steps are substantially simultaneously performed.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating steps are unitarily performed.

16. A method according to claim 8, wherein the alteration comprises a proportional resizing of the boundary and a consequential corresponding resizing of the one page to the second format and each other of the pages to the second format.

17. A method according to claim 8, wherein the component comprises part of the boundary.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the boundary comprises orthogonally arranged portions and the selected one of the portions requires movement in a direction parallel to the other of the portions to cause resizing of the boundary and the page.

19. A method according to claim 8, wherein the boundary comprises part of an orthogonally arranged grid that extends beyond the one page in the first format, and the component comprises part of the grid not forming part of the boundary of the one page, and the movement of the component requires movement in a direction aligned with the component to cause resizing of the boundary and the page.

20. A method according to claim 8, wherein the component comprises a window boundary within which the print preview representation is displayed.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein a display page size within the print preview representation is maintained between the first and second formats.

22. A method of previewing an electronic document intended for printing using a display device forming part of a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electronic document having at least one printable page;

(b) forming a print preview representation of the one page at a default preview size;

(c) forming a grid associated with the representation and having cells corresponding to individual pages at the default preview size;

(d) displaying on the display device the representation and the grid with the grid overlying the representation;

(e) selecting, using at least one input device of the computer system, a part of the grid and moving the selected part to cause a change in size of the grid such that an aspect ratio of the cells formed by the grid remains constant; and

(f) de-selecting the grid and forming a further print preview representation of the one page at a preview size corresponding to that of the change in the grid.

23. A method according to claim 22, comprising the further step, after step (f), of:

(g) iteratively repeating steps (e) and (f) until the displayed print preview is of a desired representation.

24. Apparatus for altering the image presentation by a display of a visual object comprising one or more object components arranged in a predetermined layout, said apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a matrix of display cells in a first configuration within at least one of which said visual object is displayable;

means for selecting a component of said image presentation at a first position within said matrix and moving said component to a second position in said matrix;

means for determining from the movement of said component an extent of change of said first configuration; and

means for applying the extent of change to the matrix of display cells to alter the image presentation of said visual object to a second configuration whilst maintaining said pre-determined layout of said object components.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said second position lies within said image presentation and said matrix is visible within said image presentation and defines boundaries of said display cells.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said boundaries form a grid.

27. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said selected component comprises one of said boundaries.

28. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said selected component comprises a point location within one of said cells.

29. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said visual object comprises an electronic document and said first configuration comprises a first print preview display of said electronic document in which each of said display cells corresponds to a printable page of said document and said second configuration comprises a second print preview display, different from the first, of said electronic document.

30. Apparatus for previewing an electronic document intended for printing, said apparatus comprising:

means for providing an electronic document having a predetermined layout and at least one printable page;

means for creating a print preview representation of at least said one page and displaying the representation in a first format;

means for creating a boundary at an edge of said one page and displaying said boundary over said representation; and

means for selecting a component of the representation and moving the component within the display to cause an alteration of said representation of said one page to a second format whilst maintaining said predetermined layout of said electronic document.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said first format includes a first tiling of a plurality of printable pages of said document and said second format includes a second tiling, different from the first, of said plurality of pages.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said first and second tilings include the same relative positioning between pages in the respective formats.

33. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said first and second tilings include different relative positioning between pages in the formats.

34. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein each said tiling includes an integral number of pages in a first display direction.

35. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein at least one page not displayed entirely by said tiling is viewable via scrolling in a second display direction.

36. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said means for creating said print preview representation and said means for creating said boundary operate substantially simultaneously.

37. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said means for selecting said component implements a proportional resizing of the boundary and a consequential corresponding resizing of said one page to said second format and each other of said pages to said second format.

38. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said component comprises part of said boundary.

39. Apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said boundary comprises orthogonally arranged portions and said selected one of said portions requires movement in a direction parallel to the other of said portions to cause resizing of said boundary and said page.

40. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said boundary comprises part of an orthogonally arranged grid that extends beyond said one page in said first format, and said component comprises part of said grid not forming part of said boundary of said one page, and said movement of said component requires movement in a direction aligned with said component to cause resizing of said boundary and said page.

41. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said component comprises a window boundary within which said print preview representation is displayed.

42. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein a display page size within said print preview representation is maintained between said first and second formats.

43. Apparatus for previewing an electronic document intended for printing using a display device forming part of a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

a source of said electronic document, said electronic document having at least one printable page;

print preview means for forming a print preview representation of said one page at a default preview size;

grid means for forming a grid associated with said print preview representation and having cells corresponding to individual pages at said default preview size;

display means for displaying on said display device said print preview representation and said grid with said grid overlying said print preview representation;

selecting means for selecting, using at least one input device of said computer system, a part of said grid and moving the selected part to cause a change in size of said grid such that an aspect ratio of said cells formed by said grid remains constant; and

de-selecting means for de-selecting said grid and forming a further print preview representation of said one page at a preview size corresponding to that of said change in said grid.

44. A computer readable medium incorporating a computer program product for altering the image presentation of a visual object comprising one or more object components arranged in a predetermined layout, said computer program product comprising:

means for establishing a matrix of display cells in a first configuration within at least one of which said visual object is displayable;

means for selecting a component of said image presentation at a first position within said matrix and moving said component to a second position in said matrix;

means for determining from the movement of said component an extent of change of said first configuration; and

means for applying the extent of change to the matrix of display cells to alter the image presentation of said visual object to a second configuration whilst maintaining said pre-determined layout of said object components.

45. A computer readable medium according to claim 44, wherein said second position lies within said image presentation and said matrix is visible within said image presentation and defines boundaries of said display cells.

46. A computer readable medium according to claim 45, wherein said boundaries form a grid.

47. A computer readable medium according to claim 45, wherein said selected component comprises one of said boundaries.

48. A computer readable medium according to claim 44, wherein said selected component comprises a point location within one of said cells.

49. A computer readable medium according to claim 44, wherein said visual object comprises an electronic document and said first configuration comprises a first print preview display of said electronic document in which each of said display cells corresponds to a printable page of said document and said second configuration comprises a second print preview display, different from the first, of said electronic document.

50. A computer readable medium incorporating a computer program product for previewing an electronic document intended for printing, said computer program product comprising:

means for providing an electronic document having a predetermined layout and at least one printable page;

means for creating a print preview representation of at least said one page and displaying the representation in a first format on a display;

means for creating a boundary at an edge of said one page and displaying said boundary over said representation; and

means for selecting a component of the representation and moving the component within the display to cause an alteration of said representation of said one page to a second format whilst maintaining said pre-determined layout of said electronic document.

51. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said first format includes a first tiling of a plurality of printable pages of said document and said second format includes a second tiling, different from the first, of said plurality of pages.

52. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said first and second filings include the same relative positioning between pages in the respective formats.

53. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said first and second tilings include different relative positioning between pages in the formats.

54. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein each said tiling includes an integral number of pages in a first display direction.

55. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein at least one page not displayed entirely by said tiling is viewable via scrolling in a second display direction.

56. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said means for creating said print preview representation and means for creating said boundary operate substantially simultaneously.

57. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said means for selecting said component implements a proportional resizing of the boundary and a consequential corresponding resizing of said one page to said second format and each other of said pages to said second format.

58. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said component comprises part of said boundary.

59. A computer readable medium according to claim 58, wherein said boundary comprises orthogonally arranged portions and said selected one of said portions requires movement in a direction parallel to the other of said portions to cause resizing of said boundary and said page.

60. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said boundary comprises part of an orthogonally arranged grid that extends beyond said one page in said first format, and said component comprises part of said grid not forming part of said boundary of said one page, and said movement of said component requires movement in a direction aligned with said component to cause resizing of said boundary and said page.

61. A computer readable medium according to claim 50, wherein said component comprises a window boundary within which said print preview representation is displayed.

62. A computer readable medium according to claim 61, wherein a display page size within said print preview representation is maintained between said first and second formats.

63. A computer readable medium incorporating a computer program product for previewing an electronic document using a display device forming part of a computer system, said computer program product comprising:

source means for providing said electronic document, said electronic document having at least one printable page;

print preview means for forming a print preview representation of said one page at a default preview size;

grid means for forming a grid associated with said print preview representation and having cells corresponding to individual pages at said default preview size;

display means for displaying on said display device said print preview representation and said grid with said grid overlying said print preview representation;

selecting means for selecting, using at least one input device of said computer system, a part of said grid and moving the selected part to cause a change in size of said grid such that are aspect ratio of said cells formed by said grid remains constant; and

de-selecting means for de-selecting said grid and forming a further print preview representation of said one page at a preview size corresponding to that of said change in said grid.