Source code editor for editing multilanguage documents

• US 7,293,232 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Li, Arkhipov, Mikhail, Omiya, Elliot H., Hodges, C. Douglas, Kaplan, Joshua Israel, Mc Bride, Timothy Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUTLEDGE, AMELIA L
• Application Number:
  US10/723,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 715/531, 717/143
• US Class Current: 715/264
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A source code editor is used to develop multilanguage documents while providing the advanced editing functionality of secondary editors and without requiring the programmer to explicitly open and interface with the secondary editors. The multilanguage document is presented to the user in a primary application view of the primary editor. Code segments written in different languages are identified and sent to the appropriate secondary editors, which in turn create secondary documents that are transparent to the programmer. As edits are made to the primary application view of the document, the edits are replicated by the secondary editors behind the scene. Functionality that is enabled by the secondary editors, such as syntax coloring, auto-completion, and validation is identified by the primary editor and replicated in the primary application view, so as to appear as if the primary editor is inherently configured with the leveraged functionality of the secondary editors.

Claims

1. A method for permitting a user to edit a multilanguage document having code segments written in a primary language and one or more code segments written in one or more secondary languages, the method permitting the user to perform editing of the multilanguage document from a single primary editor designed to provide advanced editing functionality for the primary language, while also enabling the user to utilize advanced editing functionality of one or more secondary editors to edit the one or more secondary languages, and in such a way that the user is not required to open or interface with the secondary editors, the method comprising:

displaying a multilanguage document in a primary application view of a primary editor which provides editing functionality for the primary language of the multilanguage document;

identifying code segments of the multilanguage document that are written in the primary language and identifying at least one other code segment written in a secondary programming language;

the primary editor mapping each code segment identified in the multilanguage document;

without requiring the user to leave the primary application view to open or interface with the secondary editors, enabling the user to edit the different code segments of the multilanguage document from within the primary application view by

editing code segments written in the primary language with the primary editor,

sending the at least one other code segment written in a secondary programming language to the corresponding secondary editor,

based upon the position of a mouse prompt and upon the mapping of each code segment identified in the multilanguage document, displaying secondary editor menus within the primary application view, the secondary editor menus comprising context help menus, navigation menus, and validation menus,

editing the at least one other code segment written in a secondary programming language through interaction with the corresponding secondary editor; and

displaying the multilanguage document including the edits made to the at least one other code segment written in secondary programming language within the primary application view.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary editor is specifically configured for editing code written in a language of the received code segment.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary file is transparent to the user.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the secondary file is created in a text-only format.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary editor modifies the multilanguage document in response to a change made to the secondary file.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multilanguage document is modified in response to advanced editing features of the secondary editor that are not inherently enabled by the primary editor.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the advanced editing features include at least one of syntax coloring, statement completion, document formatting, error reporting, and context help.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying whether the at least one other code segment written in a secondary programming language is a complete code segment, and when not, supplementing the at least one other code segment with additional data necessary to create complete source code for the at least one other code segment so that it can be recognized and edited by the secondary editor having advanced editing functionality for the language of the at least one other code segment and having editing functionality not available within the primary editor; and

the primary editor modifying the primary application view of the multilanguage document to accommodate the advanced editing functionality and the editing functionality not available within the primary editor provided by the secondary editor as to the at least one other code segment in the secondary language.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein modifying the primary application view includes displaying a menu created by the secondary editor.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein modifying the primary application view includes editing the multilanguage file and replicating one or more edits made by the secondary editor to the secondary file.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the one or more edits made in the secondary file include edits made in response to functionality provided by the secondary editor that are not inherently available to the primary editor.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the functionality provided by the secondary editor includes at least one of syntax coloring, statement completion, document formatting, error reporting, and context help.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further including, prior to replicating the one or more edits made in the secondary document, an act of determining that the one or more edits made in the secondary file are not merely a result of replication of the edits made by the primary editor to the multilanguage file in the primary view.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, further including, prior to replicating edits made to the multilanguage file in the primary application view to the secondary file, an act of determining that the one or more edits made in the primary application view are not merely a result of replication of the edits made by the secondary editor to the secondary file.

15. A computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for implementing a method for permitting a user to edit a multilanguage document having code segments written in a primary language and one or more code segments written in one or more secondary languages, wherein the method permits the user to perform editing of the multilanguage document from a single primary editor designed to provide advanced editing functionality for the primary language, while also enabling the user to utilize advanced editing functionality of one or more secondary editors to edit the one or more secondary languages, and in such a way that the user is not required to open or interface with the secondary editors, the method being that recited in claim 1.

16. A computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the secondary editor is specifically configured for editing code written in a language of the received code segment.

17. A computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the secondary file is transparent to the user.

18. A computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the primary editor modifies the multilanguage document in response to a change made to the secondary file.

19. A computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the multilanguage document is modified in response to advanced editing features of the secondary editor that are not inherently enabled by the primary editor.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the advanced editing features include at least one of syntax coloring, statement completion, document formatting, error reporting, and context help.

21. A computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for implementing a method for permitting a user to edit a multilanguage document having code segments written in a primary language and one or more code segments written in one or more secondary languages, wherein the method permits the user to perform editing of the multilanguage document from a single primary editor designed to provide advanced editing functionality for the primary language, while also enabling the user to utilize advanced editing functionality of one or more secondary editors to edit the one or more secondary languages, and in such a way that the user is not required to open or interface with the secondary editors, the method being that recited in claim 8.

22. A computer program product as recited in claim 21, wherein modifying the primary application view includes displaying a menu created by the secondary editor.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 21, wherein modifying the primary application view includes editing the multilanguage file to replicate one or more edits made by the secondary editor to the secondary file.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the one or more edits made in the secondary file include edits made in response to functionality provided by the secondary editor that are not inherently available to the primary editor.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the functionality provided by the secondary editor includes at least one of syntax coloring, statement completion, document formatting, error reporting, and context help.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 21, further including, prior to replicating the one or more edits made in the secondary file, the buffer coordinator determining that the one or more edits made in the secondary file were not made merely to replicate the edits made by the primary editor, so as to avoid an infinite loop of edits being made.

27. A computing system comprising one or more computer processors, computer-readable storage media, and a computer display and upon which is executing the method of claim 1.