Methods and computer systems for document authoring

• US 7,568,153 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ziegert, Thomas, Spiestersbach, Axel, Ulmer, Cedric, Seurat, Patrice, Rethore, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsui; Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/969,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 715/525, 715/744, 715/513, 715/202, 715/204, 715/205, 715/238
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/114 Pagination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and computer systems are provided for authoring documents. In one implementation, a computer system is provided that comprises an editor for editing a UI document, a pagination engine for paginating the UI document, and a pagination display for displaying a paginated document representation with respect to the UI document. The editor may be interfaced to the pagination engine so that the pagination engine paginates the user interface description document while being edited for a plurality of device categories. Further, the pagination engine may be interfaced to the pagination display so that the pagination display displays a paginated document representation for each device category with respect to the current editing status of the UI document.

Claims

1. A system for authoring documents comprising:

an editor for editing a user interface description document;

a pagination engine, comprising a processor, for paginating the user interface description document for a plurality of device categories using an automatic real-time pagination algorithm that utilizes limitations associated with each device category to generate a plurality of page hierarchies of the user interface description document for the corresponding device categories to reflect the current editing status of the user interface description document, wherein paginating comprises splitting the user interface document into several pages, which gathered output is the same content as the original document; and

a pagination display for displaying the plurality of page hierarchies to a user, wherein each page hierarchy comprises a graphical tree structure representation of the paginated user interface description document showing the number of pages in the user description document and the arrangement of user interface elements on one or more of the pages;

wherein the editor is interfaced to the pagination engine so that the pagination engine paginates the user interface description document while being edited for a plurality of device categories; and

further wherein the pagination engine is interfaced to the pagination display so that the pagination display displays a plurality of page hierarchies corresponding to the plurality of device categories with respect to the current editing status of the user interface description document.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed in corresponding columns.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user interface description document comprises a markup language document.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed through corresponding tabs.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface description document comprises a markup language document.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface description document comprises a markup language document.

7. A computer implemented method for authoring documents, the method comprising the steps of:

launching a pagination request while editing a user interface description document;

paginating, via a pagination engine, the user interface description document for a plurality of device categories using an automatic real-time pagination algorithm that utilizes limitations associated with each device category to generate a plurality of page hierarchies of the user interface description document for the corresponding device categories to reflect the current editing status of the user interface description document, wherein paginating comprises splitting the user interface document into several pages, which gathered output is the same content as the original document; and

displaying, on a display device, the plurality of page hierarchies corresponding to the plurality of device categories to a user, wherein each page hierarchy comprises a graphical tree structure representation of the paginated user interface description document showing the number of pages in the user description document and the arrangement of user interface elements on one or more of the pages for each device category with respect to the current editing status of the user interface description document.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed in corresponding columns of a pagination display.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed and accessible through corresponding tabs.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface description document comprises a markup language document.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for performing, when executed by a processor, a method for authoring documents, the method comprising:

launching a pagination request while editing a user interface description document;

paginating, via a pagination engine, the user interface description document for a plurality of device categories using an automatic real-time pagination algorithm that utilizes limitations associated with each device category to generate a plurality of page hierarchies of the user interface description document for the corresponding device categories to reflect the current editing status of the user interface description document, wherein paginating comprises splitting the user interface document into several pages, which gathered output is the same content as the original document; and

displaying the plurality of page hierarchies corresponding to the plurality of device categories to a user, wherein each page hierarchy comprises a graphical tree structure representation of the paginated user interface description document showing the number of pages in the user description document and the arrangement of user interface elements on one or more of the pages for each device category with respect to the current editing status of the user interface description document.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed in corresponding columns of a pagination display.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the plurality of page hierarchies are displayed and accessible through corresponding tabs.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the user interface description document comprises a markup language document.

15. A system for authoring documents comprising:

means for launching a pagination request while editing a user interface description document;

means for pagination, using a pagination engine comprising a processor, for paginating the user interface description document for a plurality of device categories using an automatic real-time pagination algorithm that utilizes limitations associated with each device category to generate a plurality of page hierarchies of the user interface description document for the corresponding device categories to reflect the current editing status of the user interface description document, wherein paginating comprises splitting the user interface document into several pages, which gathered output is the same content as the original document; and

means for displaying the plurality of page hierarchies corresponding to the plurality of device categories to a user, wherein each page hierarchy comprises a graphical tree structure representation of the paginated user interface description document showing the number of pages in the user description document and the arrangement of user interface elements one or more of the pages for each device category with respect to the current editing status of the user interface description document.