Modifying a path in a drawing

• US 7,646,386 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Asente, Paul J., Schuster, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan; Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow; Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US11/109,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 345/441, 345/442, 345/581, 345/589, 345/428, 382/165
• US Class Current: 345/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A technique for editing is disclosed. The technique includes generating a path definition for a path, generating a plurality of subpath definitions of subpaths of the path based on an intersection of the path, associating the subpath definitions with the path definition, modifying the intersection of the path using an editing tool, and generating a plurality of modified subpath definitions of subpaths of the path based on the modified intersection of the path.

Claims

1. A method of editing, including:

generating a path definition for a path having a plurality of intersections with a plurality of other paths;

identifying a plurality of subpaths of the path, each subpath comprising a portion of the path between a first intersection or endpoint of the path and a second intersection or endpoint of the path, the second intersection or endpoint being distinct from and adjacent to the first intersection or endpoint;

automatically generating a subpath definition for each subpath based on the one or more identified subpaths, each subpath definition including a subpath region fill for each side of the subpath, wherein automatically generating the subpath definition for each subpath is performed by a processor;

storing the subpath definitions in a memory;

associating the subpath definitions with the path definition;

modifying the path, wherein each subpath of the path is simultaneously modified along with the path;

automatically generating a modified path definition for a modified path having a plurality of modified subpaths corresponding to the path definition for the path having the plurality of subpaths;

detecting that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified;

automatically generating a modified subpath definition for each modified subpath based on the plurality of modified intersections of the path in response to detecting that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified, each modified subpath definition including a modified subpath region fill for each side of the modified subpath, wherein automatically generating a modified subpath definition includes, for each modified subpath region fill, automatically selecting as the modified subpath region fill one of the subpath region fills of the subpath corresponding to the modified subpath; and

displaying the path on a display.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that the path definition has been modified.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that another path has been modified.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that a new path has been added.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that another path has been deleted.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that the path has been moved.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an intersection of the path is with itself.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further including replacing the set of subpath definitions with the set of modified subpath definitions.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each subpath definition includes a subpath fill and each modified subpath definition includes a modified subpath fill.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein automatically generating a plurality of modified subpath definitions of subpaths of the path includes, for each modified subpath fill, selecting one of the subpath fills as the modified subpath fill.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein selecting one of the subpath fills as the modified subpath fill includes:

merging two subpaths into the modified subpath;

determining which of the two subpaths has a greater length; and

assigning to the modified subpath the subpath fill of the subpath that has the greater length.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the subpath fill includes color, pattern, or thickness of the subpath.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting one of the subpath region fills as the modified subpath region fill includes arbitrarily selecting one of the subpath region fills as the modified subpath region fill.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting one of the subpath region fills as the modified subpath region fill includes merging two subpath regions into the modified subpath region and selecting as the modified subpath region fill a subpath region fill of one of the two subpath regions.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein selecting as the modified subpath region fill a subpath region fill of one of the two subpath regions includes:

determining which of the two subpath regions has a greater area; and

assigning to the modified subpath region the subpath region fill of the subpath region that has the greater area.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, further including reassigning at least one of the modified subpath region fills.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, further including associating the modified subpath definitions with the path definition.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, further including marking the path definition as deleted.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, further including inserting a new path definition associated with a new path, wherein the subpaths of the new path each have a same subpath fill or subpath region fill as one or more existing regions.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, further including determining a modified intersection by analyzing a portion of the drawing affected by the modification.

21. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein associating includes storing.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that the one or more intersections of the path have been modified using a single edit action to the path.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the single edit action includes shifting or dragging the entire path.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the single edit action includes stretching the entire path.

25. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each subpath is not individually editable.

26. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subpath region fill includes a color or a pattern.

27. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the modified subpaths is a subpath that was moved;

and the at least one modified subpath has at least one modified subpath region fill that is the same as a subpath region fill of the subpath.

28. A system for editing, including:

a processor configured to;

generate a path definition for a path having a plurality of intersections with a plurality of other paths;

identifying a plurality of subpaths of the path, each subpath comprising a portion of the path between a first intersection or endpoint of the path and a second intersection or endpoint of the path, the second intersection or endpoint being distinct from and adjacent to the first intersection or endpoint;

automatically generate a subpath definition for each subpath based on the one or more identified subpaths, each subpath definition including a subpath region fill for each side of the subpath, wherein automatically generating the subpath definition for each subpath is performed by a processor;

store the subpath definitions in a memory;

associate the subpath definitions with the path definition;

modify the path, wherein each subpath of the path is simultaneously modified along with the path;

automatically generate a modified path definition for a modified path having a plurality of modified subpaths corresponding to the path definition for the path having the plurality of subpaths;

detect that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified;

automatically generate a modified subpath definition for each modified subpath based on the plurality of modified intersections of the path in response to detecting that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified, each modified subpath definition including a modified subpath region fill for each side of the modified subpath, wherein automatically generating a modified subpath definition includes, for each modified subpath region fill, automatically selecting as the modified subpath region fill one of the subpath region fills of the subpath corresponding to the modified subpath; and

display the path on a display;

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides the processor with instructions.

29. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein each subpath definition includes a subpath fill and each modified subpath definition includes a modified subpath fill;

and the processor is configured to automatically generate a plurality of modified subpath definitions of subpaths of the path at least in part by, for each modified subpath fill, selecting one of the subpath fills as the modified subpath fill.

30. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to associate the modified subpath definitions with the path definition.

31. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein the processor is configured to detect at least in part by receiving an indication that the one or more intersections of the path have been modified using a single edit action to the path.

32. A computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer program product for editing, the computer program product comprising computer instructions for:

generating a path definition for a path;

identifying one or more subpaths of the path, each subpath comprising a portion of the path between a first intersection or endpoint of the path and a second intersection or endpoint of the path, the second intersection or endpoint being distinct from and adjacent to the first intersection or endpoint;

generating a path definition for a path having a plurality of intersections with a plurality of other paths;

identifying a plurality of subpaths of the path, each subpath comprising a portion of the path between a first intersection or endpoint of the path and a second intersection or endpoint of the path, the second intersection or endpoint being distinct from and adjacent to the first intersection or endpoint;

automatically generating a subpath definition for each subpath based on the one or more identified subpaths, each subpath definition including a subpath region fill for each side of the subpath, wherein automatically generating the subpath definition for each subpath is performed by a processor;

storing the subpath definitions in a memory;

associating the subpath definitions with the path definition;

modifying the path, wherein each subpath of the path is simultaneously modified along with the path;

automatically generating a modified path definition for a modified path having a plurality of modified subpaths corresponding to the path definition for the path having the plurality of subpaths;

detecting that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified;

automatically generating a modified subpath definition for each modified subpath based on the plurality of modified intersections of the path in response to detecting that the plurality of intersections of the path have been modified, each modified subpath definition including a modified subpath region fill for each side of the modified subpath, wherein automatically generating a modified subpath definition includes, for each modified subpath region fill, automatically selecting as the modified subpath region fill one of the subpath region fills of the subpath corresponding to the modified subpath; and

displaying the path on a display.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein detecting includes receiving an indication that the one or more intersections of the path have been modified using a single edit action to the path.