Method, system, and computer-readable medium for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program

• US 8,791,955 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schorr, Janet L., Wells, Stephen T., Kotler, Matthew, Underhill, Thomas C., Sherman, Scott A., Berker, Ilan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Michelle L
• Application Number:
  US12/035,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 345/441, 345/440, 345/619, 715/200, 715/247
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for creating and laying out a graphic within a drawing application program. The method includes receiving a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic, receiving a graphic definition describing the mapping of the data from the data model to a set of algorithms, algorithm parameters, constraints, constraint rules, and shape properties, determining a shape size and position for the layout nodes utilizing the set of algorithms, constraints, and constraint rules from the graphic definition, and creating a list of shapes and shape properties for the graphic, including size and position. The method further includes determining if the graphic fits a given layout into a specific area based on the set of constraint values and if the graphic does not fit the specific area, then modifying the set of constraint values using the constraint rules.

Claims

1. A method for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program, the method comprising:

receiving a data model, the data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic to be rendered;

receiving a graphic definition, the graphic definition describing patterns for applying algorithms, the algorithms comprising layout routines for positioning shapes in the graphic to be rendered within the application program;

determining whether the graphic to be rendered fits a layout space of the application program based on constraint values; and

when the graphic to be rendered does not fit the layout space, modifying the constraint values using constraint rules to fit the graphic into the layout space, the constraint rules comprising an ordered set of more than two constraint rules, wherein modifying the constraint values using the constraint rules comprises;

trying each rule of the ordered set of more than two constraint rules in succession, and

when a current constraint rule allows the graphic to fit within the layout space, not moving to the next constraint rule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon trying all rules, automatically accessing a fallback rule list that forces drawing elements to fit within the layout space on the drawing canvas by employing at least one from a set of;

shrinking the shapes and a font size of text to a smallest size, truncating text, and not placing shapes in the layout space.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the layout tree by iterating through the data model to create the layout nodes based on the patterns defined in the graphic definition.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

employing iterators to provide instructions for constructing the layout tree by indicating how elements in the data model are read and matched to layout node patterns.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic definition is received in a markup language file such that a user is enabled to add new graphic definitions without modifying a layout framework.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the application program to expand a set of graphics to be laid out through storing the graphic definition in markup language format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, by a computing device, a layout tree based on the data model and patterns specified in the graphic definition, the layout tree containing data about shapes forming the graphic to be rendered including at least one from a set of:

respective shape geometries, the shape properties, a text fitting, and a placement of the shapes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a tool, within the application program, for altering at least one parameter of the algorithms.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a shape list of the shapes for the graphic based on the algorithms; and

providing the shape list to the application program to be rendered as part of the graphic.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the shapes and shape properties of the shape list based on the modified constraint values to the application program to be rendered as part of the graphic.

11. A computing device for creating and laying out a graphic within a drawing application, the computing device comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory capable of executing the drawing application, the drawing application configured to;

receive a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic, the set of data and data relationships determining a type and a number of each layout node in a layout tree for the graphic;

receive a graphic definition describing at least one instance of mapping of the set of data from the data model to layout nodes of the layout tree and providing patterns for applying algorithms to lay out shapes for the graphic, the algorithms using constraints, constraint rules, starting values, and instructions for altering the starting values within a range to determine a size and a position of the shapes forming the graphic based on a number of the shapes, amount of text within each shape, and dimensions of the area in which the shapes are to be laid out;

determine whether the graphic to be rendered fits a layout space in the drawing application based on constraint values;

when the graphic to be rendered does not fit the layout space, modify the constraint values using the constraint rules to fit the graphic into the layout space, wherein the constraint rules comprise more than two constraint rules, wherein the constraint rules are ordered, modifying the constraint values comprising;

traversing the ordered constraint rules in succession; and

when a current constraint rule allows the graphic to fit within the layout space, not moving to the next constraint rule; and

a display device for displaying the rendered graphic within the layout space.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the algorithms is for laying out the shapes on a linear path and at least another one of the algorithms is for laying out the shapes on a circular path.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the at least one algorithm for laying out the shapes on a linear path includes a parameter for a direction and another parameter for an orientation controlled through a drawing tool command in the drawing application.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the parameter for the direction and the other parameter for the orientation are used to rotate a shape through the drawing tool command in the drawing application.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the drawing application is further configured to modify the constraint values by at least one of:

growing a size of the shape, adjusting text margins, and adjusting font size.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein an algorithm for modifying the constraint values associated with fitting text is associated with layout nodes of the layout tree, and wherein data exists in the data model.

17. A computer-readable storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program, the method executed but the instructions comprising:

receiving a data model defining data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic and a graphic definition describing patterns of mapping of the data from the data model to layout nodes of a layout tree, the patterns comprising algorithms for laying out shapes and text within the graphic based on the set of data and data relationships to be represented and at least one of the following;

a number of the shapes, amount of text within each shape, and dimensions of the area in which the shapes are to be laid out;

generating the layout tree based on the data model and patterns specified in the graphic definition, the layout tree containing data about shapes forming the graphic to be rendered;

providing a tool, within the application program, configured to perform without changing a layout framework at least one of the following;

altering at least one parameter of the algorithms, and

adding at least one additional algorithm to the graphic definition;

determining whether the graphic to be rendered fits a layout space on a drawing canvas;

when the graphic to be rendered fits the layout space;

creating a shape list of the shapes and the shape properties for the graphic based on the algorithms; and

providing the shape list to the application program for rendering the graphic;

when the graphic to be rendered does not fit the layout space;

creating the shape list of the shapes and the shape properties by modifying the constraint values, wherein modifying the constraint values comprises;

traversing, in succession, an ordered set of more than two constraint rules for modifying the constraint values; and

when a current constraint rule allows the graphic to fit in the layout space, not moving to the next constraint rule; and

providing the shape list based on the modified constraint values to the application program for rendering the graphic.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

implementing the constraint rules by executing the algorithms for determining at least one of;

a space between two shapes and a relative position of each of the shapes.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon exhausting all rules, automatically accessing a fallback rule list that forces drawing elements to fit within the layout space on the drawing canvas.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are stored in form of a markup language schema that includes at least one from a set of:

a layout node tag, an algorithm tag, a shape tag, and a constraint tag.