Efficient printing of frames pages

• US 20040105127A1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Cudd, Richard, Thorp, Jeremy David Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

Disclosed is a method (1900) of forming a printable representation of a document (1800) having framed content (1808). The method includes recording (1904) the position, height and width of each frame of the document in a display widow in which the document is presented. The dimensions of a printing medium associated with the printable representation are also identified. A height of content of each frame is determined and, for each frame, a record of any corresponding dependency frames, each dependency frame being above the frame in the display window;. The records are then interpreted to establish a display order of the frames. For each frame (1908), and in the display order, a number of subsidiary steps are then performed, those being (a) checking a start position of the frame against an end position of a created display region of a frame upon which the frame is dependent, and setting the start position to be the end position (1910,1912), (b) creating a display region upon a page in the printable representation at the start position according to the corresponding content height, (c) placing the content of the frame into the display region (1914); and (d) where the display region exceeds a page limit in the printable representation (1916), terminating the display region at the page limit and creating a further display region upon a following page of the printable representation.

Claims

1. A method of forming a printable representation of a document having framed content, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) recording the position, height and width of each frame of said document in a display widow in which said document is presented,

(b) identifying dimensions of a printing medium associated with said printable representation;

(c) determining a height of content of each said frame;

(d) determining, for each said frame, a record of any corresponding dependency frames, each said dependency frame being above said frame in said display window;

(e) interpreting the records to establish a display order of said frames;

(f) for each said frame, and in said display order;

(fa) checking a start position of said frame against an end position of a created display region of a frame upon which said frame is dependent, and setting said start position to be said end position;

(fb) creating a display region upon a page in said printable representation at said start position according to said corresponding content height;

(fc) placing the content of said frame into said display region; and

(fd) where said display region exceeds a page limit in said printable representation, terminating the display region at the page limit and creating a further display region upon a following page of the printable representation.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises:

(ca) determining a width of said content of each said frame;

(cb) determining a scaling factor by which the content width of said frame need be adjusted to correspond to a corresponding display width of said frame in said display window; and

step (fb) further comprises scaling the content of said frame according to said scaling factor to fit within said display width.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein step (fb) comprises:

(i) applying a zoom to the display region corresponding to the scaling factor; and

(ii) expanding a width of the display region by the inverse of the scaling factor to thereby reveal content otherwise obscured.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises reducing said dimensions by margin dimensions to be formed in said printable representation.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises forming a linear array of records incorporating links from records of dependent ones of said frames to frames from which they depend.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein no account is taken of horizontal dependency between said frames.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said printable representation is a print preview representation.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said printable representation comprises at least part of a print job dispatched to a printer.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said document comprises an HTML document defining a Web page.

10. A method of forming a printable representation of a Web page, said method comprising:

(i) detecting one of a print or a print preview selection for said Web page from a Web browser application;

(ii) examining a definition of said Web page for the presence of frames; and

(iii) where step (ii) detects the presence of at least one frame in said Web page, performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

(iv) where step (ii) fails to detect the presence of a frame, forming the printable representation according to the browser application.

12. A computer program for forming a printable representation of a document having framed content, said program comprising:

code for recording the position, height and width of each frame of said document in a display widow in which said document is presented,

code for identifying dimensions of a printing medium associated with said printable representation;

code for determining a height of content of each said frame;

code for determining, for each said frame, a record of any corresponding dependency frames, each said dependency frame being above said frame in said display window;

code for interpreting the records to establish a display order of said frames;

code operable for each said frame, and in said display order, for;

(a) checking a start position of said frame against an end position of a created display region of a frame upon which said frame is dependent, and setting said start position to be said end position;

(b) creating a display region upon a page in said printable representation at said start position according to said corresponding content height;

(c) placing the content of said frame into said display region; and

(d) where said display region exceeds a page limit in said printable representation, terminating the display region at the page limit and creating a further display region upon a following page of the printable representation.

13. A computer program according to claim 12 wherein said program forms a sub-application associated with a browser application and having a graphical user interface formed with a graphical user interface of said browser application.

14. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon and arranged to make a computer execute a procedure to form a printable representation of a document having framed content, said program comprising:

code means for recording the position, height and width of each frame of said document in a display widow in which said document is presented,

code means for identifying dimensions of a printing medium associated with said printable representation;

code means for determining a height of content of each said frame;

code means for determining, for each said frame, a record of any corresponding dependency frames, each said dependency frame being above said frame in said display window;

code means for interpreting the records to establish a display order of said frames;

code means, operable for each said frame, and in said display order, to;

(a) check a start position of said frame against an end position of a created display region of a frame upon which said frame is dependent, and setting said start position to be said end position;

(b) create a display region upon a page in said printable representation at said start position according to said corresponding content height;

(c) place the content of said frame into said display region; and

(d) where said display region exceeds a page limit in said printable representation, terminate the display region at the page limit and creating a further display region upon a following page of the printable representation.

15. A computer system operable to form a printable representation of a document having framed content, said system comprising:

means for recording the position, height and width of each frame of said document in a display widow in which said document is presented,

means for identifying dimensions of a printing medium associated with said printable representation;

means for determining a height of content of each said frame;

means for determining, for each said frame, a record of any corresponding dependency frames, each said dependency frame being above said frame in said display window;

means for interpreting the records to establish a display order of said frames;

means, operable for each said frame, and in said display order, to;

(a) check a start position of said frame against an end position of a created display region of a frame upon which said frame is dependent, and setting said start position to be said end position;

(b) create a display region upon a page in said printable representation at said start position according to said corresponding content height;

(c) place the content of said frame into said display region; and

(d) where said display region exceeds a page limit in said printable representation, terminate the display region at the page limit and creating a further display region upon a following page of the printable representation.