Automatic correction, and skipping of document design problems based on document types

• US 7,437,659 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pollock, Josh, Taniwaki, George, Chopra, Nitin, Wood, Matt, Elman, Donald, Ross, Benjamen Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula; Cesar B
• Application Number:
  US10/356,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,080 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/513, 715/515, 715/526, 715/533, 715/200, 715/205, 715209-211, 715/234, 715243-276, 715/531, 358/1.15, 358/1.11, 358/1.12, 358/1.14, 358/518
• US Class Current: 715/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

A publishing program can provide continuous and real-time feedback on possible design problems while a document is being edited or created. The feedback can include displaying a user interface that has a real-time list of any design problems that may be a result of the current edits or creations in a document. The list is updated as the document is being created or edited. A user can toggle between the list and the document as often as desired. The list can identify all current potential publication problems of an electronic document as well as the types of the publication problems that may be present in an electronic document.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring and correcting design publication problems of a document comprising:

receiving input for one of creating, editing, or deleting objects within a document;

while receiving the input, determining if the created, edited, or deleted objects create possible publication design problems;

automatically detecting a document output type for publishing the document;

accessing a list of checks to apply to the document, wherein the list of checks are dependent on the document output type;

determining if a user has flagged certain checks in the list of checks to skip based upon previously selected user options, the previously selected user options comprising determining whether too much blank space exists on top of a document page, determining whether an object is off the document page, determining whether an object is disproportional on the document page, and determining whether one object covers another object on the document page;

identifying components of the input;

storing the components in a list of events in an event queue;

determining how each event affects publication of the document, wherein each event in the list of events comprises event data, wherein the event data comprises event specific information which comprises the location of change on a document page where a user event has occurred;

in response to determining possible publication design problems, displaying a user interface addressing a status of the possible publication design problems for the document, wherein the user interface lists at least two of the design problems and allows a user to select an order in which the design problems will be addressed; and

in response to receiving a selection of a problem from the list, highlighting within the document the problem wherein the problem is highlighted within the document using a screen mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving input in the user interface addressing a status of a possible publication design problem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying options relating to the status of the possible publication problems.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering out duplicate events in the list of events.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering out events unrelated to publishing from the list of events based on determining how each event affects publication of the document.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering duplicate checks from the list of checks.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the filtering occurs when a system is idle.

8. A computer-implemented interactive method for monitoring and resolving possible publication problems of a document comprising:

monitoring action within a document;

in response to the action, providing feedback in the document relating to status of possible publication problems wherein providing feedback includes displaying a user interface addressing a status of possible publication design problems for the document, wherein the user interface lists design problems and allows a user to select an order in which design problems will be addressed;

automatically determining a type of output for publishing the document;

accessing a list of checks to apply to the document, wherein the list of checks are dependent on the type of output;

determining if the user has flagged certain checks in the list of checks to skip based upon previously selected user options, the previously selected user options comprising determining whether too much blank space exists on top of a document page, determining whether an object is off the document page, determining whether an object is disproportional on the document page, and determining whether one object covers another object on the document page;

searching for possible publication problems specific to the type of output while avoiding a search for problems that could exist for a different type of output; and

providing feedback that relates to the type of output;

wherein the type of output comprises one of the following;

desktop publishing through a printer; and

web site design.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing feedback in the document further comprises displaying a user interface in a viewing area separate from the document.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a list of possible publication problems for the document; and

identifying a problem in the document in response to selection of a problem from the list.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a list of possible publication problems for the document; and

displaying a page in the document comprising one of the problems in response to selection of the problem from the list.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a list of possible publication problems for the document; and

highlighting a problem within the document with a screen mechanism in response to selection of the problem from the list.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a list of possible publication problems for the document;

returning to the document for editing in response to selection of the problem from the list.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically editing the document to resolve a publication problem.

15. A computer system for creating a work management file, comprising:

a processing unit;

a memory storage device;

a display device coupled to the processing unit for displaying data; and

a program stored in the memory storage device for providing instructions to the processing unit,

the processing unit responsive to the instructions of the program, operable for;

automatically detecting a document output type for publishing the document;

accessing a list of checks to apply to the document, wherein the list of checks are dependent on the document output type;

determining if a user has flagged certain checks in the list of checks to skip based upon previously selected user options, the previously selected user options comprising determining whether too much blank space exists on top of a document page, determining whether an object is off the document page, determining whether an object is disproportional on the document page, and determining whether one object covers another object on the document page;

displaying a list of possible design publication problems associated with the document output type while displaying a document, wherein the list of possible design publication problems allows a user to select an order in which the possible design publication problems will be addressed;

receiving input for one of editing the document or requesting further information on a problem in the list of problems; and

displaying a page in the document comprising the problem in response to the problem being selected from the list wherein the problem is highlighted on the page.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable for:

monitoring action within the document; and

identifying problems associated with the action.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable for:

monitoring action within the document; and

updating the list of problems in response to the action.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable for:

storing user action in a list of events;

determining how the user action affects publication of the document; and

filtering out the user action from the list of events when the user action is determined to be unrelated to publishing.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable for:

mapping user action with potential design publication problems;

generating a list of checks to run on the document;

executing the list of checks.