Variable dimension version editing for graphical designs

• US 9,703,457 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axure Software Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Axure Software Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsu, Victor, Smith, Martin, Gardner, Ian, Fraser, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US14/176,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods for allowing users to specify interactive graphical designs are provided. The graphical designs can comprise multiple dimension versions—such as a tablet dimension version or a phone dimension version. Some of the methods involve an inheritance structure that defines a first dimension version of the design as a child of a second dimension version of the design. Specifications for properties of widgets in the graphical design are applied to the design in accordance with the inheritance specification. Some of the methods involve an inheritance characterization that determines how properties of a widget are affected by the inheritance structure across different dimension versions. Some of the methods involve an existence property for the widgets.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allowing a user to specify an interactive graphical design comprising:

receiving, by a graphical design tool in a graphical design environment, a specification of a first dimension version and a specification of a second dimension version of said interactive graphical design;

receiving, by said graphical design tool in said graphical design environment, a specification of a widget that is included in said interactive graphical design, said widget having an existence property;

storing, by said graphical design tool, a placed value for said existence property for said first dimension version;

generating, by said graphical design tool in said graphical design environment, a rendering of said first dimension version of said interactive graphical design in which said widget appears, said widget having an existence property;

storing, by said graphical design tool, an unplaced value for said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version; and

generating, by said graphical design tool, an exported design of said interactive graphical design for rendering in an external player; and

wherein, upon rendering by said external player of said exported design, said widget appears in said first dimension version, and said widget cannot appear in said second dimension version.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a specification for a first property of said widget while said user is editing said first dimension version, said specification for said first property setting said first property to a first value;

receiving a specification for said existence property of said widget while said user is editing said first dimension version; and

storing said first value for said first property of said widget in said second dimension version in response to receiving said specification for said first property;

wherein said specification for said existence property of said widget cannot alter said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an existence property specification command from said user while said user is editing said first dimension version, said existence property specification command setting said existence property for said widget in said first dimension version to said first placed value;

storing a second placed value for said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version in response to said receiving of said existence property specification command from said user; and

receiving a second existence property specification command from said user while said user is editing said second dimension version, said existence property specification command setting said existence property for said widget in said second dimension version to said unplaced value;

wherein said storing of said unplaced value is conducted in response to said receiving of said second existence property specification command from said user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an existence property interface; and

generating a rendering of said second dimension version in which said widget does not appear;

wherein said existence property interface (i) indicates that said widget has said first placed value for said existence property when said existence property interface is displayed in conjunction with said first dimension version and (ii) indicates that said widget has said unplaced value for said existence property when said existence property interface is displayed in conjunction with said second dimension version.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an existence property specification command from said user via said existence property interface while said second dimension version is being displayed to said user;

altering said existence property for said widget in said second dimension version from said unplaced value to said first placed value; and

generating a second rendering of said second dimension version in which said widget appears in response to said altering.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for executing a computer-implemented method, said computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a graphical design tool in a graphical design environment, a specification of a first dimension version and a specification of a second dimension version of said interactive graphical design;

receiving, by said graphical design tool in said graphical design environment, a specification of a widget that is included in said interactive graphical design, said widget having an existence property;

storing, by said graphical design tool, a placed value for said existence property for said first dimension version;

generating, by said graphical design tool in said graphical design environment, a rendering of said first dimension version of said interactive graphical design in which said widget appears, said widget having an existence property;

storing, by said graphical design tool, an unplaced value for said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version; and

generating, by said graphical design tool, an exported design of said interactive graphical design for rendering in an external player; and

wherein, upon rendering by said external player of said exported design, said widget appears in said first dimension version, and said widget cannot appear in said second dimension version.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, said computer-implemented method further comprising:

receiving a specification for a first property of said widget while a user is editing said first dimension version, said specification for said first property setting said first property to a first value;

receiving a specification for said existence property of said widget while said user is editing said first dimension version; and

storing said first value for said first property of said widget in said second dimension version in response to receiving said specification for said first property;

wherein said specification for said existence property of said widget cannot alter said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, said computer-implemented method further comprising:

receiving an existence property specification command from a user while said user is editing said first dimension version, said existence property specification command setting said existence property for said widget in said first dimension version to said first placed value;

storing a second placed value for said existence property of said widget in said second dimension version in response to said receiving of said existence property specification command from said user; and

receiving a second existence property specification command from said user while said user is editing said second dimension version, said existence property specification command setting said existence property for said widget in said second dimension version to said unplaced value;

wherein said storing of said unplaced value is conducted in response to said receiving of said second existence property specification command from said user.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, said computer-implemented method further comprising:

generating an existence property interface; and

generating a rendering of said second dimension version in which said widget does not appear;

wherein said existence property interface (i) indicates that said widget has said first placed value for said existence property when said existence property interface is displayed in conjunction with said first dimension version and (ii) indicates that said widget has said unplaced value for said existence property when said existence property interface is displayed in conjunction with said second dimension version.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, said computer-implemented method further comprising:

receiving an existence property specification command from a user via said existence property interface while said second dimension version is being displayed to said user;

altering said existence property for said widget in said second dimension version from said unplaced value to said first placed value; and

generating a second rendering of said second dimension version in which said widget appears in response to said altering.