Patent ID: 8086963
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for inheriting properties associated with a presentation program, comprising: defining one or more slide masters at a first level within a hierarchy; wherein the slide master includes placeholders and defines a background, a layout color scheme and text styles associated with a presentation; defining one or more layouts at a second level within the hierarchy; wherein each of the layouts includes layout placeholders that inherit their positioning and text styles and shape formatting properties from one of the defined slide masters unless changed on the layout; wherein the first level is at a higher level within the hierarchy than the second level; defining one or more slides at a third level within the hierarchy; wherein each of the defined slides includes slide placeholders that inherit their positioning and text styles and shape formatting properties from one of the defined layouts unless changed on the slide; wherein the second level is at a higher level within the hierarchy than the third level; associating each one of the layouts with one of the slide masters; associating each one of the slides with one of the layouts; wherein after associating each of the layouts with one of the slide masters and associating each one of the slides with one of the layouts, changes that are made to the slide master propagate to the associated layout and also propagate to the slide that is associated with the layout unless an exception that is specified on a level of the hierarchy overrides the inheritance of a property specified at a higher level within the hierarchy; wherein the changes affect an appearance of one or more slides located at the third level within the hierarchy during the presentation; wherein when a layout placeholder is deleted on a layout then any slide that is a child of the layout inherits the slide's placeholder shape and text style properties from the slide master hierarchical level.