Abstract:
Systems, methods and computer products for object editing including specification of layout modes during drag and drop operations. Exemplary embodiments include, a method for object editing including specification of layout modes during electronic editing of a document on the display, the method including retrieving a plurality of objects, displaying the objects on a display of a computer, receiving an object selection signal indicative of a selection device pointing at a selected object from the plurality of objects, in response to the object selection signal, dragging a representation of the object to a destination location on the display, receiving a pause selection signal indicative of the selection device pausing during the dragging of the presentation of the object, in response to the pause selection signal, retrieving a mode change switch from the memory, displaying the mode-change switch on the display and dropping the object at the destination location.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to electronic document editing and, in particular, to systems, methods and computer products for object editing including specification of layout modes during drag and drop operations. 
         [0002]    In editing a document in a word processor or in an HTML editor, multiple different layout modes are generally used within a document. Typically, there are two layout modes: flow layout; and “free layout”. Flow layout is implemented to locate contents in order from left to right and top to bottom. Free layout is implemented to locate contents in the absolute coordinate. Common word processors and HTML editors are equipped with the function to move objects, such as text, images, buttons, and other objects involved with editing. This function allows simple drag-and-drop operations. However, the function is limited to use within the same layout mode only. For example, it is impossible to move an image arranged with the free layout mode to a table cell with the flow layout mode by a drag-and-drop operation. Currently in order to move an object arranged with the free layout mode to a table cell with the flow layout mode by a drag-and-drop operation, it is generally necessary to first change the property of the layout mode for the object to be moved. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Exemplary embodiments include, in a computer system, a method for object editing including specification of layout modes during electronic editing of a document on the display, the method including retrieving a plurality of objects displaying the objects on a display of a computer, receiving an object selection signal indicative of a selection device pointing at a selected object from the plurality of objects, in response to the object selection signal, dragging a representation of the object to a destination location on the display, receiving a pause selection signal indicative of the selection device pausing during the dragging of the presentation of the object, in response to the pause selection signal, retrieving a mode change switch from the memory, displaying the mode-change switch on the display and dropping the object at the destination location. 
         [0004]    Additional exemplary embodiments include a method for object editing including specification of layout modes during electronic editing of a document, the method including identifying an object to drag from a start location to a destination location in the document, selecting the object, dragging the object toward the destination location, pausing the dragging of the object, determining a display mode from a mode-change tool displayed adjacent to a frame associated with the object, continuing the dragging of the object to the destination location and dropping the object at the destination location. 
         [0005]    Further exemplary embodiments include a computer program product for object editing including specification of layout modes during electronic editing of a document, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method including retrieving a plurality of objects, displaying the objects on a display of a computer, receiving an object selection signal indicative of a selection device pointing at a selected object from the plurality of objects, in response to the object selection signal, dragging a representation of the object to a destination location on the display, receiving a pause selection signal indicative of the selection device pausing during the dragging of the presentation of the object, in response to the pause selection signal, retrieving a mode change switch from the memory, displaying the mode-change switch on the display and dropping the object at the destination location. 
         [0006]    Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to embodiments will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate examples of the layout mode selection screens in common word processors and HTML editors. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of a method for moving objects in a document along with a specification of the layout mode in the document in accordance with exemplary embodiments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5 . illustrates a diagram of a state where an object is overlapped on a container object in accordance with exemplary embodiments; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a parent-child relationship among objects in accordance with exemplary embodiments; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates a sibling relationship among objects in accordance with exemplary embodiments; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 8A-8F  illustrate examples of dragging and dropping operations in accordance with exemplary embodiments; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system for moving objects in a document along with a specification of the layout mode in the document. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods described herein provide the ability to move objects in a document along with a specification of the layout mode in the document. As such, while editing a document a user can freely move objects with drag and drop operations that include the layout mode in the drag and drop operations. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate examples of the layout mode selection screens in common word processors and HTML editors. In exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can be implemented in many editors to provide layout mode changes as desired in a particular application for a particular image. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a screenshot  100  of a change of layout mode in Microsoft® Word®.  FIG. 2  illustrates a screenshot  200  of a change of layout mode in HomePage Builder®.  FIG. 3  illustrates a screenshot  300  of a change of layout mode in Rational Application Developer Page Designer. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of a method  400  for moving objects in a document along with a specification of the layout mode in the document in accordance with exemplary embodiments. At block  405 , the user selects an object to move to a destination location on the document. At block  410 , the user can drag the object to be moved with the mouse. It is appreciated that, generally, only the frame indicating the outline of the object is dragged and the object itself still remains in the original position (see  FIGS. 8A-8F ). At block  415 , the method  400  can determine whether the user wants to change the layout mode. If the layout mode is not to be changed, then the object can be dropped at the destination location at block  450 . In an exemplary embodiment, if the layout mode is to be changed at block  415 , the user can stop the mouse pointer temporarily for a determined time during dragging at block  420 . In exemplary embodiments, a mode change switch (e.g., an icon, and text indicating current layout mode) is displayed close to the mouse pointer at block  425 . The user can then overlap the mouse pointer on the icon or text to change the layout mode at block  430 . In exemplary embodiments, a change of the layout mode can be recognized by the indication of the icon, text (i.e., indicating current layout mode), and/or shape of the mouse pointer at block  435 . The user can then select the new mode at block  440 . Then, while keeping the present indication state, by dropping the object in the destination location, the object is inserted in the destination location with the changed layout mode at block  445 . Therefore, moving an object along with specifying the layout mode in one drop-and-drag operation by using the mouse is realized. 
         [0020]    In exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can be applied not only to operations of moving objects which are already added to and located in a document, but also to other operations including addition of a new object from a palette by drag-and-drop operation. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein can be implemented as a way to change other types of modes when moving/adding objects, in addition to changing the layout mode from/to “flow layout”/“free layout”. For example, the systems and methods described herein can be implemented in moving an object  520  onto a container object  510  (See  FIG. 5 ), to specify if the movement is to be executed as adding a child object to the container (See  FIG. 6 ), or as a mere moving to an overlapping position without having a parent-child relationship with the container (See  FIG. 7 ).  FIG. 5  illustrates a state where another object (i.e., an ellipse) is dragged to a position that overlaps to a container object  510  (i.e., a rectangle). If the mouse cursor is paused at that position for a short period of time (e.g. one second), a mode switch, whose icon/labels indicate the current dropping mode is “add as a child of a container”, is displayed near the cursor. If the user chooses to drop the ellipse object in the current mode (“add as a child of a container” mode), the ellipse (the object  520 ) is added as a child of the rectangle container object.  FIG. 6  illustrates the resulting object tree structure, a parent-child relationship in accordance with exemplary embodiments. Alternatively, the user may choose to switch to “move as a top level node” mode. If the mouse cursor is hovered over the mode switch, the icon as well as label of the mode switch changes to indicate that the current dropping mode has changed to “move as a top level node” mode. Dropping the ellipse object in the “move as a top level node” mode simply moves the object to that position without changing parent.  FIG. 7  illustrates the resulting object tree structure, a sibling relationship in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 8A-8F  illustrate examples of the exemplary layout mode specification methods as described herein. In  FIG. 8A  an image  810  is located with a free layout mode (e.g., in an absolute coordinate) on a table  820  and text  830  with the flow layout mode. In an exemplary embodiment, as a user starts dragging the image  810  by using the mouse, the frame  815  indicating the outline of the image  810  moves, which is current behavior of the frame  815   FIG. 8B  illustrates an example of the frame  815  moving via a mouse pointer  816  as the user selects and drags the image  810 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 8C  illustrates the frame  815  at a destination location  817 . In exemplary embodiments, when the user temporarily stops the mouse pointer  816  for a short time period (e.g. for one second) at the destination location  817 , a mode change switch  840  (having an icon  841  and text  842  indicating the current mode) is displayed in close to the mouse pointer  816 . In exemplary embodiments, by moving the mouse pointer  816  in the path shown in arrow  843  so that it moves over the mode-change switch  840 , the layout mode in the mode-change switch  840  is changed. In this example, the layout mode is changed to the flow layout as indicated in  FIG. 8E . A change of the layout mode can be recognized by the indication of the icon  841  on the mode-change switch  840 , text  842  (i.e., indicating current mode) on the mode-change switch  840 , and/or shape of the mouse pointer  816 . It is appreciated that the layout mode change can be indicated by other indications in alternate exemplary embodiments. In addition, the effect of placing the mouse pointer on the mode change switch  840  can be defined as returning to the previous mode (toggle) or further changing to another mode, which is indicated by icon and label of mode switch  840 . As such, by placing the mouse pointer  816  on the mode change switch  840 , the user can toggle between different layouts via the toggle icon  844 . Finally, as the mouse pointer  816  is dropped while in the flow layout mode, in this example, the image  810  is inserted in a cell  821  (e.g., the destination location  817 ) of the table  820  as illustrated in  FIG. 8F . 
         [0023]      FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system  900  for moving objects in a document along with a specification of the layout mode in the document. The methods described herein can be implemented in software (e.g., firmware), hardware, or a combination thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the methods described herein are implemented in software, as an executable program, and is executed by a special or general-purpose digital computer, such as a personal computer, workstation, minicomputer, or mainframe computer. The system  900  therefore includes general-purpose computer  901 . 
         [0024]    In exemplary embodiments, in terms of hardware architecture, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the computer  901  includes a processor  901 , memory  910  coupled to a memory controller  915 , and one or more input and/or output (I/O) devices  940 ,  945  (or peripherals) that are communicatively coupled via a local input/output controller  935 . The input/output controller  935  can be, for example but not limited to, one or more buses or other wired or wireless connections, as is known in the art. The input/output controller  935  may have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as controllers, buffers (caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers, to enable communications. Further, the local interface may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications among the aforementioned components. 
         [0025]    The processor  905  is a hardware device for executing software, particularly that stored in memory  910 . The processor  905  can be any custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the computer  901 , a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set), a macroprocessor, or generally any device for executing software instructions. 
         [0026]    The memory  910  can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), tape, compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), disk, diskette, cartridge, cassette or the like, etc.). Moreover, the memory  910  may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memory  910  can have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remote from one another, but can be accessed by the processor  905 . 
         [0027]    The software in memory  910  may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the software in the memory  910  includes the layout mode specification methods described herein in accordance with exemplary embodiments and a suitable operating system (OS)  911 . The operating system  911  essentially controls the execution of other computer programs, such as the layout mode specification systems and methods described herein, and provides scheduling, input-output control, file and data management, memory management, and communication control and related services. 
         [0028]    The layout mode specification methods described herein may be in the form of a source program, executable program (object code), script, or any other entity comprising a set of instructions to be performed. When a source program, then the program needs to be translated via a compiler, assembler, interpreter, or the like, which may or may not be included within the memory  910 , so as to operate properly in connection with the OS  911 . Furthermore, the layout mode specification methods can be written as an object oriented programming language, which has classes of data and methods, or a procedure programming language, which has routines, subroutines, and/or functions. 
         [0029]    In exemplary embodiments, a conventional keyboard  950  and mouse  955  can be coupled to the input/output controller  935 . Other output devices such as the I/O devices  940 ,  945  may include input devices, for example but not limited to a printer, a scanner, microphone, and the like. Finally, the I/O devices  940 ,  945  may further include devices that communicate both inputs and outputs, for instance but not limited to, a NIC or modulator/demodulator (for accessing other files, devices, systems, or a network), a radio frequency (RF) or other transceiver, a telephonic interface, a bridge, a router, and the like. The system  900  can further include a display controller  925  coupled to a display  930 . In exemplary embodiments, the system  900  can further include a network interface  960  for coupling to a network  965 . The network  965  can be an IP-based network for communication between the computer  901  and any external server, client and the like via a broadband connection. The network  965  transmits and receives data between the computer  901  and external systems. In exemplary embodiments, network  965  can be a managed IP network administered by a service provider. The network  965  may be implemented in a wireless fashion, e.g., using wireless protocols and technologies, such as WiFi, WiMax, etc. The network  965  can also be a packet-switched network such as a local area network, wide area network, metropolitan area network, Internet network, or other similar type of network environment. The network  965  may be a fixed wireless network, a wireless local area network (LAN), a wireless wide area network (WAN) a personal area network (PAN), a virtual private network (VPN), intranet or other suitable network system and includes equipment for receiving and transmitting signals. 
         [0030]    If the computer  901  is a PC, workstation, intelligent device or the like, the software in the memory  910  may further include a basic input output system (BIOS) (omitted for simplicity). The BIOS is a set of essential software routines that initialize and test hardware at startup, start the OS  911 , and support the transfer of data among the hardware devices. The BIOS is stored in ROM so that the BIOS can be executed when the computer  901  is activated. 
         [0031]    When the computer  901  is in operation, the processor  905  is configured to execute software stored within the memory  910 , to communicate data to and from the memory  910 , and to generally control operations of the computer  901  pursuant to the software. The layout mode specification methods described herein and the OS  22 , in whole or in part, but typically the latter, are read by the processor  905 , perhaps buffered within the processor  905 , and then executed. 
         [0032]    When the systems and methods described herein are implemented in software, as is shown in  FIG. 9 , it the methods can be stored on any computer readable medium, such as storage  920 , for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this document, a computer readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer related system or method. The layout mode specification methods described herein can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In exemplary embodiments, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
         [0033]    In exemplary embodiments, where the layout mode specification methods are implemented in hardware, the layout mode specification methods described herein can implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. 
         [0034]    In exemplary embodiments, one or more processes in the memory  910  can monitor activity from the keyboard  950  and the mouse  955  or a combination thereof. The processes can further monitor long-running jobs that have been initiated on the computer  901 . The processes can further monitor which and how many other machines can control the computer  901  either locally or remotely. In exemplary embodiments, the processes can also inquire or accept a grace period input by a user of the computer  901 . The grace period can be a time period after which all traffic to and from the computer ceases if no further activity has been sensed by the processes. In this way, if a user has left the computer  901  for an extended period of time or has left the computer (e.g., after a work day) the computer  901  no longer allows traffic to and from the computer  901 . In an alternative implementation, the computer  901  can totally power down after the grace period has expired. In further exemplary embodiments, the processes can accept traffic only from a common network maintenance control system that provides limited services. 
         [0035]    As described above, embodiments can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. In exemplary embodiments, the invention is embodied in computer program code executed by one or more network elements. Embodiments include computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. Embodiments include computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. 
         [0036]    While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.