Patent ID: 7148907

Claim:
In a computer having memory wherein is stored raster data corresponding to a raster image and vector data corresponding to a vector image, a method of executing an image manipulation operation comprising the steps of: receiving user input requesting performance of an image manipulation operation on a selected one of the raster and vector images, the operation being selected by the user from a plural group consisting of all operations available for image manipulation within a single user interface for application to both raster and vector image types, with user input steps required to apply the operation to raster data being the same as user input steps required to apply the operation to vector data, wherein the selected image is the raster image and the requested image manipulation operation is one which resizes at least a portion of the selected image; automatically executing the requested image manipulation operation on the selected image, whereby the image manipulation operation is executed in substantially the same amount of time regardless of the data type of the selected image without regard to which image manipulation operation is requested; resampling the selected image, prior to the step of receiving user input requesting performance of an image manipulation operation, thereby producing at least one pre-calculated image having a different resolution than the selected image, wherein the resolution of the pre-calculated image varies from the resolution of the selected image by a predetermined multiplicative factor, wherein the resolution of the pre-calculated image varies from the resolution of the selected image by a factor of an integral power of two; storing in the memory the pre-calculated image; and using the stored pre-calculated image when performing the step of automatically executing the requested image conversion operation.