Patent ID: 7584435

Claim:
A method for using a processor for determining existing dimensions of an element being displayed at an original position within a plug-in resource having a rectangular output region, the element having an origin point, the method comprising: moving the element so that its origin point is at a first corner of the output region; measuring a first increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element; measuring a first increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element; moving the element so that its origin point is at a second corner of the output region, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner; measuring a second increase in a horizontal dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element; measuring a second increase in a vertical dimension of the output region resulting from moving the element; determining an existing horizontal dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the horizontal dimension of the output region; determining an existing vertical dimension of the element as equal to the sum of the first and second measured increases in the vertical dimension of the output region; and subsequently to measuring the increases in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, restoring the element to its original position within the output region.