Patent ID: 7478340

Claim:
A method for managing the preparation of a set of graphical elements in a hierarchical structure for presentation, the method comprising: identifying a first subset of the elements where measurement is desirable, wherein the measurement comprises measuring a root element and subsequently recursively measuring child elements of the root element, identifying at least one island within the first subset of elements, wherein each element in the first subset has associated with it a respective island of elements; wherein the at least one island includes the root element and at least one of the following: zero of the child elements or more than zero of the child elements; adding the root element to a first data structure; identifying a second subset of the elements where arrangement is desirable, wherein the arrangement comprises arranging a root element and subsequently recursively arranging child elements of the root element; identifying at least one island within the second subset of elements, wherein each element in the second subset has associated with it a respective island of elements and wherein the at least one island includes the root element and at least one of the following: zero of the child elements or more than zero of the child elements; adding the root element to a second data structure; executing a first series of operations for measuring the elements comprising the first subset, wherein the first series of operations comprises: a) identifying a maximal element represented in the first data structure, wherein the maximal element comprises the highest element in the first data structure, the first data structure comprising a hierarchical structure; b) removing the maximal element's representation in the first data structure; c) measuring the maximal element; repeating the listed steps until the first data structure is empty; and executing a second series of operations for arranging the elements comprising the second subset; issuing a notify message that the layout of the measured and arranged elements has been updated.