Patent ID: 8082494

Claim:
A method in a computer system for rendering markup language data representing a macro as macro objects in a graphical user interface on a display device, comprising: receiving a translation command in the user interface to paste the markup language data to a plurality of macro objects for display on a design surface in the graphical user interface, the plurality of macro objects representative of the macro, wherein the markup language data comprises an envelope, the envelope comprising a markup language structure for encasing the plurality of macro objects, and wherein the markup language data has been copied to a clipboard from a data source; in response to receiving the translation command, converting the markup language data to the plurality of macro objects; validating the plurality of macro objects, wherein validating the plurality of macro objects comprises: determining whether the envelope is valid with respect to an insert location for rendering the plurality of macro objects on the design surface; determining whether a macro type associated with the plurality of macro objects is the same as a macro type associated with the insert location for rendering the plurality of macro objects on the design surface; and determining that the plurality of macro objects to be rendered on the design surface at the insert location are supported by the design surface; and automatically rendering the plurality of macro objects on the design surface in the graphical user interface.