Method and apparatus for automatically modifying document layout

Claim 2

The method of claim 1 wherein the user request changes the location of a framework member and where the framework member changed by the user is selected from the group consisting of page margin, page edge, column edge and ruler guide.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 where the step of deriving alignment data includes: retrieving positional information associated with the content object; and determining if an object edge aligns with any framework members, and, if so, selecting one framework member from the set of framework members to which the object edge aligns to be the framework member to which the edge of the object is to be aligned in the redefined page layout.

Claim 4

The method of claim 3 where if an object edge aligns to more than one framework member, the framework member to which the edge of the object is to be aligned in the redefined page layout is selected according to a predetermined order.

Claim 5

The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined order is alignment to columns, ruler guides, margins, page edges, and bleed edges.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 where an object is determined to align to a framework member only if the alignment to a framework member is precise.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of repositioning framework members includes repositioning ruler guides by evaluating each ruler guide to determine if the ruler guide is superimposed with a margin or column edge that is to be repositioned according to the user request, and if the ruler guide is superimposed on such a margin or column edge then repositioning the ruler guide to maintain its position relative to the changed margin or column edge.

Claim 8

The method of claim 7 further including repositioning a ruler guide that is not superimposed on a margin or column edge to maintain its position in the redefined page relative to its position occupied in the current page framework.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of repositioning the content object includes: retrieving the alignment data for the object; aligning the object horizontally on the page; and aligning the object vertically on the page.

Claim 10

The method of claim 9 where the horizontal alignment step further comprises: determining if left and right edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects left and right edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, and if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 where the vertical alignment step further comprises: determining if top and bottom edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects top and bottom edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, and if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of repositioning the content object includes: retrieving the alignment data for the object; aligning the object horizontally on the page.

Claim 13

The method of claim 12 where the alignment step comprises: determining if left and right edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects left and right edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page; and determining if top and bottom edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects top and bottom edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, and if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page.

Claim 14

The method of claim 13 where a content object that includes a group or graphics is repositioned with proportional resizing overriding repositioning normally conducted in accordance with the alignment step.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 where the repositioning is performed by a look-up operation where the alignment data is indexed in an alignment table to map a individual pattern of edge alignments with a resultant move and resize operation to be performed on the object.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 where a content object that includes a group or graphics is repositioned with proportional resizing overriding repositioning normally conducted in accordance with the repositioning step.

Claim 17

The method of claim 1 wherein a content object that includes a bleed edge is repositioned to maintain its relative fixed distance from an adjacent edge on the document.

Claim 18

A computer program, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to: retrieve a description of each framework member in the current page framework of a document in response to receiving a user request to change the page framework; derive alignment data for each content object by determining if any edge of a content object on the page aligns with a framework member; redefine the page layout according to the user request; and reposition page content objects based on the alignment data.

Claim 19

A computer-implemented method for repositioning a content objects on a page stored on a computer in response to a request to change the page framework associated with the page, comprising: receiving a user request to change the page framework; retrieving from computer storage a description of each framework member in the current page framework; deriving alignment data for each content object by determining if any edge of the content object aligns with a framework member; redefining the page layout according to the user request; and repositioning the content objects on the redefined page based on the alignment data.

Claim 20

The method of claim 19 wherein the step of repositioning the content object includes: retrieving the alignment data for the object; and aligning the object horizontally on the page by determining if left and right edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects left and right edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object horizontally without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page; and determining if top and bottom edges of the object align to framework members, if both align to framework members, then moving and resizing the object so that the objects top and bottom edges match the new locations of the framework members to which they align in the redefined page, if only one edge of the object is aligned to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing to a new position associated with the framework member to which it is aligned, and if neither edge of the object aligns to a framework member, then moving the object vertically without resizing so as to keep its center in the same relative position on the page.