System, method, and software application for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application

摘要

The present invention provides a system, method, and software program for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application. According to one embodiment of the invention, a visual mapping application creates a file with (i) visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by an external application to display the visual map and provide select visual mapping application in the external application. In one embodiment, such functionality includes the ability to expand and collapse map topics, scroll the map, zoom in and out, follow hypertext links in the map, find content in the map, and print the map. The created file can be thought of as a “visual map player” in that an external application can “play” the created file, resulting in a live map in the external application.

主权项

1. A method on a computer for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application, the method comprising:
receiving a request in a visual mapping application to create a visual map file that can be executed within an external application, the visual mapping application having visual mapping functionality including editing functionality for a user to edit visual map data and store the edited visual map data; in response to receiving the request in the visual mapping application to create a visual map file that can be executed within an external application, performing the following steps:
retrieving visual map data, including any stored edits to the visual map data, wherein the visual map data is retrieved by the visual mapping application; andcreating a file in the visual mapping application, wherein the created file includes (i) the retrieved visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by the external application to display the visual map and enable at least a subset of the same visual mapping functionality as the visual mapping application within the external application, wherein the visual mapping functionality includes the editing functionality for editing the visual map.