Gluing layout containers

摘要

A method is disclosed for laying out a plurality of containers on a page to generate a document upon insertion of content in the containers. The containers each have edges whose position upon layout is independent of the dimensions of the content inserted in each container. An association is created between an edge of a first container and an edge of a second container that is parallel and opposed to the first edge which constrains the second edge to a relation to the first edge. The page may then be laid out using the containers such that the edge of the first container moves dependent on the dimensions of content inserted in the first and second containers.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically laying out a plurality of containers in a page layout to generate, with a processor, one or more documents upon insertion of content in the containers, said method comprising:
(a) creating a plurality of containers, each said container having edges whose position in the page layout is independent of the content inserted in said containers and having at least one edge whose position is constrained by setting to be either content-independent or content-dependent in at least one direction, wherein a first container of said plurality of containers has an edge glued to a guide of the page layout and a second container of said plurality of containers also has an edge glued to the guide, and the guide is displayed as part of a graphical user interface representation of the page layout, and the edge of the first container and the edge of the second container are each associated with the guide; (b) setting the guide to be movable in the page layout, if the glued edges of the first container and the second container are opposed to each other with respect to the guide, to establish the opposed glued edges to be content-dependent; and (c) setting the guide to be fixed in the page layout, if the glued edges of the first container and the second container are positioned on the same side with respect to the guide, to establish the glued edges to be content-independent.