Balancing multiple column layout

摘要

A method for managing multiple columns in a document. The method includes obtaining a text stream from the document; obtaining a current fill limit associated with an initial column of the multiple columns; placing, using a layout engine, the text stream within the multiple columns according to the current fill limit; identifying, after placing the text stream, a first fill level of a final column of the multiple columns; calculating a first difference between the current fill limit and the first fill level of the final column; calculating, in response to the first difference exceeding a tolerance, a revised fill limit based on the current fill limit; placing, using the layout engine, the text stream within the multiple columns according to the revised fill limit.

主权项

1. A method for managing a plurality of columns including an initial column and a final column in an electronic document (ED) described in a markup language, comprising:
obtaining a text stream from the ED; identifying, based on a plurality of attributes in the markup language, a plurality of widths of the plurality of columns, a height of the plurality of columns, and the number of columns in the plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of columns has the height and one of the plurality of widths; identifying a total area of the plurality of columns based on the plurality of widths and the height; calculating an area covered by the text stream by placing, using a layout engine, the text stream within the plurality of columns; calculating a ratio by dividing the area covered with the total area; calculating a line limit based on a product of the ratio and a number of lines per column; and replacing, using the layout engine, a first portion of the text stream in the initial column until the line limit is reached and a second portion of the text stream in the final column.