Method, system, and computer-readable medium for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program

摘要

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for creating and laying out a graphic within a drawing application program. The method includes receiving a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic, receiving a graphic definition describing the mapping of the data from the data model to a set of algorithms, algorithm parameters, constraints, constraint rules, and shape properties, determining a shape size and position for the layout nodes utilizing the set of algorithms, constraints, and constraint rules from the graphic definition, and creating a list of shapes and shape properties for the graphic, including size and position. The method further includes determining if the graphic fits a given layout into a specific area based on the set of constraint values and if the graphic does not fit the specific area, then modifying the set of constraint values using the constraint rules.

主权项

1. A method for creating and laying out a graphic within an application program, the method comprising:
receiving a data model, the data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic to be rendered; receiving a graphic definition, the graphic definition describing patterns for applying algorithms, the algorithms comprising layout routines for positioning shapes in the graphic to be rendered within the application program; determining whether the graphic to be rendered fits a layout space of the application program based on constraint values; and when the graphic to be rendered does not fit the layout space, modifying the constraint values using constraint rules to fit the graphic into the layout space, the constraint rules comprising an ordered set of more than two constraint rules, wherein modifying the constraint values using the constraint rules comprises:
trying each rule of the ordered set of more than two constraint rules in succession, andwhen a current constraint rule allows the graphic to fit within the layout space, not moving to the next constraint rule.