Gallery User Interface Controls

Abstract

A computing system for providing a user interface control to modify properties of items within a main application window. The computing system has a main application window, a gallery control window, a control object selection processing module, and a control object focus processing module. The main application window contains one or more application items, each application item having one or more control properties affecting a behavior of the application item. The gallery control window contains a list of one or more control objects for modifying control properties of the application items located within the main application window. Each of the control objects in the list of control objects includes a graphical icon having a selection portion and a properties portion and one or more control properties that affect one or more items within the main application window.

1 . A method for providing a user interface for editing document objects, the method comprising:
 displaying a first user interface portion for displaying at least one document object;   displaying a second user interface portion for editing the at least one document object, wherein displaying the second user interface portion comprises:   providing at least one formatting control configured to:   enable a user to define at least one formatting property to be associated with the at least one formatting control, and   apply the at least one formatting property to the at least one document object,   providing an expansion control configured to expand the second user interface portion;   receiving a selection of the expansion control; and   expanding, in response to the received selection of the expansion control, the second user interface portion, the expanded second user interface portion comprising a plurality of additional formatting controls.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a subsequent selection of the expansion control; and   returning, in response to the received subsequent selection of the expansion control, the second user interface portion to its initial size.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the at least one formatting control comprises displaying a graphical icon for previewing the at least one formatting property associated with the at least one formatting control, the graphical icon comprising at least one of the following: a formatted text and an image. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the at least one formatting control; and   providing, in response to the received selection, a plurality of properties that make up the at least one formatting property.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a modification to the plurality of properties that make up the at least one formatting property; and   updating, in response to the received modification, the graphical icon to reflect the modified at least one formatting property.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein receiving the selection of the at least one formatting control comprises detecting a hovering cursor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, in response to detecting the hovering cursor, displaying a third control that, upon selection of the third control, provides the plurality of editing properties comprising the at least one formatting property. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the at least one formatting control; and
 applying, in response to the received selection, the at least one formatting property associated with the at least one formatting control to the selected object. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding, in response to the received selection of the second control, the second user interface portion comprises expanding the second user interface to include most recently used formatting controls. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein expanding the second user interface to include the most recently used controls comprises displaying a separator between the most recently used controls and the plurality of additional formatting controls. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the at least one formatting control comprises providing the at least one formatting control having a first area corresponding to the application of the at least one formatting property and a second area corresponding to the definition of the at least one formatting property. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions which, when executed, perform a method for providing a user interface for editing application items, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:
 providing a first user interface portion for displaying at least one application item;   providing a second user interface portion for editing the at least one application item, wherein providing the second user interface portion comprises:   displaying at least one formatting control having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to enable a user to define at least one formatting property to be associated with the at least one formatting control and the second portion being configured to apply the at least one formatting property to the at least one application item,   displaying an expansion control configured to expand the second user interface portion;   receiving a selection of the expansion control; and   expanding, in response to the received selection of the expansion control, the second user interface portion, the expanded second user interface portion comprising a plurality of additional formatting controls.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving a subsequent selection of the expansion control; and   returning, in response to the received subsequent selection of the expansion control, the second user interface portion to its initial size.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the at least one formatting control comprises displaying a graphical icon for previewing the at least one formatting property associated with the at least one formatting control, the graphical icon comprising at least one of the following: a formatted text and an image. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the first area of the at least one formatting control; and   providing, in response to the received selection, a plurality of properties that make up the at least one formatting property.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a modification to the plurality of properties that make up the at least one formatting property; and   updating, in response to the received modification, the graphical icon to reflect the modified at least one formatting property.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the second area of the at least one formatting control; and   applying, in response to the received selection, the at least one formatting property associated with the at least one formatting control to the selected item.   
     
     
         18 . A system for providing a user interface for editing application items, the system comprising:
 a memory storage; and   a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, the processing unit being configured to execute instructions for providing:   an application window including an application item,   a gallery control window including a plurality of control objects, each control object including a graphical icon having a selection portion, a properties portion, and at least one control property, the graphical icon being designed to provide a visual depiction associated with the at least one control property being implemented by the control object, wherein providing the visual depiction comprises previewing the at least one control property by at least one of the following: a formatted text, a thumbnail image, a video, and multimedia data,   a control object selection processing module for modifying a behavior of the application item based on the at least one control property of a selected control object upon receiving a user selection of the selection portion of the selected control object, and   a control object processing module for modifying the at least one control property of the selected control object upon receiving a user selection of the properties portion of the selected control object.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control object processing module provides a menu for modifying the at least one control property of the control object upon receiving a mouse click located upon the properties portion of the control object. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control object selection processing module modifies the application item upon receiving a mouse click located upon the selection portion of the control object.