Electronic document style matrix

Abstract

A method and system for rendering electronic document objects is provided in which a style matrix holds potential attribute values, and attribute references are used to address values in the style matrix. A mix of attribute references and actual attribute values may be used so make some attributes theme- and application-specific, and others theme- and application-independent. Further, a method for rendering a gallery of potential styles is provided. Additionally, a method for associating a style matrix with an electronic document application is provided. Finally, a computer-readable medium for storing a computer-interpretable data structure that identifies a matrix of style attribute types and style attribute values is provided.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a gallery of potential styles for an object comprising:
 receiving an object selection;   looking up one or more attribute values for each of a plurality of potential styles;   generating at least one property bag corresponding to each of the plurality of potential styles using said one or more attribute values; and   rendering an object indicated by said object selection in each of the plurality of potential styles using said at least one property bag.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein a single property bag is reused one or more times for rendering the object. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the object selection, displaying the plurality of potential styles in a gallery.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein a computer desktop theme is the object selection, and wherein the plurality of potential styles for the computer desktop theme are previewed for selection in a gallery. 
     
     
         7 . A system for rendering electronic document objects comprising:
 a lookup module for looking up one or more actual attribute values using one or more attribute references;   a property bag module operable to create one or more property bags using the one or more actual attribute values, each of the one or more property bags corresponding to a style for rendering an object;   a render module operable to render one or more objects using the one or more property bags; and   a gallery module operable to render a gallery of styles for rendering the one or more objects.   
     
     
         8 . The system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said lookup module accommodates both attribute references and hardcoded actual attribute values, said hardcoded actual attribute values being application- and theme-independent. 
     
     
         9 . The system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the property bag module is operable to modify existing property bags. 
     
     
         10 . The system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the property bag module is operable to delete existing property bags. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for associating a style matrix with an electronic document application comprising:
 associating one or more style matrices with an application;   receiving a signal to load an object; and   mapping one or more object attribute references to one or more positions in said one or more style matrices.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein receiving a signal to load an object comprises receiving a signal to create a new object. 
     
     
         13 . A computer storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing system to:
 receive an object selection;   retrieve at least one attribute value and at least one attribute type from a style matrix, the style matrix comprising:
 one or more rows, each row corresponding to an attribute type; and 
 one or more columns, each column corresponding to an attribute value; 
   generate at least one property bag using the at least one attribute value and the at least one attribute type; and   render an object identified by the object selection using the at least one property bag.   
     
     
         14 . The computer storage medium as in  claim 13 , wherein the one or more rows correspond to attribute values, and the one or more columns correspond to attribute types. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A computer storage medium accessible to a computing system and encoding a computer program for displaying a gallery of potential styles for an object comprising:
 receiving an object selection;   retrieving one or more attribute values for each of a plurality of potential styles;   generating at least one property bag corresponding to each of the plurality of potential styles using said one or more attribute values; and   rendering an object indicated by said object selection in each of the plurality of potential styles using said at least one property bag.   
     
     
         18 . The computer storage medium as defined in  claim 17 , wherein a single property bag is reused one or more times for rendering the object. 
     
     
         19 . The computer storage medium as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the object selection in an electronic document, displaying the plurality of potential styles in a gallery.   
     
     
         20 . The computer storage medium as defined in  claim 17 , wherein a computer desktop theme is the object selection, and wherein the plurality of potential styles for the computer desktop theme are previewed for selection in a gallery. 
     
     
         21 . A computer system for rendering an electronic document chart in an electronic document application, comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processing unit and containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to:
 receive an object selection; 
 retrieve at least one attribute value for each of a plurality of potential styles; 
 generate at least one property bag corresponding to each of the plurality of potential styles using the at least one attribute value; and 
 render an object identified by the object selection in each of the plurality of potential styles using the at least one property bag. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computer system as defined in  claim 21 , wherein a single property bag is reused one or more times for rendering the object. 
     
     
         23 . The computer system as defined in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the object selection, displaying the plurality of potential styles in a gallery.   
     
     
         24 . The computer system as defined in  claim 23 , wherein a computer desktop theme is the object selection, and wherein the plurality of potential styles for the computer desktop theme are previewed in the gallery.