Flexible web page template building system and method

Abstract

A flexible web page template and template building tool which generates templates that grow and shrink according to an amount of user content.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A flexible editable web page template, the web page template being displayed on a user display by a web building tool executing on one or more computers, the flexible editable web page template comprising:
 a web page rendered on the display, the web page comprising
 an auto-expanding user-editable content container, the container comprising a predefined top portion comprising only non-editable content, a pre-defined bottom portion comprising only non-editable content, and a repeatable middle portion comprising user-editable content, and 
 a control associated with the auto-expanding user-editable content container, the control operable to monitor the size of the user-editable content and to automatically adjust the size of the content container to fit the user-provided content, by 
 inserting an instance of the middle portion of the content container to vertically expand the size of the content container upon detection that the size of the user-provided content exceeds the content container size, and 
 removing an instance of the middle portion of the content container to vertically shrink the size of the content container upon detection that the content container can accommodate the user-provided content upon removal of an instance of the middle portion of the content container. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method for allowing a user to customize a web page, comprising:
 displaying, by one or more processors, an editable web page template on a user display,   providing within the editable web page template, by one or more processors, an auto-expanding user-editable content container which automatically expands and shrinks to fit content inserted by a user therein, the container comprising a pre-defined top portion, a pre-defined bottom portion, and a repeatable middle portion,   receiving, by one or more processors, user-provided content and inserting the user-provided content into the auto-expanding user-editable content container;   monitoring, by one or more processors, a size of user-provided content therein relative to a current size of the auto-expanding user-editable content container, and if the size of user-provided content exceeds the container size, repeating an instance of the middle portion of the content container to expand the size of the content container, and if the size of user-provided content is such that the user-provided content will still fit within the content container if an instance of the middle portion of the content container is removed, removing an instance of the middle portion of the content container to vertically shrink the size of the content container.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing within the editable web page template, by one or more processors, an auto-expanding navigational area which expands and contracts to render a number of identically sized navigational buttons specified by the user;   receiving, by one or more processors, a user-selected number of desired navigation buttons; and   rendering the selected number of identically sized navigational buttons in the web page template.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, user-selected names of the navigation buttons; and   automatically determining and sizing, by one or more processors, the navigation names with identically sized font so that each name fits within, and is positioned within, its respective identically sized navigation button.