Resizing graphical user interfaces

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward systems, and corresponding computer-readable media and methods for resizing a graphical user interface. For instance, the systems described herein detect a user selection of an object within a graphical user interface, segment the user selection into quadrants, and move the quadrants to resize the selected object based on the user input. The systems further place a pivot point within the selected object to partition the object into the quadrants. The systems detect movement of one or more selected edges and move the quadrants together with movement of the one or more selected edges to resize the selected object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a selection of an object of a graphical user interface displayed via a client device;   placing a pivot point at a vertical position and a horizontal position within the object;   receiving a resizing interaction via the client device to modify a size of the object; and   in response to the resizing interaction, scaling the object by modifying vertical space within the object at the vertical position of the pivot point by moving a first edge of the object in a vertical direction relative to the vertical position of the pivot point and modifying horizontal space within the object at the horizontal position of the pivot point by moving a second edge of the object in a horizontal direction relative to the horizontal position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein scaling the object comprises increasing a size of the object by:
 adding vertical space to the object in the vertical direction from the vertical position of the pivot point; and   adding horizontal space to the object in the horizontal direction from the horizontal position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein scaling the object comprises decreasing a size of the object by:
 removing vertical space from the object in the vertical direction from the vertical position of the pivot point; and   removing horizontal space from the object in the horizontal direction from the horizontal position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the vertical position and the horizontal position of the pivot point during the resizing interaction to maintain:
 a relative vertical position of the pivot point in relation to a top edge and a bottom edge of the object; and   a relative horizontal position of the pivot point in relation to a left edge and a right edge of the object.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a first element within the object that is intersected by the horizontal position of the pivot point; and   identifying a second element within the object that is intersected by the vertical position and the horizontal position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein scaling the object comprises:
 scaling the first element by modifying space within the first element in the horizontal direction from the horizontal position of the pivot point based on the resizing interaction; and   scaling the second element by modifying space within the second element in the vertical direction from the vertical position of the pivot point and in a horizontal direction from the horizontal position of the pivot point based on the resizing interaction.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising maintaining relative positions of the first element and the second element in relation to each other during the scaling of the object. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 one or more memory devices; and   one or more processors that are configured to cause the system to:
 receive a selection of an object of a graphical user interface displayed via a client device; 
 place a pivot point at a vertical position and a horizontal position within the object; 
 receive a resizing interaction via the client device to modify a size of the object; and 
 in response to the resizing interaction, scale the object by modifying horizontal space within the object at the horizontal position of the pivot point by moving an edge of the object in a horizontal direction relative to the horizontal position of the pivot point. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to:
 receive a user interaction to move the pivot point to a second vertical position and a second horizontal position within the object; and   in response to the user interaction to move the pivot point, moving the pivot point within object to the second vertical position and the second horizontal position.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to:
 receive a second resizing interaction via the client device to modify the size of the object; and   in response to the second resizing interaction, rescaling the object by modifying one or more of vertical space or horizontal space within the object at the pivot point based on the second resizing interaction.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to:
 determine a plurality of elements that share an alignment relative to one another within the object; and   maintain the alignment of the plurality of elements relative to one another while scaling the object.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to:
 identify a first element within the object that is intersected by the horizontal position of the pivot point; and   identify a second element within the object that is not intersected by the horizontal position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to scale the object by:
 scaling the first element by modifying space within the first element in the horizontal direction relative to the horizontal position of the pivot point based on the resizing interaction; and   maintain a size of the second element while maintaining a relative position of the second element in relation to one or more edges of the object.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to:
 identify a text element within the object intersected by the horizontal position of the pivot point; and   maintain a position of the text element relative to the horizontal position of the pivot point during the scaling of the object.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:
 receive a selection of an object of a graphical user interface displayed via a client device;   place a pivot point at a vertical position and a horizontal position within the object;   receive a resizing interaction via the client device to modify a size of the object; and   in response to the resizing interaction, scale the object by modifying vertical space within the object at the vertical position of the pivot point by moving an edge of the object in a vertical direction relative to the vertical position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to scale the object by adding vertical space to the object in a vertical direction from the vertical position of the pivot point according to the resizing interaction. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 determine elements belonging to a set of elements within the object according to one or more shared element characteristics; and   maintain proportional spacing among the elements within the set of elements while scaling the object.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 identify a first element within the object that is intersected by the vertical position of the pivot point; and   identify a second element within the object that is not intersected by the vertical position of the pivot point.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to, scale the object by:
 scaling the first element by modifying space within the first element in the vertical direction at the vertical position of the pivot point; and   maintain a size of the second element while maintaining a relative position of the second element in relation to one or more edges of the object.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 identify a text element within the object; and   prevent distortion of the text element during the scaling of the object.