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

A computer system, comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• and
• at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processing unit and containing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, perform a method for creating and laying out a graphic, the method comprising:
• receiving a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic;
• receiving a graphic definition describing mapping of the data from the data model to one or more shapes in the graphic;
• determining shape properties for each shape in the graphic based at least in part on the graphic definition and an ordered set of two or more constraint rules, wherein the shape properties comprise at least a shape size and a shape position for each shape in the graphic;
• automatically modifying the graphic to fit in a layout space of a display by evaluating each constraint rule in succession and modifying a corresponding constraint value of at least one shape property until it is determined that the graphic fits in the layout space;
• and
• rendering the graphic within the layout space.

A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• receive a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic;
• receive a graphic definition describing mapping of the data from the data model to one or more shapes in the graphic;
• determine shape properties for each shape in the graphic based at least in part on the graphic definition and an ordered set of two or more constraint rules, wherein the shape properties comprise at least a shape size and a shape position for each shape in the graphic;
• automatically modify the graphic to fit in a layout space of a display by evaluating each constraint rule in succession and modifying a corresponding constraint value of at least one shape property until it is determined that the graphic fits in the layout space;
• and
• render the graphic within the layout space.