Method and apparatus for utilizing an extensible markup language schema for managing specific types of content in an electronic document

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• providing an interactive content pane to manage content manipulation of an application, wherein the interactive content pane includes a content region that comprises structural elements including at least one properties element and at least one content element that are each defined by a markup language schema, wherein the properties element define properties for displaying the content element in the content region of the application;
• receiving a selection of the content element in the interactive content pane;
• and
• in response to receiving the selection of the content element, displaying a type of content within the interactive content pane, wherein the type of content displayed is determined by the properties element that includes a plurality of mutually exclusive child elements for defining the properties associated with the type of content for display.

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory operatively connected with the processor that stores executable instructions, which when executed on the processor, cause the processor to execute:
• providing an interactive content pane to manage content manipulation of an application, wherein the interactive content pane includes a content region that comprises structural elements including at least one properties element and at least one content element that are each defined by a markup language schema, wherein the properties element define properties for displaying the content element in the content region of the application;
• receiving a selection of the content element in the interactive content pane;
• and
• in response to receiving the selection of the content element, displaying a type of content within the interactive content pane, wherein the type of content displayed is determined by the properties element that includes a plurality of mutually exclusive child elements for defining the properties associated with the type of content for display.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed on at least one processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:

• providing an interactive content pane to manage content manipulation of an application, wherein the interactive content pane includes a content region that comprises structural elements including at least one properties element and at least one content element that are each defined by a markup language schema, wherein the properties element define properties for displaying the content element in the content region of the application;
• receiving a selection of the content element in the interactive content pane;
• upon receiving the selection of the content element, displaying a type of content within the interactive content pane, wherein the type of content displayed is determined by the properties element that includes a plurality of mutually exclusive child elements for defining the properties associated with the type of content for display;
• receiving selection of a child element of the plurality of mutually exclusive child elements;
• and
• in response to receiving the selected child element, enabling manipulation of a field associated with the selected child element.