System and method for editing operations of a text object model

At a computer system including a processor and system memory, the computer system, a method for editing flowing text content within a layout including intermingled text elements and non-text elements, the method comprising:

• providing a data abstraction containing a sequence of symbols representing formatted flowing text content, the sequence of symbols divisible into different text elements, each symbol having a location between the symbol and each adjacent symbol, wherein each location is independent from the adjacent symbols, text elements defined by text ranges between locations within the data abstraction such that the formatted flowing text content can be separated into the different text elements to more easily process editing operations to the formatted flowing text content when the formatted flowing text content is to flow around non-text elements in the layout;
• providing a formatted text programming interface for interfacing with the data abstraction, the formatted text programming interface configured to interoperate with text editors to receive input from text editors, the input indicating editing operations that are to be performed on text elements within the formatted flowing text content;
• providing an implementation data structure operably coupled to the text object model, the implementation data structure for implementing the layout, including implementing the data abstraction representing the formatted flowing text content into output;
• utilizing the formatted programming interface to receive input for a flow editing operation that is to be applied to a text element in the data abstraction, the text element identified by a corresponding text range within the data abstraction rather than by symbols, the corresponding flow editing operation for editing the text element to flow around a non-text element within the layout, the corresponding text range identified by a first location and a second location within the data abstraction, wherein each symbol has a location between the symbol and each adjacent symbol, wherein each location is independent of the adjacent symbols, the first location and the second location indicating a sequence of symbols between the first location and the second location;
• the processor utilizing the formatted programming interface to perform the flow editing operation directly on the corresponding text range to split the text element into a first text element and a second text element, the first text element to precede the non-text element in the layout, the second text element to succeed the non-text element in the layout, the location of the first and second text elements in the layout making the text element appear to flow around the non-text element within the layout, performing the flow editing operation directly on the corresponding text range ensuring that appropriate context for the first and second text elements is propagated to the first and second text elements without having to add data to the implementation data structure;
• utilizing the implementation data structure to output the edited data abstraction as an updated user view of the layout;
• and
• visually displaying an updated user view of the layout, the updated user view of the layout including the text element flowing around the non-text element.

A computer program product for use at a computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for editing text elements, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage media storing having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computer system to performing the method including the following:

• providing a data abstraction containing a sequence of text symbols representing formatted text, the sequence of text symbols arranged into different text elements, each text symbol having a location between the text symbol and each adjacent text symbol, wherein each location is independent from the adjacent text symbols, text elements defined by text ranges between locations within the data abstraction such that the formatted text can be arranged into the different text elements to more easily process editing operations to the formatted text when the formatted text is intermingled with image elements in a layout;
• providing a formatted text programming interface for interfacing with the data abstraction, the formatted text programming interface configured to interoperate with text editors to receive input from text editors, the input indicating editing operations that are to be performed on text elements within the formatted text;
• providing an implementation data structure operably coupled to the text object model, the implementation data structure for implementing the layout, including implementing the data abstraction representing the formatted text into output;
• utilizing the formatted programming interface to receive input for a flow editing operation that is to be applied to a text element in the data abstraction, the text element identified by a corresponding text range within the data abstraction rather than by text symbols, the corresponding flow editing operation for editing the text element to position the text element relative to an image element within the layout, the corresponding text range identified by a first location and a second location within the data abstraction;
• the processor normalizing the first location and the second location to resolve ambiguity between the display view perception of the text element and the text position for implementing an edit operation to the text element, normalization resulting in a normalized text range, normalizing including:
• skipping all formatting symbols from the first location in a forward direction to a location adjacent to the first text symbol in the text element, the location adjacent to the first text symbol being the first normalized location;
• and
• skipping all formatting symbols from the second location in a backward direction to a location adjacent to the last text symbol in the text element, the location adjacent to the last text symbol being the second normalized location;
• utilizing the formatted programming interface to perform an editing operation directly on the normalized text range of the data abstraction indicated by the normalized first location and the normalized second location, performing the editing operation directly on the normalized text range ensuring that appropriate context for any relevant text elements is propagated to the relevant text elements without having to add data to the implementation data structure;
• utilizing the implementation data structure to output the edited data abstraction as an updated user view of the layout;
• and
• displaying an updated user view of the layout, the updated user view of the layout reflecting the results of the edit operation, the updated user view of the layout intermingling the relevant text elements with image elements in accordance with the propagated context.