Providing smart user interfaces based on document open and/or edit context

A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method of providing an intelligent user interface based on a context of a document, the method comprising:

• opening the document in a context that only facilitates reading by a user;
• disabling editing commands associated with the document;
• hiding at least one of the editing commands associated with document to indicate the context that only facilitates reading and to prevent the document from being edited in the context that only facilitates reading, wherein the at least one of the editing commands comprises a document font command;
• disabling typing functionality for editing the document, wherein disabling the typing functionality comprises blocking the user from typing to prevent accidental edits that will not be saved in the context that only facilitates reading and to prevent the initiation of a prompt requesting the user of the document to save the document in the context that only facilitates reading;
• displaying a transition button via the intelligent user interface, the transition button operative when selected to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing;
• receiving a selection of the transition button;
• in response to receiving the selection, transitioning from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing wherein transitioning to the context that facilitates editing comprises enabling at least one of the typing functionality for editing the document or the editing commands;
• transitioning from the context that facilitates editing back to the context that only facilitates reading;
• determining whether the document is digitally signed, wherein when the document is digitally signed, displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to invalidate the digital signature and in response to invalidating the digital signature, automatically complete a transition of the document to the context that facilitates editing;
• and
• saving a copy of the document when the document is in the context that facilitates editing in response to receiving the selection thereby displaying a ‘Save As’ dialog, wherein the document resides on a client computer and the copy of the document is saved on another computer.

A system for providing an intelligent user interface based on a mode of a document, the system comprising:

• a client computer having a display unit, the client computer operative to:
• open the document in a mode that only facilitates reading by a user;
• disable editing commands associated with the document;
• disable typing functionality for editing the document, wherein disabling the typing functionality comprises blocking the user from typing to prevent accidental edits that will not be saved in the context that only facilitates reading and to prevent the initiation of a prompt requesting the user of the document to save the document in the context that only facilitates reading;
• hide at least one of the editing commands associated with the document to indicate the context that only facilitates reading and to prevent the document from being edited in the context that only facilitates reading;
• display via the display unit a transition button operative when selected to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing;
• receive a selection of the transition button;
• in response to receiving the selection, transition from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing, wherein transitioning to the context that facilitates editing comprises enabling at least one of the typing functionality for editing the document or the editing commands;
• transition from the context that facilitates editing back to the context that only facilitates reading;
• determine whether the document is digitally signed, wherein when the document is digitally signed, displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to invalidate the digital signature and in response to invalidating the digital signature, automatically complete a transition of the document to the context that facilitates editing;
• and
• save a copy of the document when the document is in the context that facilitates editing in response to receiving the selection thereby displaying a ‘Save As’ dialog, wherein the document resides on a client computer and the copy of the document is saved on a server computer in communication with the client computer, the server computer operative to store the document and share the document among multiple users.