Rich browser-based word processor

A computer-implemented web browser-based document editing system, comprising:

• a first rich text model on a client computing device for storing a format for a rich document having text and formatting definitions for the text;
• a view programmed to render the model for display to an editing surface that displays the rich document;
• a controller to intercept and interpret inputs made by a user with respect to the document in the view and to cause the rich text model to be revised in accordance with the user inputs;
• and
• an off-screen browser display area that is not visible to a user of the browser,
• wherein the view is programmed to:
• render characters entered by a user to the off-screen browser display area;
• and
• determine dimensions for displaying the characters with the view by measuring a size of the off-screen display area.

A computer-implemented web browser-based document editing system, comprising:

• a first rich text model on a client computing device for storing a format for a rich document having text and formatting definitions for the text;
• a view of the model that is a visual representation of a portion of the model with formatting applied to the model;
• and
• means for generating the view from the model and for updating the view in response to receiving keystrokes by a user of the client computing device, where the keystrokes are associated with one or more characters;
• means for generating an off-screen display area including the one or more characters;
• and
• means for measuring a size of the off-screen display area to determine a location to display the one or more characters on the editable surface.

One or more non-transitory tangible recordable storage media storing instructions that, when executed, perform operations comprising:

• accessing an electronic model of the document;
• determining, with a computing device, positions for items in a visual rendering of the electronic model based on relative sizes and positions of other items in the electronic model;
• generating, with the computing device, a document object model (DOM) that represents at least part of the electronic model and defines an editing surface, wherein the DOM:
• (a) places the items at the determined positions on the editing surface,
• (b) places a graphic element that represents a cursor at a determined location on the editing surface, and
• (c) is arranged to receive user input on the editing surface and to correlate a location of the received user input to a location in the electronic model;
• receiving an entry of a character to the editing surface;
• generating an off-screen display area including the character;
• and
• measuring a size of the off-screen display area to determine a location to display the character on the editable surface.