초록 ▼

A computer-implemented graphics system for creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects. One or more drawing entities are created in the graphics system, wherein the drawing entities are linked together as an alignment object, and one or more of the entities includes a persist

A computer-implemented graphics system for creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects. One or more drawing entities are created in the graphics system, wherein the drawing entities are linked together as an alignment object, and one or more of the entities includes a persistent tangency rule. The drawing entities comprise lines, arcs and/or spirals, although other entities are possible. The drawing entities are then edited in the graphics system, wherein the persistent tangency rules affect the drawing entities' geometry while the drawing entities are being edited. The persistent tangency rule comprises: (1) no tangency, (2) tangency to an entity before or after, or (3) tangency to an entity before and after.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects in a computer-implemented graphics system, comprising: (a) creating a first drawing entity and one or more second drawing entities in the graphics system, wherein the first and second drawing enti

What is claimed is: 1. A method of creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects in a computer-implemented graphics system, comprising: (a) creating a first drawing entity and one or more second drawing entities in the graphics system, wherein the first and second drawing entities are linked together as an alignment object, and the first drawing entity includes a persistent tangency rule related to one or more of the second drawing entities, wherein the persistent tangency rule comprises (1) the first drawing entity being a fixed entity not dependent on tangency to any of the second drawing entities to define the fixed entity's geometry, (2) the first drawing entity being a floating entity dependent on tangency to one of the second drawing entities before or after the floating entity to define the floating entity's geometry, and (3) the first drawing entity being a free entity dependent on tangency to two of the second drawing entities before and after the free entity to define the free entity's geometry; (b) editing the one or more of the second drawing entities, without editing the first drawing entity, in the graphics system, after the first and second drawing entities have been created, wherein the persistent tangency rule results in the first drawing entity's geometry being affected in response to the one or more second drawing entities being edited, such that the first drawing entity with the persistent tangency rule is dependent on the one or more second drawing entities being edited to define the first drawing entity's geometry; and (c) displaying the first and second drawing entities on the graphics system. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second drawing entities comprise lines, arcs or spirals. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity that is not dependent on tangency to any other entity attached to the fixed entity to define the fixed entity's geometry. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity and a geometric definition of the fixed entity has no dependency on any other entities, but other entities can depend on the fixed entity. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a geometric definition of the floating entity includes a tangency dependency on one other second drawing entity attached before or after the floating entity. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein other floating or free entities are dependent on the floating entity. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein a geometric definition of the free entity includes a tangency dependency on one second drawing entity attached before the free entity and one second drawing entity attached after the free entity. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second drawing entities includes other persistent attributes related to how the first or second drawing entity was created. 13. An apparatus for creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects in a computer-implemented graphics system, comprising: a computer system having a memory and a data storage device coupled thereto; means, performed by the computer system, for: (a) creating a first drawing entity and one or more second drawing entities in the graphics system, wherein the first and second drawing entities are linked together as an alignment object, and the first drawing entity includes a persistent tangency rule related to one or more of the second drawing entities, wherein the persistent tangency rule comprises (1) the first drawing entity being a fixed entity not dependent on tangency to any of the second drawing entities to define the fixed entity's geometry, (2) the first drawing entity being a floating entity dependent on tangency to one of the second drawing entities before or after the floating entity to define the floating entity's geometry, and (3) the first drawing entity being a free entity dependent on tangency to two of the second drawing entities before and after the free entity to define the free entity's geometry; (b) editing the one or more the second drawing entities, without editing the first drawing entity, in the graphics system, after the first and second drawing entities have been created, wherein the persistent tangency rule results in the first drawing entity's geometry being affected in response to the one or more second drawing entities being edited, such that the first drawing entity with the persistent tangency rule is dependent on the one or more second drawing entities being edited to define the first drawing entity's geometry; and (c) displaying the first and second drawing entities on the computer system. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first or second drawing entities comprise lines, arcs or spirals. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity that is not dependent on tangency to any other entity attached to the fixed entity to define its geometry. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity and a geometric definition of the fixed entity has no dependency on any other entities, but other entities can depend on the fixed entity. 17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a geometric definition of the floating entity includes a tangency dependency on one other second drawing entity attached before or after the floating entity. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein other floating or free entities are dependent on the floating entity. 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a geometric definition of the free entity includes a tangency dependency on one second drawing entity attached before the free entity and one second drawing entity attached after the free entity. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second drawing entities includes other persistent attributes related to how the first or second drawing entity was created. 25. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage device embodying instructions that, when read and executed by a computer-implemented graphics system, results in the computer-implemented graphics system performing a method for creating and editing interactive constraint-based alignment objects, comprising: (a) creating a first drawing entity and one or more second drawing entities in the graphics system, wherein the first and second drawing entities are linked together as an alignment object, and the first drawing entity includes a persistent tangency rule related to one or more of the second drawing entities, wherein the persistent tangency rule comprises (1) the first drawing entity being a fixed entity not dependent on tangency to any of the second drawing entities to define the fixed entity's geometry, (2) the first drawing entity being a floating entity dependent on tangency to one of the second drawing entities before or after the floating entity to define the floating entity's geometry, and (3) the first drawing entity being a free entity dependent on tangency to two of the second drawing entities before and after the free entity to define the free entity's geometry; (b) editing the one or more of the second drawing entities, without editing the first drawing entity, in the graphics system, after the first and second drawing entities have been created, wherein the persistent tangency rule results in the first drawing entity's geometry being affected in response to the one or more second drawing entities being edited, such that the first drawing entity with the persistent tangency rule is dependent on the one or more second drawing entities being edited to define the first drawing entity's geometry; and (c) displaying the first and second drawing entities on the graphics system. 26. The article of claim 25, wherein the first or second drawing entities comprise lines, arcs or spirals. 27. The article of claim 25, wherein further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity that is not dependent on tangency to any other entity attached to the fixed entity to define the fixed entity's geometry. 28. The article of claim 25, wherein further comprising one or more third drawing entities that is a fixed entity and a geometric definition of the fixed entity has no dependency on any other entities, but other entities can depend on the fixed entity. 29. The article of claim 25, wherein a geometric definition of the floating entity includes a tangency dependency on one other second drawing entity attached before or after the floating entity. 30. The article of claim 29, wherein other floating or free entities are dependent on the floating entity. 31. The article of claim 25, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 32. The article of claim 25, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 33. The article of claim 25, wherein a geometric definition of the free entity includes a tangency dependency on one second drawing entity attached before the free entity and one second drawing entity attached after the free entity. 34. The article of claim 33, wherein no other second drawing entities are dependent on the free entity. 35. The article of claim 33, wherein editing the free entity does not directly affect the geometry of the second drawing entities that the free entity is attached to. 36. The article of claim 25, wherein each of the first and second drawing entities includes other persistent attributes related to how the first or second drawing entity was created.