Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Amol Shrikrishna Kelkar

Prakash Sikchi

Brian G O'Connor

Jonathan E Rivers-Moore

Ryan D Parsell

Danny Van Velzen

Alessandro Catorcini

Arungundram C Narendran

Nathaniel Stott

David Airapetyan

James Arthur Horne

Lee B Rosenberg

Ranjan Aggarwal

Hesham Anan

Timothy J McCracken

A CSSX (Extended Cascading Style Sheets) file including non-CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) extensions is used to define and reference variables and inheritance sets. A CSSX file compiler determines a value of the defined variable, modifies the CSSX file by replacing all references to the defined variable with the value, and generates the CSS file from the modified CSSX file. The inheritance set is defined in the CSSX file and includes a reference to a previously defined CSS rule set. The CSSX file compiler defines a new CSS rule set as a function of the determined attributes included in the previously defined CSS rule set of the defined inheritance set and generates the CSS file including the newly defined CSS rule set.

Extended cascading style sheets

A multi-format centralized framework for the distribution of resources. The framework allows product teams to update resources independent of a product build process and, to store and distribute the resources from a central repository (a shared resource server system) in multiple formats. The central repository includes a storage structure that can support all markets and all products. Resources can now be updated on the product frontend or delivered directly to the client when requested. Team resources can be stored in a single file format (e.g., RESX) and distributed in multiple formats (e.g., XML, RESX, JS, etc.). Both server-side and client-side rendering are supported. In further support of the deployment of updated localized strings without requiring a build, the architecture supports the sub-versioning of strings. In support of scalability, different levels of caching of the strings through edge cache and custom designed cache mechanism are provided.

Multi-format centralized distribution of localized resources for multiple products

Systems and/or methods that enable an operation associated with an altered structure of a data instance of a network form without first altering the structure of the data instance are described. These systems and/or methods, in one embodiment, enable an operation of a network form eventually requiring alteration of a structure of a data instance of the network form without first performing a roundtrip with the network form's network computer. In another embodiment, the systems and/or methods approximate a view and editing experience associated with a structural change to a data instance of a network form without structurally changing the data instance.

Structural editing operations for network forms

Systems and methods that enable execution of applications at appropriate trust levels are described. These systems and methods can determine appropriate trust levels by comparing applications' permitted trust levels with their requested trust levels. These systems and methods can determine applications' permitted trust levels by comparing applications' execution locations with their published locations. Applications can also be executed at a restricted trust level at which potentially dangerous operations are prohibited.

Executing applications at appropriate trust levels

Systems and methods that enable execution of applications at appropriate trust levels are described. These systems and methods can determine appropriate trust levels by comparing applications' permitted trust levels with their requested trust levels. These systems and method can determine applications' permitted trust levels by comparing applications' execution locations with their published locations. Applications can also be executed at a restricted trust level at which potentially dangerous operations are prohibited.

Systems and/or methods are described that enable a data-driven action associated with altering a data instance of a network form without altering and/or having access to the data instance. These systems and/or methods, in one embodiment, render a result of a data-driven action for a network form without transforming the network form's data instance. In another embodiment, the systems and/or methods map a data-driven action to a view-centric logical representation of the electronic form.

Data-driven actions for network forms

Systems and/or methods are described that enable an electronic form to be rendered using a template. The template may be independent of the electronic form's current state or instance. In one embodiment, the systems and/or methods build a rendering file to render a current instance of an electronic form using the template and a view tree associated with the current instance.

Template for rendering an electronic form

Various embodiments can support a richly dynamic form environment that permits editing on the client side and can alleviate many of the server-imposed processing complexities that have existed in the past. In at least some embodiments, complex editing scenarios permit users to make complex editing changes on a form, and have those editing changes captured and rendered on the client side for later communication to the server. Particular aspects of at least some of the embodiments can permit scalability, and can, in at least some instances, be employed in the context of a wide variety of browsers having different levels of capability, e.g. 'thin' and 'thick' browsers.

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Amol Shrikrishna Kelkar