Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Fabian Omar Winternitz

Jeffrey Alan Davis

David Paul Hill

Timothy Garry Dwyer

Aditya Unnithan

Kael R Rowan

Stuart Kent

Donald F Box

Haroon Ahmed

Lev Borisovich Nachmanson

Lev Boris Nachmanson

Vladimir Yuryevich Morozov

Craig Allen Lee

Stuart John Harding Kent

Edward Hart

Jill M McClenahan

Sadik Gokhan Caglar

Patrick E Sirr

Systems and methods are described herein for enabling a user of a diagramming system to select elements of a diagram and apply a layout constraint thereto. In accordance with certain embodiments described herein, the systems and methods provide the user with a means to perform these tasks in a manner that is faster, easier and more intuitive than interfaces provided by conventional diagramming systems. For example, in accordance with at least one embodiment described herein, a single user gesture is obtained and the steps of selecting elements of a diagram to which a layout constraint is to be applied and selecting the layout constraint are both performed based on the single user gesture.

Layout constraint manipulation via user gesture recognition

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for cross-platform data visualizations using common descriptions. Embodiments of the invention provide mechanisms for simplifying software development and enhanced code reliability. A user interface, along with interactive and dynamic characteristics, can be described (programmatically and/or declaratively) independently of any specific device platform. User interface qualities can be described using a generic scene graph structure with attached behaviors. The generic scene graph can then be used to drive the user interface on any number of different computing platforms using platform specific (e.g., rendering, gesture recognition, etc.) sub-systems. Platform specific sub-systems can vary based on technologies that are used by the platform specific sub-systems. For example, rendering sub-systems can vary based on the technology used to render graphical data, such as, for example, Open GL, XAML, Direct X, Quartz, etc.

Cross-platform data visualizations using common descriptions

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for touch based selection of graphical elements. Embodiments of the invention improve the usability of interacting with data visualizations. When multiple graphical elements are covered by a finger touch, a gesture recognition component detects ambiguity in the selection. In response, a visualization component draws additional regions around the touched location. The additional regions correspond to the covered graphical elements covered. Thus, a user is made aware of the graphical elements covered by his or her finger. These additional regions are touch friendly and more easily selectable. A finger can be moved into one of the additional regions and released to finish the selection. The gesture recognition component interprets this gesture as if the user tapped directly and unambiguously on the corresponding graphical element.

Touch based selection of graphical elements

A single software project in an integrated development environment (IDE) may be built for multiple target environments in a single build episode. Multiple different output artifacts may be generated by the build process for each of the target environments. The output artifacts are then deployed to the target environments, which may be homogeneous or heterogeneous environments. The same source project may be used to generate multiple output artifacts for the same target environment.

Simultaneously targeting multiple homogeneous and heterogeneous runtime environments

A single software project can include heterogeneous types of artifacts. The artifact definition can be converted to a format compatible with a common model or information derived from the artifacts can be added to the common model so that tools that operate on the common model can provide information derived from the heterogeneous artifacts to developers during design time in an IDE. Build and deployment tools can operate over a more inclusive universe of data to provide a more accurate deployment plan. Build and deployment tools can operate within the context of the IDE or from the command line.

Support for heterogeneous database artifacts in a single project

Data typing information for heterogeneous language components is obtained during software development without requiring executable regeneration. After source code is changed, dependent compiled components, which are written in multiple high-level programming languages, are identified. A query engine obtains data typing information of the dependent components, such as function signatures and class definition, directly from internal compiler-created structures for the respective programming languages. Through a synchronizer, a shared model is automatically populated with the data typing information. The updated model supports cross-language software development operations such as autocompletion, refactoring, dependency finding, and definition go-to, without regeneration of an executable code unit which reflects the changed source code. In cases involving SQL or Transact-SQL (T-SQL), a Data Definition Language file can be automatically generated from the data typing information.

Heterogeneous language data typing without executable regeneration

A system and method for creating or editing a graph diagram. A system provides a mechanism to specify constraints on edge way points. Constraints may specify alignment with other way points, distribution of way points, spacing from other way points or nodes, or other types of constraints. A system may automatically determine edge way point constraints based on edge direction, edge type, target nodes or regions of nodes, or other characteristics of edges. The system enables a combination of constraints specified by a user and automatically determined by the system. Way points are positioned based on associated constraints, and edges are routed based on their associated way points.

Controlling edge routing using layout constraints

A computer system identifies a source node that is to be connected to a target node, where the target node is connected to the source node using an edge that links a connection region associated with the source node to a candidate connection region of the target node. The computer system identifies candidate connection region constraints that place restrictions on where the candidate connection regions can be positioned on the target node and determines, based on the identified candidate connection region constraints, the position of each candidate connection region relative to the target node. At least two of the candidate connection regions are disconnected so that an edge's connection to the target node can change between the disconnected connection regions. The computer system also visually represents the position of each of the candidate connection regions of the target node.

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Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Fabian Omar Winternitz