Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Katsuhiro Alex Namba

Christopher Hugh Pratley

Brian M Jones

Marcin Sawicki

Robert Andrew Little

Martin Sawicki

A method and apparatus for protecting regions of an electronic document are provided. According to the method, the entire electronic document is protected. The selection of a region within the electronic document is received along with identity of one or more users authorized to freely edit the selected region. The identified users are authorized to freely edit only the selected region of the electronic document. A request is then received to edit a region of the electronic document from a current user. In response to the request, a determination is made as to whether the current user is authorized to edit the region. If the user is not authorized to edit the region, the request is denied.

Method and apparatus for protecting regions of an electronic document

Regions within editable objects of electronic document can be defined such that specific editing permissions can be granted to specific users for specific regions. The regions can be expressed in a ML format such that a variety of applications that consume ML content can operate in accordance with the granted permissions.

Representing user edit permission of regions within an electronic document

A method and system for inserting a table over text, for splitting a cell with text into two or more cells, for converting a bordered paragraph into a table, and for adding cells to a table. A table drawing tool allows a user to insert a table over existing text in a document, convert a bordered paragraph into a table, split a table cell into multiple cells, and add cells to a table, among other features. To insert a table over existing text, a subset of the plurality of lines of text that the table covers is determined. A determination is made whether the subset of text needs to be placed inside the table. If so, then the subset of text is extracted from the electronic file and the subset is placed inside a paragraph. The table is inserted into the electronic file with a height equal to the height of the extracted subset of text and the paragraph is pasted into the table. If it is determined that the subset of text does not need to be placed inside the table, then the table is added to the electronic file as a paragraph, without any text in the paragraph.

Method for adding a cell to the side of an existing table in a document

In an electronic document, merging cells in a table, adding an integrated header to a table, and adding a nested table to a table. A table erasing tool allows a user to merge cells in a table. An indication is received to merge certain cells. The indication indicates at least one cell border for deletion. Cells of the table are merged horizontally across each row that includes at least one indicated cell border. Cells of the table are merged vertically across each column that includes at least one indicated cell border. A determination is made whether there are any successful merges and, if so, the merging tasks are repeated until there are no further successful horizontal or vertical merges. A table drawing tool allows a user to add an integrated header row to a table or create a nested table.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Katsuhiro Alex Namba