Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Namita Gupta

Samuel Watkins Bent

David Jakob Jenni

Jeffrey Lawrence Bogdan

Michael John Hillberg

Mark James Finocchio

Alexander Hopmann

Ted Andrew Peters

Kenneth Bruce Cooper

Leonardo Esteban Blanco

Greg D Schechter

Adam M Smith

Christopher L Anderson

Sriram Subramanian

Alex Mogilevsky

Gaurav Sareen

Kenneth Lawrence Young

Girish Kumar

Nicholas M Kramer

Matthew W Calkins

Peter Francis Ostertag

Kurt B Jacob

Michael Edward Dulac Winser

Junhua Wang

Patrick G Mullen

Elizabeth K Nelson

Lutz Röder

Benjamin Franklin Wang Jen-Shong Carter

Jeffrey Lawrence Bogden

Charles Lester Alexander Clark

Lutz Roeder

Kenneth B Cooper

Ted A Peters

Samuel W Bent

A search engine can provide referencing information as context for a particular search result when an excerpt from the search result, comprising at least some similar elements to the user's query, is not generated. Referencing information can include one or more anchor texts having similarity to at least some elements of the user's query, the anchor texts being used by referencing pages to link to the page returned as a search result. User selection of the anchor text can enable the user to visit a referencing page using that anchor text to link to the page returned as a search result, and having a high static rank.

Using anchor text to provide context

An inheritance context is created for a graphics primitive object that is a property of a visual element. The inheritance context can be used to make some element information (e.g., information in resource dictionaries, name dictionaries, and inheritable properties that reside in the element tree containing the visual element) available to the graphics primitive object.

Inheritance context for graphics primitives

A data-binding engine is used to perform command binding. A data binding engine binds user interface controls such as buttons, menus, list boxes, etc. to commands exposed on an application model. A data source and data binding path may be specified in a markup language that defines how the commands are bound to UI elements.

Application of data-binding mechanism to perform command binding

An improved system and method for styling content in a graphical user interface control is provided. An application may define a user interface control having a data object of any type of singular content, including another user interface control. An application may include style declarations that may associate a style resource with the user interface control and a style resource may be dynamically selected for presenting the data object of the user interface control. The style resources may define property values that may be selectively applied to specify a visual representation for the user interface control and data object, such as a visual subtree. A visual representation of the user interface control with the data object may be generated and then a display representation may be rendered for presentation on a user interface display.

System and method for styling content in a graphical user interface control

In an implementation of data association, a data item has a data item property with an associated value and a user interface element has an element property with a value that can be defined by an association to the data item property. A binding definition associates the element property of the user interface element with the data item property such that an application program which generates a user interface for display can be developed independent of the data item, and such that the data item can be developed independent of display-related information corresponding to the user interface element.

Data association

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to generating and propagating commands. In aspects, elements of a graphical user interface may include an input binding which associates a gesture with a command. When a gesture is received, the command is generated depending on which element has focus. In addition, elements of the graphic user interface may also define methods to call when commands are received. When an event or a command is received, a hierarchical data structure of elements representable on the graphical user interface may be traversed to respond to the event or command.

Command binding determination and implementation

The application programming interfaces described herein are directed at property management mechanisms that operate within an on-demand property system. The property management mechanisms support the caching of property values on an as needed basis, allow a plurality of object instances to utilize the same property via attached properties, overriding default information associated with a property on a per type basis, obtaining values for a property from an external source, and the like. In addition, the on-demand property system provides validation and control for each property instance. The property management mechanisms minimize the storage requirements and provide flexibility without requiring additional code from the developers.

Application programming interfaces for an on-demand property system

Priority binding enables a one-to-many mapping of a target to a source without requiring complex code development by the specification of one or more binding statements. During runtime, these bindings are evaluated. The highest priority binding that evaluates successfully is executed, controlling the two-way transfer of information between source and target. During execution, all possible data binding pathways are monitored. If a binding that has a higher priority than the existing binding evaluates successfully, the existing binding is terminated and the new binding is executed.

Priority binding

A program platform performs data binding process between a user interface and data for display. The invention decouples the user interface and the data, along with its application logic, by providing a mechanism for binding data to the user interface. Dependency property binding allows for binding of data with dynamic properties of an element of a data-programming model of a platform. A fallback value is a user-supplied value that can be used when the binding cannot produce a value from an associated data source. Priority Bindings allow a list of bindings that can become active when other, previous bindings fail.

Data-binding enhancements

Described is a system and method for controlling user interface (UI) properties with data. An application is separated into independent parts, a logic portion and a UI portion. The logic portion manipulates data values within the application. The UI portion is responsible for displaying UI properties. A binding specification describes a relationship between the UI property and the data value. The binding specification is used by system level code to determine the manner in which it is notified when the data value undergoes a change and the manner in which it directs the UI portion to reflect the change in the UI property. The binding specification identifies a source data item, a path to the data value in the source data item, a target UI element, and the UI property on the target UI element. The binding may be specified using code or markup language.

System and method for controlling user interface properties with data

The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed at property management mechanisms that operate within an on-demand property system. The property management mechanisms support the caching of property values on an as needed basis, allow a plurality of object instances to utilize the same property via attached properties, overriding default information associated with a property on a per type basis, obtaining values for a property from an external source, and the like. In addition, the on-demand property system provides validation and control for each property instance. The property management mechanisms minimize the storage requirements and provide flexibility without requiring additional code from the developers.

Property management mechanisms for properties in an on-demand property system

An improved system and method for displaying a user interface object using an associated style is provided. To this end, an application may include style declarations that may associate a style resource with a user interface object. The style resource may define property values that may be selectively applied to a user interface object, may specify a visual representation for the user interface object, such as a visual subtree, and may specify additional property values to be conditionally applied to a user interface object. A styling engine may be provided for applying a style resource to a user interface object. A visual representation of the user interface objects with the applied property values may be generated and then a display representation may be rendered for presentation on a user interface display.

System and method for displaying a user interface object using an associated style

Systems and methods for providing and associating or combining visual style information with data content. The present invention relates to associating a shared set of style information with two or more objects or items that are to be displayed as part of a list or some other visual grouping of the items. By sharing the style information, i.e., the visual representation characteristics information, a program developer need only define the style information or style once. Upon defining the style, the developer can declaratively associate all the items in the list or group with the defined style.

Method and system for applying user interface elements to data

Described is a method and system in which storyboard objects coordinate the animation of multiple elements and/or media displayed on a computer graphics display. Storyboards relate properties of elements in an element tree to a timeline, such that the properties associated with a storyboard are animated/play together as a group by starting, stopping, seeking or pausing the storyboard. Triggers, such as controlled by user interaction with the displayed information, including property triggers that change values in response to a state change, and event triggers that fire events, may cause the storyboard to start, stop, pause and seek. Storyboards may be used in XAML-based programs, and may be directly associated with elements, or indirectly associated with elements via styles. Complex properties and changeables are supported. Media playback may be controlled via storyboards, and thereby coordinated with other media playback and/or animations.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Namita Gupta