Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Suryanarayanan V Raman

Oliver Griffith Fisher

Paul R Erickson

Michael C Murray

Lawrence M Sanchez

Sarita M James

John A Licata

Brian J Syme

Michael Joseph Hopcroft

Prakash Sikchi

Jean Paoli

Stephen John Mooney

Adriana Ardeleanu

Rajesh K Jha

Srinivasa R Koppolu

Richard J Wolf

Eric I Horvitz

Brian W MacDonald

William J Bliss

Scott A Thurlow

Steven James Rayson

Nicholas Paul Duane

Erich S Finkelstein

Jerry R Hughson, Jr

Michael Lowell Roberts

Lois E Bauer

Jean D Paoli

Methods and systems for software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an extension definition catalog structure is defined and can be used to select one or more software extensions for incorporation on a computing device. At least one software extension is identified using a uniform resource name and, for the one software extension, at least one instance of the software extension is identified using a uniform resource name. For the one instance of the software extension, a uniform resource locator can be used to select the instance.

Methods and systems for delivering software

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform.

Network-based software extensions

Methods and systems of authoring XML using DHTML views and XSLT are described. Various user interfaces can be automatically or semi-automatically provided in a DHTML view that enable a user to interact with the DHTML view. The interfaces, some of which are termed 'in document' interfaces, permit a user to interact with a DHTML view and have those interactions automatically made to a corresponding XML document that describes data that is associated with the DHTML view.

Authoring arbitrary XML documents using DHTML and XSLT

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client and is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. Various extensions can be developed by third party developers for incorporation into the program or platform.

Methods, systems, architectures and data structures for delivering software via a network

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client and is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet.

Methods and systems for delivering software via a network

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. Various extensions can be developed by third party developers for incorporation into the program or platform. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. These additional files include files that describe a logical attachment of the extension to the program or platform, as well as files that describe the location of the extension files. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. These files tell the client where the particular extension is to be plugged in, as well as where to find the appropriate extension files and how to download them. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform.

Architectures for and methods of providing network-based software extensions

Methods and systems of authoring XML using DHTML views and XSLT are described. Various user interfaces can be automatically or semi-automatically provided in a DHTML view that enable a user to interact with the DHTML view. The interfaces, some of which are termed 'in document' interfaces, permit a user to interact with a DHTML view and have those interactions automatically made to a corresponding XML document that describes data that is associated with the DHTML view. Presentation of the various in document interfaces takes place by considering not only an XML schema (of which the XML document is an instance), but an XSL-T (XSLT transformation) that was utilized to transform the XML document into the DHTML view. In addition, the notion of a crystal is introduced and is used to map interactions with a DHTML view directly back to a corresponding XML document. A crystal, in a basic form, includes one or more behaviors and associated XSL-T. The crystals are used to transform XML into the DHTML views. The behaviors of a crystal are defined to be data-shape specific or dependent, with the data shape being defined by the XML document. The behavior is not necessarily dependent upon any schema, data or tags. Because of its data-shape dependent nature, crystals can be packaged for reuse with various XML documents which have no relation to one another other than a shape that is defined by the XML. Behaviors can be attached to DHTML tags that are generated by the XSL-T. The behaviors ensure that user interactions with the DHTML view are mapped directly back to the XML document. In this way, the XML document can be authored to reflect the changes that are made to the DHTML view by the user.

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. Various extensions can be developed by third party developers for incorporation into the program or platform. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. These additional files include files that describe a logical attachment of the extension to the program of platform, as well as files that describe the location of the extension files. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. These files tell the client where the particular extension is to be plugged in, as well as where to find the appropriate extension files and how to download them. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform.

A system for providing automatic capabilities in creating a computer form containing control items. Upon selecting a control item to place on a computer form, preferred coordinates to position the control item is automatically determined. Next, the size of the new control item is automatically selected based on properties of the new control item and the size and location of surrounding control items. The new control item, and any intersecting control items, are then automatically adjusted to accommodate the new control item at the preferred coordinates. The adjustments include: (1) setting the width and height of the new control item; (2) identifying the space available to above and to the right of the preferred coordinates; and if the width or height of the new control item exceeds the space available, (3) adjusting the other control items to obtain additional space for the new control item. Alignment properties for the new control item are also automatically determined and assigned. Thus, when other control items on the computer form either moved or re-sized, the control item is adjusted in accordance with the alignment properties. Labels to identify the new control item may be automatically created and attached to the new control item. Furthermore, the labels are uniformly and control items are uniformly aligned on the computer form. Finally, control items can be repositioned manually without automatically relocating the control item.

Method and apparatus for providing automatic layout capabilities for computer forms

A system and method for creating a new destination data structure in memory populated with data from fields of an existing source data structure. A representation of the source is selected, dragged over, and dropped onto an icon representing a program module. The source and the program module are each associated with a type of data structure. If these types of data structures are different, then the destination is created in memory of the type associated with the program module. Once the destination is created, the data within the source is transformed to populate predetermined fields of the destination. One way of populating the destination is by determining which field in the destination corresponds to a given field in the source. Data from a given field of the source is loaded into the corresponding field of the destination. This is performed for each of the fields in the source, thus transferring the data into the destination from the source without having to manually re-enter or perform successive copy and paste operations on the data in the fields of the destination. Another way of populating the destination is by formatting data from each of the printable fields of the source into a predetermined rich text format to yield a formatted version of the source as if the source were being printed in one of the fields of the destination. The formatted data is then loaded into the field of the destination.

System and method for creating a new data structure in memory populated

A method and system for merging a first file with a second file to produce an output file, wherein the first and second files are uniquely modified versions of an original file, are discussed. In a preferred embodiment, a computer program can be efficiently developed with versions in multiple natural languages because modifications made in the original version are identified and incorporated into translated versions. The first and second files contain text instructions for controlling a computer system to output text in respective natural languages, and graphics instructions for controlling a computer system to output graphics. A merge utility determines the differences and similarities between the first and second files by comparing the text and graphics instructions of the files.

Method and system for merging files having a parallel format

An email client invokes a DocObject-enabled mail note to display an email message and related features of the user interface. The mail note, which is a DocObject container, creates a DocObject server by invoking a DocObject-enabled word processor. The mail note provides a view port in which the word processor displays and edits the body of the email message. The word processor provides its formatting and editing features in the context of the mail note. OLE menu merging provides both email and word processing interoperability while editing the message. Programming interfaces between the mail note and the word processor allow the mail note to translate message data back and forth between the word processor's format and the format imposed by the email client. This ensures that messages created with the word processor can be read by other email clients.

Growing community of inventors

Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

Suryanarayanan V Raman