Method and apparatus for displaying multiple contexts in electronic documents

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for simultaneously displaying multiple-contexts in a page-oriented viewing architecture utilize the concept of page pinning in which a portion of a first document context is displayed as a fixed frame overlayed on or placed beside the display of a second document context. A user may navigate within the second document context while viewing the portion of the first document context as a pinned page on the display. Thus, a single navigational focus is maintained even though multiple contexts are displayed in the page-oriented architecture. Page pinning may be used to view two non-contiguous locations in a single electronic document or to view two pages of respective different electronic documents. A pinned page can be used to hold a particular context while a command set is executed from a command document viewed as the second context. A pinned index page can used to provide a collection of links for permitting a user to navigate to different contexts, including pages within a main document or to other documents. Finally a pinned page can be used to provide the equivalent of an 'always on top window' display.