Abstract: A system selects objects within a graphical user interface by displaying a plurality of objects within the graphical user interface. Each object has an associated set of properties. The system receives a selection condition defining a relationship to be met between properties of an object, and then applies the selection condition to the associated set of properties of each of the plurality of objects to identify a set of selection objects in the plurality of objects that have an object state defined by properties that match the relationship defined by the selection condition. The system then identifies each object in the set of selection objects.

Abstract: A client computer converts selected content (e.g., an images, text, audio, etc.) into message formatted content to enable communication of the selected content in a respective message to a picture phone device in a cellular phone network. Additionally, the client computer converts the selected content into web formatted content to enable communication of the selected content to a web browser operating in a web network environment. To make the selected content available for distribution, the client computer creates a web page including a) the web formatted content and b) an address identifying a location of the message format content as it will be stored in a server. The client computer uploads the web page, web formatted content, and message formatted content to a selected server. Viewing of the web page in a browser enables a user to download the message formatted content in the server to a cellular phone.

Abstract: In an application that uses a graphical user interface, a technique for automatically grouping graphical constructs receives a selection of a graphical construct for placement within a group of graphical constructs within a graphical work area of a graphical user interface. The system detects an existing group of graphical constructs already defined in a group and graphically displays an automatic grouping indicator that identifies, to a user of the graphical user interface, that the selected graphical construct can be automatically grouped within the existing group. The system receives, from the user, a selection of the existing group of graphical constructs that has an automatic grouping indicator displayed, and in response, automatically groups the selected graphical construct into the selected existing group of graphical constructs that has an automatic grouping indicator displayed on the graphical user interface.

Abstract: Example configurations herein include a media manager associated with a media player that monitors a media feed for available content. Based on monitoring the media feed (e.g., Really Simple Syndication “RSS” feed), the media manager can receive a pointer to a content playback file. According to one configuration, the content playback file specifies retrievable content (e.g., as specified by pointers therein) and includes instructions indicating how to play back the retrievable content. Upon execution of the content playback file, the media player initiates retrieval of the content as specified by pointers in the content playback file. The media player can initiate playback of the retrieved content in accordance with markup language type playback instructions as specified by the content playback file.

Abstract: A system produces certified content by receiving original content acquired from a content acquisition device and receiving a device identity associated with the content acquisition device. The system produces a certification value indicating the original content was acquired from the content acquisition device having the device identity. The system associates the certification value to the original content to produce certified content that can be verified to represent the original content that was acquired from a content acquisition device having the associated device identity while preventing modification to the original content by processing not associated with certification processing. This process is performed in an uninterrupted manner to ensure certified content reflects an accurate device identity. The system can be implemented entirely within a content acquisition device itself, or in a computer system coupled to a content acquisition device.

Abstract: A licensing server source distributes a so-called license configuration file to a client for purposes of enabling operation of a software application installed on a computer. When a user initiates execution of the vendor software for the first time, code associated with the software application accesses the license configuration file for purposes of obtaining authorization (e.g., one or more activation certificates) to operate the software application. Depending on the type of license configuration file forwarded to the respective client, the license configuration file can include either a corresponding activation certificate to operate the software or include an address of a remote source (e.g., address) in which to register and obtain authorization to operate the software application.

Abstract: A system displays a set of content slides on a graphical user interface. The system identifies navigation paths between content slides in the set of content slides, each navigation path indicating a destination content slide to be displayed after a source content slide upon user selection of a navigation choice during a presentation sequence of the content slides. For each identified navigation path, the system displays a visualization of that navigation path on the graphical user interface between the source content slide and the destination content slide associated with that navigation path. The system allows a user of the graphical user interface to alter a navigation path between content slides to change the association of that navigation path between at least one of the source content slide and the destination content slide to modify the presentation sequence of the content slides.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for setting alternate style assignments to menu elements of an application are presented. At least one menu element of an application is selected. An alternate style is assigned to the at least one menu element. The at least one menu elements of the application is displayed, wherein the at least one menu element is presented in the alternate style assigned to the element.

Abstract: A system for backing up and restoring data operates by persistently storing or backing up data from a first medium to a second medium for subsequent access by a user. In one configuration, the backup process is performed at no monetary fee or charge to the user for backup, but only charges for restoration of data. The system receives a request to restore the data and obtains or calculates a restore cost to restore the data. The system identifies a set of restoration parameters associated with the data to be restored and computes the restore cost of the data based on the set of restoration parameters. The system receives an indication that payment of a restore cost has been made to restore the data and in response, performs a restoration operation on the data to restore the data for access by a user.

Abstract: At a service provider, a system receives recipient information containing preferences to be used in an online transaction. The recipient information is received from a client. At the service provider, the system associates the recipient information with the client from which the recipient information was received, and stores the recipient information at the client. The recipient information contains preferences to be used in the online transaction.

Abstract: A system performs a pre-processing activity by identifying at least one file requiring a pre-processing activity to be performed prior to the file(s) being accessed by an application operating on a computerized device. The system schedules the pre-processing activity on the file(s) prior to receiving an invocation of the application that accesses the file(s). The pre-processing activity is scheduled to minimize a performance impact on the computerized device. The system then performs the pre-processing activity on the file(s) in accordance with the scheduling.

Abstract: A system renders a graphical user interface to allow editing of graphics within a work area. The system receives a start input to define a start of the work area at a start location of a pointing device on the graphical user interface. The system receives a motion input that alters a location of the pointing device on the graphical user interface from the start location to an end location. The system receives an end input to define an end of the work area at the end location of the pointing device defined upon receipt of the end input, and creates the work area in which graphics may be edited between the start location and the end location of the pointing device on the graphical user interface. The work area defines a graphics editing region confined between the start input and the end input.

Abstract: To create a thumbnail version of an image associated with respective content (e.g., a web page), a computer process herein receives an identification of content formatted according to a first format. Based on the identification of the content to be converted into a thumbnail, the computer invokes a first service to utilize the content formatted according to the first format (e.g., HTML) and produce a rendition of the content according to a second format (e.g., a PDF format). The computer then invokes a second service to produce a rendition of the content according to a third format based on the rendition of the content according to the second format. The format of the thumbnail has a lower resolution compared to a respective imaging resolution associated with the PDF format to reduce network resources required to transfer the thumbnail rendition of the content to other users in a collaborative whiteboard session.

Abstract: A system receives a selection of a portion of digital content within a graphical user interface. The system traverses the entire digital content to identify a plurality of components associated with the portion of digital content, and applies at least one policy to each of the plurality of components to select those components necessary to recreate the portion of digital content. The system exports the portion of digital content and the plurality of selected components necessary to recreate the portion of digital content. The system then recreates the portion of digital content using the plurality of selected components necessary to recreate the portion of digital content.

Abstract: A display application herein allocates a first region of a display screen for displaying a list of content items such as documents or files. A respective viewer of the display screen can select multiple content items from the list. The display application highlights selected content items. For each of multiple selected content items, the display application displays a preview of corresponding sub-content such as a respective set of thumbnail images associated with a respective content item in an allocated second region of the display screen. The second region of the display screen includes one or more visual boundaries so that a user can identify groupings of related thumbnails associated with selected content items.

Abstract: Modification of source code reduces a launch time associated with an application program so that the application program more quickly responds to input from a user after startup. One technique of modifying source code includes converting globally defined variables in the source code to local static variables associated with respective newly created functions. Inclusion of the globally defined variables in the source code impacts application launch time because a compiler creates initialization code associated with the globally defined variables that must be run at launch time to initialize the variables in case they are used by functions in the application program. On the other hand, local static variables are initialized when the function that contains them is first called. Thus, use of local static variables in respective newly created functions in lieu of globally defined variables reduce application program launch time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for placing and interpreting reference marks on scrollbars are disclosed. A reference mark indicates a portion of document displayed in a window on a display device. To place a reference mark, a selection of a portion of a document is received. A command to mark the selection with a reference mark is then received. A reference mark is then placed in the scrollbar, the reference mark indicating the selected portion of the document. To interpret a reference mark, a selection of a reference mark located on a scrollbar is received from an input device. The scrollbar is associated with a document. The display of the document in the window on the display device is then changed so that at least the beginning of a portion of the document indicated by the reference mark is displayed in the window on the display device.

Abstract: A system provides a form manager that defines an electronic form comprising a field to populate with a data object. The form manager further defines a schema associated to the form. The schema describes the data object. The form manager further defines a variation rule for the electronic form. The variation rule describes a variation that may occur in the data object. The variation rule represents variation processing to be dynamically applied to the electronic form in response to detecting the variation.

Abstract: A display application can be configured to provide a visual indication associating a dialog box (that was not invoked for display by a user) to a user selectable source on a display screen. In such circumstances, because the dialog box was not actually invoked based on actions of by the user, the user may be unaware of how to invoke redisplay of the dialog box. The visual indication (e.g., a highlighting of a path between the dialog box and a user selectable source such as an icon) produced by the display application teaches a user of a location of the selectable source so that the user can select the selectable source at a future point in time and redisplay the window.

Abstract: A data format provides a mechanism to dynamically change the appearance of an application. During operation, the application obtains streaming feed data for presentation to a user. The feed data may be formatted according to a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) data format. The application detects, within the feed data, branding extensions that identify branding content to be displayed concurrently with channel data and content items when a user selects a channel defined by the feed data. The application detects a user selection of the channel defined by the feed data, and in response, references the branding extensions to obtain and display the branding content within a display region of the application that is separate from the content presentation region of the application for display of content items defined within the feed data.