Abstract: Technologies are described herein for editing a document using a transitory editing surface. A word processing program displays a document in a window. Upon detection of the placement of an insertion pointer within a paragraph of text in the document, an editing surface is created overlaying the paragraph in the window and containing the contents of the underlying paragraph. User input is monitored by the word processing program while the editing of the contents is processed by the editing surface. When editing is complete, the modified contents of the editing surface are copied into the document and the editing surface is destroyed.

Abstract: Relative attributes of floating objects are disclosed. A user may obtain a floating object and specify that an attribute of the floating object is relative to a layout object of a page. In one aspect, the magnitude of relativity is determined, and the attribute of the floating object is maintained in accordance with the magnitude of relativity. In this manner, a page remains dynamically robust during page formatting operations and/or changes in page layout.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for editing a document using a transitory editing surface. A word processing program displays a document in a window. Upon detection of the placement of an insertion pointer within a paragraph of text in the document, an editing surface is created overlaying the paragraph in the window and containing the contents of the underlying paragraph. User input is monitored by the word processing program while the editing of the contents is processed by the editing surface. When editing is complete, the modified contents of the editing surface are copied into the document and the editing surface is destroyed.