Abstract: A desktop publishing system is adapted to the interactive makeup and management of documents according to a model, in which model a document is made up of one or more kinds of components characterized by contents, name and properties, and which model represents a number of text columns. For each text column a corresponding component column is at least partially reproduced on the screen. For each component an indication is displayed in the respective component column, the indication being in the form of an identification symbol of this component to identify the start of the contents of the component at the level of said component in the text column.

Abstract: In a publishing system for editing documents having a processing unit, inputting device and a display screen, the document parts (components) are provided with properties which describe their appearance, and each individual component belongs to a component type. The component types and the individual components of that type have corresponding properties, the values of which can be set by the system operator. The value of a property of an individual component is usually identical to the value of the corresponding property of that type but may also be set to differ locally therefrom. This is indicated on the screen. On a change of the value of a property of a component type the value of each individual component of that type is changed similarly unless that value had been set to be locally different.