Abstract: A computer system for supporting multiple hierarchically defined online stores includes a capability for an administrator of an online store to push information from a parent store to one or more child stores, and to pull information from a parent store to a child store. The administrator instructs the computer system what information is to be propagated, and to what extent that information is propagated. The computer system manages conflicts that can arise from the propagation of information from the parent store to the child store.

Abstract: A user may position a graphic object in a layout and the computer automatically knocks out frames to accommodate it. In implementation, a panel or panel set also may allow occluded or overlapping frames to be knocked out automatically in response to a user positioning an object in the layout in the graphical user interface. The computer determines from the size, position and orientation of the object which frames in a panel are overlapping or occluded, marks them as knocked out, and rearranges objects in the panel. As a result, the other images on the page appear to flow around the occluding or overlapping frame. Any textual labels or other information displayed for the occluded or overlapping frames also can be suppressed. A user can overlay as many occluding or overlapping objects as desired over a panel.