Abstract: A user interface is described that temporarily displays portions of a page that reside outside of the viewable area of the screen. An animated transition creates a brief preview of at least one user interface feature. Additionally, the user interface feature is then animated out of the viewable area in a way to suggest a location of the feature. In one embodiment, a target page that is being opened controls the transition and animates features into and out of the viewable area to create the temporary preview. In another embodiment, the target page includes user interface elements that can asynchronously control the preview animation independent from the main content of the target page. In yet another embodiment, a transition coordinator can coordinate the timing between animating out a foreground application while animating in a target application.

Abstract: A user interface is described that temporarily displays portions of a page that reside outside of the viewable area of the screen. An animated transition creates a brief preview of at least one user interface feature. Additionally, the user interface feature is then animated out of the viewable area in a way to suggest a location of the feature. In one embodiment, a target page that is being opened controls the transition and animates features into and out of the viewable area to create the temporary preview. In another embodiment, the target page includes user interface elements that can asynchronously control the preview animation independent from the main content of the target page. In yet another embodiment, a transition coordinator can coordinate the timing between animating out a foreground application while animating in a target application.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for declaring a resource element in markup that is intended to be instantiated lazily only upon use at run-time rather than always at markup load time. In one embodiment, the invention provides a parent resources tag that encloses resource elements that may be any type of markup element. On compile, a specially prepared compiler/parser identifies the Resource tag and creates definitional information sufficient to describe the resource elements in such a manner that the resource elements are defined but not created at run-time when the markup is first loaded, and are created only upon use at run-time. A resource may be defined to be shared or non-shared. If shared, the resource is instantiated only once and that same instance is handed out each time the resource is accessed. If non-shared, a new instance of the resource is always created and handed out on each access of the resource.

Abstract: An inheritance context is created for a graphics primitive object that is a property of a visual element. The inheritance context can be used to make some element information (e.g., information in resource dictionaries, name dictionaries, and inheritable properties that reside in the element tree containing the visual element) available to the graphics primitive object.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for compiling a markup language file into an executable application or library dll. The system may also compile a code-behind file associated with the markup language file. The compiling system may include a parser for parsing the markup language file and providing the compiling system with detailed token information to the compiling system. This token information could be user code snippets or non-code token information such as tags, properties or events in the markup. The compiling system may also include a binary file generator for generating a binary file from the non-code token information, wherein the binary file contains one record for each non-code token. Additionally, the system may include a code generator for generating a language-independent tree of code expressions based on the token information, wherein the code expressions represent the markup language file as a class.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to generating and propagating commands. In aspects, elements of a graphical user interface may include an input binding which associates a gesture with a command. When a gesture is received, the command is generated depending on which element has focus. In addition, elements of the graphic user interface may also define methods to call when commands are received. When an event or a command is received, a hierarchical data structure of elements representable on the graphical user interface may be traversed to respond to the event or command.

Abstract: The application programming interfaces described herein are directed at property management mechanisms that operate within an on-demand property system. The property management mechanisms support the caching of property values on an as needed basis, allow a plurality of object instances to utilize the same property via attached properties, overriding default information associated with a property on a per type basis, obtaining values for a property from an external source, and the like. In addition, the on-demand property system provides validation and control for each property instance. The property management mechanisms minimize the storage requirements and provide flexibility without requiring additional code from the developers.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping a tag in a markup language (ML) document to a class using namespaces is described. A parser in a computing system analyzes the tag in the ML document. A definition file location attribute related to the tag is referenced in the ML document. A definition file associated with definition file location attribute is retrieved. A namespace related to the tag is referenced within the definition file to determine the class associated with the tag. The class is located in an assembly such that the tag is mapped to the class.

Abstract: A programming interface provides functions for generating applications, documents, media presentations and other content. These functions allow developers to obtain services from an operating system, object model service, or other system or service.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping a tag in a markup language (ML) document to a class using namespaces is described. A parser in a computing system analyzes the tag in the ML document. A definition file location attribute related to the tag is referenced in the ML document. A definition file associated with definition file location attribute is retrieved. A namespace related to the tag is referenced within the definition file to determine the class associated with the tag. The class is located in an assembly such that the tag is mapped to the class.

Abstract: The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed at property management mechanisms that operate within an on-demand property system. The property management mechanisms support the caching of property values on an as needed basis, allow a plurality of object instances to utilize the same property via attached properties, overriding default information associated with a property on a per type basis, obtaining values for a property from an external source, and the like. In addition, the on-demand property system provides validation and control for each property instance. The property management mechanisms minimize the storage requirements and provide flexibility without requiring additional code from the developers.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for declaring a resource element in markup that is intended to be instantiated lazily only upon use at run-time rather than always at markup load time. In one embodiment, the invention provides a parent resources tag that encloses resource elements that may be any type of markup element. On compile, a specially prepared compiler/parser identifies the Resource tag and creates definitional information sufficient to describe the resource elements in such a manner that the resource elements are defined but not created at run-time when the markup is first loaded, and are created only upon use at run-time. A resource may be defined to be shared or non-shared. If shared, the resource is instantiated only once and that same instance is handed out each time the resource is accessed. If non-shared, a new instance of the resource is always created and handed out on each access of the resource.

Abstract: A hybrid tree data structure is suitable for use in scenarios involving intermingled text and user interface elements. Trees of two different types can be combined via one or more proxy nodes. For example, one type can be efficient at processing user interface elements and another can be efficient at processing text. Operations suitable for user interface elements can be efficiently performed on portions of the hybrid tree having user interface elements, and operations suitable for sequential data can be efficiently performed on portions of the hybrid tree having sequential data. The structure is thus suited for representing documents or graphical user interfaces. A hypertext document can be represented via the hybrid tree to enable more efficient searching, navigation, rendering, or editing of the document. Hybrid tree services can be provided by an operating system service.

Abstract: Described is a system, method, and data structure that enables an executable assembly associated with a subclass to be generated from a subclass definition within a markup document. In accordance with the invention, the subclass definition is written based on a schema. The schema may be XML-based. The schema includes a subclass tag for defining a name for the subclass. The name is associated with a type for an object that is instantiated when the executable assembly executes. The schema further includes one or more hints, such as for specifying a programming language to compile the subclass definition, for specifying a superclass from which the subclass derives, for specifying actions to perform when the object becomes instantiated, for creating an event definition and event handler for the subclass, and for specifying a property that becomes a member within the object when the object is instantiated.

Abstract: A system and method for user interface mirroring are provided. User interface objects are defined according to an object hierarchy that defines a logical relationship between a root element and one or more child elements. Additionally, the root element includes a directional property that is inherited by the child elements. A layout manager obtains the logical relationship and the specified directional property and correlates a set of physical coordinates for each display object according to the directional property, while maintaining the logical relationship. A renderer renders each of the display objects according to the specified directional property, while maintaining a truth table for graphical resources that could be rendered in one or more directions.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically processing instance data are provided. A namespace manager obtains declarative language instance data including tags, attributes and values for generating user interface objects. The instance data refers to one or more modules registered with a namespace manager in which the modules include meta-data defining one or more class definitions in a class hierarchy. Each class definition defines one or more properties of the class and references to a superclass/subclass(es) for the class. Thereafter, the namespace manager validates the instance data according to the class hierarchy and generates object code for instantiating an object hierarchy having classes, properties and values corresponding to the instance data.

Abstract: Described is a mechanism for allowing new functionality for an object to be expressed as a property that is not built into the class from which the object derives. More specifically, the mechanism associates properties in one class with another class. A computer-readable medium, that includes an object having a property in a first set of properties, further includes a data structure. The data structure includes definitions for each of a second set of properties and includes at least one static method. The static method is associated with one property out of the second set of properties and includes a first parameter. The first parameter uniquely identifies the one property. The static method is operative to associate the one property with the object without specifying an explicit reference to the one property in the object. The property is registered during run-time in order to receive the unique identifier.

Abstract: A system and method for user interface mirroring are provided. User interface objects are defined according to an object hierarchy that defines a logical relationship between a root element and one or more child elements. Additionally, the root element includes a directional property that is inherited by the child elements. A layout manager obtains the logical relationship and the specified directional property and correlates a set of physical coordinates for each display object according to the directional property, while maintaining the logical relationship. A renderer renders each of the display objects according to the specified directional property, while maintaining a truth table for graphical resources that could be rendered in one or more directions.

Abstract: Described is a system, method, and data structure that enables an executable assembly associated with a subclass to be generated from a subclass definition within a markup document. In accordance with the invention, the subclass definition is written based on a schema. The schema may be XML-based. The schema includes a subclass tag for defining a name for the subclass. The name is associated with a type for an object that is instantiated when the executable assembly executes. The schema further includes one or more hints, such as for specifying a programming language to compile the subclass definition, for specifying a superclass from which the subclass derives, for specifying actions to perform when the object becomes instantiated, for creating an event definition and event handler for the subclass, and for specifying a property that becomes a member within the object when the object is instantiated.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for declaring a resource element in markup that is intended to be instantiated lazily only upon use at run-time rather than always at markup load time. In one embodiment, the invention provides a parent resources tag that encloses resource elements that may be any type of markup element. On compile, a specially prepared compiler/parser identifies the Resource tag and creates definitional information sufficient to describe the resource elements in such a manner that the resource elements are defined but not created at run-time when the markup is first loaded, and are created only upon use at run-time. A resource may be defined to be shared or non-shared. If shared, the resource is instantiated only once and that same instance is handed out each time the resource is accessed. If non-shared, a new instance of the resource is always created and handed out on each access of the resource.