Abstract: A convenient and natural way to draw polyline shapes on a stylus-based computing device is described. A tool or other drawing function relies on a timing mechanism to identify the various vertices in a polyline shape. For example, the endpoint of each line may be detected responsive to the user stopping (or substantially stopping, such as by remaining within a predefined maximum movement threshold) movement of the tip of the stylus relative to the touch-sensitive surface. In addition, feedback is provided indicating that a line and/or its endpoint is about to commit to the polyline shape being drawn. Such feedback may be displayed shortly before the line and/or endpoint actually commits. Upon further delay without substantial movement of the stylus, the line and/or endpoint may then actually commit. A “snap” function is also provided that assists the user in fully closing the polyline shape, if desired.

Abstract: A method and system for adapting system behavior based on activities. An activities engine determines or is informed of the current activity and instructs a notification component to notify registered programs (also known as notification consumers) about the current activity. Upon receipt of the notification, the notification consumers modify their behavior if appropriate. When an activity ceases, the activities engine may instruct the notification component to notify the registered programs so that they may resume their normal behavior.

Abstract: An improved system and method for a context-awareness platform that may be used to adapt an execution environment is provided. A framework with interfaces for setting, tracking, and getting context information about the execution environment of a computer system includes a context engine and a unified data store for aggregating context information at a platform level for access by executables running on the platform. The context engine may receive requests to perform context information operations from executables such as setting, tracking and getting context information in the data store. Upon receiving a notification of a change in context information, one or more executables may change the execution environment such as reconfiguring system settings. In this way, an executable may adapt its execution environment using context information.

Abstract: Described is a mechanism that preserves the state of computer system shared resources and/or settings, and ensures that changes thereto are reverted when an application exits. A shared resource change bubble logically surrounds application code that causes system resource and/or setting data to change. The bubble preserves existing data before it gets changed, and restores the data when the application program code exits. In one implementation, the bubble is implemented as a library loaded by the application. In an alternative implementation, the bubble is run in a separate process, whereby the bubble can restore changed data even if the application program crashes. In another implementation, a bubble is automatically run for any application that the user has specified needs a bubble. Multiple settings and states may be preserved in a bubble for multiple applications, allowing changes to be undone and reapplied per application, e.g., whenever focus changes.