Abstract: Property modifiers stored on a computer-readable medium for formatting information associated with a computer file, such as an electronic document. Each property modifier includes a size field having information indicating the size of its property modifier argument and an index field having an index into a property information array. A program module can traverse a group of property modifiers by utilizing the information in the size field of the current property modifier to determine the location of the next property modifier. Formatting is applied to information of the computer file by using the index of each property modifier to access formatting information maintained in the property information array. Each property modifier can store encoded information corresponding to the type of object to receive formatting, the size of the property modifier's argument, and an index into the property information array associated with an executable computer program.

Abstract: Word processing program module having a multi-user editing capability provided for by the utilization of a multi-user control file (MCF) that is created when a document is first accessed. The MCF is comprised of individual record files for the master copy of the document, and each user and includes an assigned name, a date/time number, and a version identifier number. The MCF facilitates the tracking of the version identifier numbers to control the timing and sequence of events when a user opens, saves, and/or closes a document. The MCF also facilitates the control of the reconciliation of documents that may be required when a user attempts to save as well as facilitates the performing of the necessary timing functions when conflict resolving is required before edits are saved. The MCF further facilitates the capability to automatically recover the multi-user editing environment from a system failure as well as to manually remove a user from the multi-user editing environment.

Abstract: Formatting information in a program module, particularly useful for word processing and similar text processing programs. A property information array stored in association with an executable program module contains formatting for applying to information in a document comprising a data structure and a property modifier structure. The data structure stores data elements corresponding to the information in the document to be formatted, e.g., a text file. The property modifier structure stores groups of data formatting property modifiers and their arguments that represent the appearance of the data elements, e.g., a character property, a paragraph property, a section property, etc. Each property modifier contains encoded format-related information and comprises an argument size field having information indicating the size of the property modifier argument and a unique identification field, i.e., an index into the property information array. A selected data element may be displayed, printed, etc.

Abstract: Saving a document using a background save thread while editing continues in a foreground thread. When a save is initiated, control is transferred to the background save thread and a document descriptor is cloned. If a foreground event is detected, then control is returned to the foreground thread. If no foreground event has been detected, then the save continues in the background save thread. During the background save, the background save thread checks for a foreground event. If a foreground event is detected, then control is returned to the foreground thread. Once the foreground thread becomes idle, control is returned to the background save thread so that the save may continue. Control is transferred between the foreground thread and the background save thread until the background save is complete.