Abstract: A method and system for automatically producing arrangements of two-dimensional extents in a computer-based editing or animation environment is presented. The method consists of defining a set of objects having two or more dimensions automatically calculating and presenting an arrangement of send objects, and optionally iterating to produce alternative arrangements. The arrangements may use templates to guide the selection of sizes, border colors and transparency, rotation, and other attributes of the contained regions.

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.