Abstract: A method and system for defining and applying a style of a paragraph based upon the formatting properties of the paragraph. The paragraph type of the paragraph is identified. A determination is made whether the paragraph type is one which is capable of having a style defined for it. If not, then a determination is made whether the major formatting properties of the paragraph match those of an existing style and, if so, then the matching existing style is applied to the paragraph. If the paragraph type is one which is capable of having a style defined for it, then a determination is made whether the major formatting properties of the paragraph match the those of an existing style with the same paragraph type as the paragraph type of the paragraph. If so, then the matching existing style is applied to the paragraph. If not, then a style is defined with the formatting properties of the paragraph. The defined style is then applied to the paragraph and all direct formatting is removed.

Abstract: An improved method and system for selecting text is provided. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method and system is provided for selecting text utilizing two text selection modes. In the first text selection mode, text is selected with a minimum granularity of a letter. In the second text selection mode, the text is selected with a minimum granularity of a word. The preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes both text selection modes and determines whether and when to switch between each text selection mode. The preferred embodiment of the present invention determines whether to switch between text selection modes based on user input, mouse movement, and the mouse remaining stationary for more than a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A method and word processing system for automatically replacing one or more characters of text entered by a user in a word processing document with the corresponding plain text, formatted text, or other object. The user can select among a plurality of predefined autocorrect options in an Autocorrect dialog box that is displayed when the autocorrect function is selected from the menu or toolbar of the word processing system. These options include changing straight quotes to smart quotes, correcting words that begin with two initial upper case letters so that only the first letter is upper case, capitalizing the first letter of any sentence that is not capitalized, capitalizing the names of the days of the week if not already capitalized, and replacing text entered by the user with either plain text, formatted text, a graphic picture, or other type of object.

Abstract: An improved method and system for selecting text is provided. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method and system is provided for selecting text utilizing two text selection modes. In the first text selection mode, text is selected with a minimum granularity of a letter. In the second text selection mode, the text is selected with a minimum granularity of a word. The preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes both text selection modes and determines whether and when to switch between each text selection mode. The preferred embodiment of the present invention determines whether to switch between text selection modes based on user input, mouse movement, and the mouse remaining stationary for more than a predetermined amount of time.