Collaborative Document Merge Undo Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-user environments, merging edits from multiple users into a single document can be confusing and difficult, often disrupting undo and redo features, and consuming excessive system resources.
Innovation Solution
A document collaboration system that uses a processor circuit and application program with a document render component, document share component, and undo manager component to manage collaborative documents, implementing construct-based conflict rules and logic to automatically resolve conflicts and preserve undo/redo functionality during merge operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple users edit the same document simultaneously, then collaborative document creation is enabled, but confusion exists as to how various edits are added to the document
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document into multiple versions (first document instance and second document instance) and tracks changes separately for each user. By dividing the document editing process into distinct version streams with individual change records, the system enables multiple users to edit simultaneously while maintaining clarity about how edits are added to each version.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple versions of the document are edited, then collaborative editing capability is enhanced, but it becomes difficult to merge edits into a single complete document
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary merging process that systematically combines edits from multiple document versions. The system uses change records as intermediaries to track and manage modifications from different users, enabling automated or semi-automated merging that reduces the complexity of combining multiple versions into a single complete document.
3Productivity
If edits from multiple users are merged into a single document, then collaborative work is integrated, but undo and redo features are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by maintaining separate change records for each document version before merging occurs. The system captures and stores individual user edits as discrete change records with metadata about the specific modifications. This preliminary tracking enables the undo manager to preserve and manage undo/redo functionality even after merging, because the original change information is retained and can be reversed if needed.
4Productivity
If traditional merge operations are performed, then document updates are integrated, but system resources are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary change information from document updates rather than processing entire document versions. By using change records that capture specific modifications (insertions, deletions, formatting changes) rather than copying entire document instances, the system integrates document updates while minimizing system resource consumption. The undo manager component processes these extracted change records efficiently without requiring excessive memory or computational resources.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to manage collaborative documents are described. An application program may comprise a document render component to render a first document instance of a collaborative document, a document share component to receive a document update list comprising a set of change records for a second document instance of the collaborative document, and modify properties of one or more constructs for the first document instance based on the change records to form a merged document instance of the collaborative document, and an undo manager component to manage a local undo stack for the first document instance, the local undo stack comprising a set of undo records, and determine whether to preserve one or more of the undo records of the local undo stack after formation of the merged document instance based on one or more of the change records. Other embodiments are described and claimed.