Visual Path Resolution in Context-Separated Web Page Editors
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Solution Overview
Problem
In context-separated authoring environments for web page editing, it is difficult for developers to visually associate individual web page components with their corresponding information, as existing technologies lack visual indicators that connect components with their properties within the editing context.
Innovation Solution
A web page editor is configured to display visual indications of web page components in a common browser frame, with dashed outlines surrounding regions, and upon selection, provides information about the component's properties, such as URL and type, within the same frame, using a DOM layer that detects user interactions and updates the structured document to highlight selected components with contrasting indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If web page components and editor are displayed in separate frames or windows, then visual separation between authoring environment and web page is achieved, but visual association between components and their information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces visual indicators (dashed outlines) as intermediaries that bridge the separation between web page components and their information. These indicators are rendered within the web page frame and serve as mediators to associate components with their corresponding data without requiring the editor and page to be in the same frame, thus resolving the contradiction between visual separation and visual association.
2Loss of information
If visual indicators are added to show component associations, then developer visibility of component properties is improved, but complexity of the editing interface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual indicators locally only to regions containing web page components, rather than uniformly across the entire interface. The dashed outlines are selectively rendered around component regions based on their coordinates, providing enhanced visibility precisely where needed without adding unnecessary complexity to the rest of the editing interface.
3Ease of operation
If multiple visual elements are added to display component information, then ease of operation for developers is improved, but rendering performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by selectively rendering visual indicators only for regions that contain web page components, rather than adding visual elements throughout the entire interface. The system determines which regions need indicators based on component coordinates, applying visual enhancements only where necessary to maintain rendering performance while still improving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for providing visual path resolution in a context separated authoring environment of a REST- and component-based content management system. A web page editor is activated for editing a web page having a plurality of Document Object Model components. A structured document is generated and configured to present the web page components and at least a portion of the web page editor in a common frame of a browser window, as well as visual indications of regions of the web page that contain one or more of the components. In response to receiving an input that selects one of the components, the structured document is updated to present information about a property of the selected component, such as a path to a location of the selected component and/or a type of the selected component, in the same region of the web page that contains the selected component.