Method for Automatically Previewing Edits to Text Items within an Online Collage-Based Editor

Abstract

In a server-based system for creating and editing image and or text-based projects, the system having access to a digital medium containing an executable graphics user interface (GUI) accessible by computer browser, a method for automatically previewing edits to text items within the image-based project includes the steps (a) selecting or highlighting a text item within the project, (b) automatically displaying a text editing toolbar as a result of the action of step (a), the toolbar including controls for editing at least one of font style, font size, font justification, and font color, and (c) selecting one of the controls of step (b) and mousing over a menu option.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS[0001]The present application is a divisional application of co-pending application Ser. No. 12 / 838,347, filed Jul. 16, 2010, which is a non-provisional application to provisional application 61 / 227,042, filed Jul. 20, 2009. Priority is claimed to the priority date of the parent application, and the entire disclosure of the parent application is incorporated herein at least by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention is in the field of electronic commerce and pertains particularly to method for automatically previewing edits to text items within an online collage-based editor.[0004]2. Discussion of the State of the Art[0005]In the field of electronic commerce also known as ecommerce, there are project-oriented Websites where users may create and edit works including models, poems, art, and photo-based products. Websites catering to photo-based editing promote online publishing and online trans...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present inventor realized in an inventive moment that if, at the point of project initiation and during editing, work could be reduced by enabling an automatic preview mode for graphics and for text editing, a significant increase in efficiency and reductions in print errors might result. The inventor therefore constructed a unique auto-preview process for photo-based projects that allowed users to quickly preview proposed edits for text and or graphics at the time of implementing those edits, but constrained time delays and potential errors to an absolute minimum. A significant improvement in the user experience results, with no impediment to the overall process created.

[0014]In one aspect of the method in step (b) font color includes text color and text background color. In a preferred aspect of the method, in step (c) mousing off of the menu item removes the effect from the text being edited. In one aspect, in step (b) the toolbar further includes a control that invokes a styles interface containing controls for applying visual effects to text. In a variation of this aspect, the visual effects include three dimensional printing effects. In another variation of the aspect, the visual effects include reflection, shadow, and glow effects.

Problems solved by technology

The problem stated above is that efficiency and flexibility are desirable in creating and editing photo-based projects over a data network, but many of the conventional means for photo editing, such as Photoshop type editors, also create inefficiencies and can result in error-prone finished products.

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