Authoring tool

Abstract

An authoring tool provides a storage receptacle for text components of graphics designs. The storage receptacle is easily accessed from within the graphics authoring environment and allows for the text to be changed independently of the graphics authoring environment, for possible future insertion into graphics files. Once a text item from the storage receptacle has been inserted in a graphics file, a relationship is maintained between the graphics file and the text item in the receptacle. This relationship can then be used in many ways, in particular to keep the text in the graphics file and the text in the receptacle synchronized. The storage receptacle can be implemented as a database system. In this manner the authoring tool automates the synchronization between the textual content which is usually drafted and edited outside of the graphics environment and the final graphics files in which the text will ultimately be inserted.

1 . An authoring tool, stored on a server of a digital system, for creating graphic files that include text comprising:
 a text repository that stores text for insertion into a graphic file; and   a text tool that operates within a graphical programming environment that retrieves the text from the text repository for insertion into the graphic file and recording a relationship between the inserted text and a related record of the repository, the text tool querying the text repository, based on the relationship, and including a text verification component that compares text in the graphic file with corresponding text in the repository for discrepancies between the text already inserted in the graphics file and the text of the related record.   
     
     
         2 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text repository includes at least one table of text records; and   a plurality of the text records are associated with the same graphic file.   
     
     
         3 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text repository includes at least one table of text records; and   one of the text records is associated with the graphic file.   
     
     
         4 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 in response to detecting a discrepancy, the text tool replaces the already inserted text with the present text from the related record.   
     
     
         5 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text repository resides on a server remote from the text tool.   
     
     
         6 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text tool includes a gateway to a query engine that is operable within the graphical programming environment to query the text repository.   
     
     
         7 . The authoring tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text already inserted in the graphic file is replaced while maintaining existing text formatting in the graphic file.   
     
     
         8 . A method for inserting text into a graphics file, the method comprising:
 populating a database with records that include text content and a text attribute;   from a graphical programming environment, querying the database to select records that include text meeting the query criteria;   inserting the text from the returned records into a graphics file and recording a relationship between the inserted text and the related record;   querying the database using a text verification component that compares text in the graphics file with corresponding text in a repository, based on the relationship, for discrepancies between the text already inserted in the graphics file and the text content of the related record.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the text repository includes at least one table of text records, the method further including:
 associating a plurality of the text records with the same graphics file. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the text repository includes at least one table of text records, the method further including:
 associating one of the text records with the graphics file. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further including:
 in response to detecting a discrepancy, replacing the already inserted text with the present text from the related record. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 verifying the text in the graphics file by comparing text in the graphics file with text in one or more corresponding database records. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 maintaining existing text formatting in the graphic file when replacing the text in the graphics file. 
 
     
     
         14 . Computer readable media having computer executable instructions stored thereon for performing method steps for managing text in a graphics file from a graphical programming environment, the steps comprising:
 providing a gateway to a query engine that select a database record containing a text item including text content and a text attribute from a text repository;   inserting the text item contained in the selected database record into the graphics file;   recording a relationship between the inserted text item and the related record;   querying the text repository using a text verification component that compares text in the graphics file with corresponding text in the repository, based on the relationship, for discrepancies between the text already inserted in the graphics file and the text content of the related record;   verifying the text item that has been inserted in the graphics file by comparing the text item in the graphics file with a text item in one or more of the corresponding database records.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  wherein the text repository includes at least one table of text records, the steps further including:
 associating a plurality of the text records with the same graphics file. 
 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  wherein the text repository includes at least one table of text records, the steps further including:
 associating one of the text records with the graphics file. 
 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable media of  claim 14 , the steps further including:
 in response to detecting a discrepancy, replacing the already inserted text with the present text from the related record.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  further including:
 comparing the text that is inserted in the graphic file with database records present in a corresponding database table that includes all database records designated for insertion in the graphics file; and 
 providing an alert if the text in the graphics file does not correspond to text in the database records. 
 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  further including:
 maintaining existing text formatting in the graphic file when replacing the text in the graphics file.