Interactive format manipulation and replication

Abstract

Selectively applying format attributes of a source to the content of a destination. The format attributes defining the format of one or more source objects are captured, and from among the captured attributes, format attributes are selected. A destination object is formatted such that selected format attributes are copied to the content of the destination, and the copied format attributes are applied to the destination object as a destination format.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product for use with a first source having a first original format, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to:
 capture one or more first attributes that define the formatting;   select a destination different from the first source for application of at least one of the captured first attributes;   format content of the selected destination, including the program to selectively copy one or more of the captured attributes of the format to content of the destination; and   apply the selected attributes to the content as a destination format.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein formatting content of the selected destination includes the program to de-select at least one of the captured attributes, wherein at least one of the captured attributes is excluded from the destination. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , further comprising the program to capture second attributes for a second source, the captured attributes defining formatting of the second source. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein formatting content of the destination includes the program to selectively copy one or more of the captured second attributes to the destination. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising the program to merge selection of the first and second attributes and apply the merged attributes to the content of the destination. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the selective copying includes all of the captured attributes and wherein the merge includes all of the captured attributes of the first source and the second source. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a processing unit in communication with memory;   a functional unit in communication with the processing unit, the functional unit having tools to apply format attributes to a destination, the tools comprising:
 a capture manager to capture one or more first attributes for a first source having a first format; 
 a selection manager in communication with the capture manager, the selection manager to, responsive to selection of a destination different from the first source, format content of the selected destination, including the selection manager to selectively copy one or more of the captured attributes of the format to content of the destination; and 
 an application manager in communication with the selection manager, the application manager to apply the selected attributes to the content as a destination format. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein formatting content of the selected destination includes the selection manager to de-select at least one of the captured attributes, wherein at least one of the captured attributes is excluded from the destination. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising the capture manager to capture second attributes for a second source, the captured attributes defining formatting of the second source. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein formatting content of the destination includes the selection manager to selectively copy one or more of the captured second attributes to the destination. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising the application manager to merge selection of the first and second attributes and apply the merged attributes to the content of the destination. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the selective copying includes all of the captured attributes and wherein the merge includes all of the captured attributes of the first source and the second source.