Digital image editing

Abstract

A website construction tool allows website construction via an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) using containers and modules defining predetermined website constructs from a robust assortment of common and popular rendering formats and content source definition for individual webpages, and arranges the individual pages for navigation. A user selects from the predefined constructs by selecting modules for generating code, corresponding to the desired content, source and rendering format. Pointing device positioning locates the on-screen location by generating a container dedicated to the desired content. Webpage structure, or page flow, is generated by insertion of navigation controls and page insertions for navigating between pages in the deployed site. The predetermined constructs, therefore, provide templates of complex rendering formats allowing for content insertion without burdening the user with development of the constructs so rendered. Constructed websites may be hosted by the development entity, further relieving the user from website maintenance.

1 . A method for image manipulation in connection with construction of a website by a user without image stretching or other distortion, comprising the steps of:
 providing a developmental website comprising a developmental website workspace region for construction of the developmental website by the user;   providing a viewable display region for display of a developmental website workspace region;   in response to a user command corresponding to insertion of an image-specific website construction content item into the developmental website workspace region, displaying an image container region of a predetermined initial height and width comprising an image view region, the image view region having a predetermined initial height and width less than the image container region;   in further response to user selection and insertion of a selected image into said image container region, displaying the particular selected image in the image view region within the image container region, the selected image having a predetermined resolution and a size less than the initial height and width of the image view region;   displaying an image manipulation control comprising a slider control bar in a position proximate to the image container region for zooming the image within the image container region and image view region without resizing the image view region or the image container region;   displaying an image manipulation control comprising an image height control handle proximate to the bottom of the selected image (at the lowermost extent of the selected image) for adjusting the height of the image view region and the selected image relative to the fixed uppermost initial extent of the selected image within the boundaries of the image container region so as to define an adjusted image view;   displaying an image manipulation control comprising an image width control handle proximate to a side of the selected image for adjusting the width of the image view region and the selected image relative to a side of the image within the boundaries of the image container region so as to define an adjusted image view;   displaying an image manipulation control comprising an image resizing control handle proximate to a corner of the selected image for simultaneously adjusting the height and width the image view region and simultaneously adjusting the height and width of the selected image within the boundaries of the image container region so as to define an adjusted image view; and   in response to user selection of an image manipulation control comprising a pan control, moving the selected original image within an image view region defined by the adjusted image view, wherein user manipulation of the image manipulation controls does not result in a stretching or other distortion of the image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in response to a user command for insertion of another website content item, automatically resizing the image container region. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a user control for selecting a particular image from an image repository for insertion into the image container region. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image manipulation controls are displayed prior to displaying an image for manipulation. 
     
     
         5 . A method for automatically resizing a displayed content item in a content container of a web site in connection with construction of the website by a user, comprising the steps of: providing a developmental website comprising a developmental website workspace region for construction of the developmental website by the user;
 providing a viewable display region for display of a developmental website workspace region and user;   providing an original content item having original characteristics;   in response to a user command to include the original content item in a first content container of the website, displaying a proportionally sized first representation of the original content item in the display region confined within a predetermined initial display subregion of the first content container;   in response to a user command for manipulation of the first representation of the content item, displaying a modified first representation of the content item in the first content container; and   in response to a user command to place the modified first representation of the content to a second content container of the website, displaying a proportionally sized second representation of the original content items confined with a predetermined initial display subregion of the second content container and reflecting the modifications from the user command for manipulation of the first representation,   whereby the display of the the first representation and the second representation of the content items are relative to the original content item and no adjustments resulting from user manipulations affect the original content item.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the content containers further comprise a predetermined size defining a width and height of the content containers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a theme comprising an initial layout includes a plurality of content containers in a predetermined spatial arrangement relative to each other, each of the content containers being of a predetermined initial size.