Visual macro showing how some icon or object or text was constructed
View Patent ↗A Visual Macro Program records and replays desired actions performed by a user in creating or editing a document. The recorded actions are appended to the document as an attachment that can be replayed by a user at a later time by enabling a tag associated with the recorded actions.
1. A computer implemented method for recording a set of actions performed on a feature in a document, the computer implemented method comprising:
a computer receiving a first indication to start a recording;
the computer recording a set of actions to create the feature in the document;
the computer receiving a second indication to stop recording the set of actions, whereupon recording is stopped;
the computer storing the set of actions as a set of recorded actions;
the computer creating a tag and associating the tag with both the set of recorded actions and the document, the tag configured to be displayed on the document in proximity to the feature;
the computer displaying, responsive to a next opening of the document, the tag on the document in proximity to a location of the feature in the document, wherein the tag serves as a reference for accessing the set of recorded actions;
activating the tag displayed on the document; and
the computer accessing and playing back, responsive to the activation of the tag, the set of recorded actions using the tag as the reference to access the set of recorded actions.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the feature is an object.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the object is a graphical object.
4. The computer implemented process of claim 1 , wherein the feature is an icon.
5. The computer implemented process of claim 1 , wherein the computer displaying the tag on the document in proximity to the feature further comprises a visual indicator appearing in the document at a location where the recorded set of actions were initiated; and further comprising: the computer displaying a toolbar offering options of starting, stopping, pausing, resuming, and setting a playback speed of the recorded set of actions.
6. The computer implemented process of claim 1 , wherein the set of recorded actions can be copied and reused in another document.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the feature is one of a table, an organization chart, and a Venn diagram.
8. A computer program product for causing a computer to record a set of actions performed on a feature of a document, the computer program product comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for receiving a first indication from the user to start a recording;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for recording a set of actions to create the feature in the document;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for receiving a second indication to stop recording the set of actions, whereupon recording is stopped;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for storing the set of actions as a set of recorded actions;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for creating a tag and associating the tag with both the set of recorded actions and the document, the tag configured to be displayed on the document in proximity to the feature;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for displaying, responsive to a next opening of the document, the tag on the document in proximity to the feature in the document, wherein the tag serves as a reference for accessing the set of recorded actions;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for activating the tag displayed on the document; and
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for accessing and playing back, responsive to the activation of the tag, the set of recorded actions using the tag as the reference to access the set of recorded actions.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the feature is an object.
10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the object is a graphical object.
11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the feature is an icon.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein displaying the tag on the document in proximity to the feature further comprises a visual indicator appearing in the document at a location where the recorded set of actions were initiated; and further comprising computer program instructions stored in the computer-readable storage device for displaying a toolbar offering options of starting, stopping, pausing, resuming, and setting a playback speed of the recorded set of actions.
13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the set of recorded actions can be copied and reused in another document.
14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the feature is one of a table, an organization chart, and a Venn diagram.
15. A programmable apparatus for causing a computer to record a set of actions performed on a feature in a document using a computer application, the programmable apparatus comprising:
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage devices, and one or more computer readable memories;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for receiving a first indication to start a recording;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for recording a set of actions to create the feature in the document;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for receiving a second indication to stop recording the set of actions, whereupon recording is stopped;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for storing the set of actions as a set of recorded actions;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for creating a tag and associating the tag with both the set of recorded actions and the document, the tag configured to be displayed on the document in proximity to the feature;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for displaying, responsive to a next opening of the document, the tag on the document in proximity to the feature in the document, wherein the tag serves as a reference for accessing the set of recorded actions;
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices for activating the tag displayed on the document; and
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories for accessing and playing back, responsive to the activation of the tag, the set of recorded actions using the tag as the reference to access the set of recorded actions.
16. The programmable apparatus of claim 15 , wherein displaying the tag on the document in proximity to the feature further comprises a visual indicator appearing in the document at a location where the recorded set of actions were initiated; and further comprising computer program instructions stored in at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage device for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or memories for displaying a toolbar offering options of starting, stopping, pausing, resuming, and setting a playback speed of the recorded set of actions.
17. The programmable apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feature is an object.
18. The programmable apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the object is a graphical object.
19. The programmable apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feature is an icon.
20. The programmable apparatus of claim 15 wherein the feature is one of a table, an organization chart, and a Venn diagram.