Interactive Image Container Integrated as an Image or Photo Cropping Tool in an Online Collage-Based Editor
In a system for creating and editing image and or text-based projects including a server connected to a data network, the server having access to a digital medium containing an executable graphics user interface (GUI) for contributing and for editing content, the GUI accessible by computer browser, an interactive image container integrated as an image or photo cropping tool in the GUI includes an image display window of a predefined geometric configuration disposed on a project page for containing and displaying an image that has been placed thereon, and an image handle associated with the image container, the image handle visible on highlight or selection of the image within the image container.
1 . In a system for creating and editing image and or text-based projects including a server connected to a data network, the server having access to a digital medium containing an executable graphics user interface (GUI) for contributing and for editing content, the GUI accessible by computer browser, an interactive image container integrated as an image or photo cropping tool in the GUI comprising;
an image display window of a predefined geometric configuration disposed on a project page for containing and displaying an image that has been placed thereon; and
an image handle associated with the image container, the image handle visible on highlight or selection of the image within the image container;
characterized in that if one or more dimensions of the image exceed the dimensions of the image container, a user may grab the contained image by the image handle and may move the image about within the container in any direction to present the best view of the image and wherein the parts of the image that are hidden behind the page canvas become visible to the user when the image is grabbed enabling the user to see what parts of the image are cropped by the predefined geometry of the image container.
2 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the data network is the Internet network.
3 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the predefined geometric configuration of the image display window is rectangular.
4 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the predefined geometric configuration of the image display window is annular.
5 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the predefined geometric configuration of the image display window is polygonal.
6 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the image is dragged over and dropped onto the image display window to contain the image.
7 . The image container of claim 1 wherein the image handle displays only if a dimension of the image exceeds the compliment dimension in the image display window.
8 . The image container of claim 1 wherein an image dropped into the display window may be panned only in the direction of the overlapping dimension of the image relative to the image display window.
9 . In a graphics user interface (GUI) implemented in software on a digital medium, the GUI for contributing and for editing content to an image-based project, a method for virtual cropping of an image comprising the steps:
(a) placing an image in an image container having a display window of a predefined geometric configuration disposed on a project page displayed in the GUI;
(b) grabbing an image handle associated with the image container of step (a);
(c) moving the image about until the best part of the image is viewable in the display; and
(d) releasing the image handle to hide the parts of the image that are cropped in the desired image position within the container.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the GUI is hosted by a Website accessible over a data network.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the data network is the Internet network.
12 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (a) the predefined geometric configuration of the display window is rectangular.
13 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (a) the predefined geometric configuration of the display window is annular.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (a) the predefined geometric configuration of the display window is polygonal.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (a) the method of placing the image into the image container is the computer method of drag and drop.
16 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (b) the image handle is visible only if one or more dimensions of the image exceed the compliment dimensions of the image display window of step (a).
17 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (c) the parts of the image that will be virtually cropped by the page canvas are visible in a faded preview mode.
18 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (c) the image may be sized up or down within the image container without changing the size of the display window.
19 . The method of claim 9 wherein in step (c) the image display window may be sized up or sized down without changing the size of the image.