Creation and Manipulation of Document Hierarchy Using Layers Represented on an Interface

1 . A method comprising:

determining software code created for an animation of a plurality of elements, the software code representing the plurality of elements in a first hierarchy;

causing display of a plurality of layers on an interface to represent the plurality of elements, the plurality of layers displayed in a second hierarchy on the interface corresponding to the first hierarchy;

generating linking information to link the plurality of layers to the plurality of elements in the software code;

detecting, by a computing device, a change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers on the interface; and

causing, by the computing device, a corresponding change in the software code to change the first hierarchy for the plurality of elements based on the change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers, the corresponding change performed using the linking information.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting the plurality of elements being created on the interface; and

automatically generating the software code for the plurality of elements based on the plurality of elements being created.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

scanning the software code to determine a position in the first hierarchy for an element in the plurality of elements that was created on the interface; and

causing display of a layer in the plurality of layers for the element, the element being displayed in a position in the second hierarchy corresponding to a position of the element in the first hierarchy.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the linking information comprises:

determining linking information for each of the plurality of elements; and

storing, for each of the plurality of layers, an identifier for one of the plurality of elements.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein causing the corresponding change comprises:

determining a layer in which a position is moved in the second hierarchy on the interface;

determining an identifier for an element in the software code that corresponds to the layer;

identifying the element in the software code using the element identifier; and

adjusting a position of the element in the first hierarchy of the software code to correspond to the position that is moved for the layer in the second hierarchy.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the layer is moved via a user input moving the position of the layer on the interface.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each layer in the plurality of layers is associated with a single element in the plurality of elements.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein changes in the second hierarchy are only allowed within a single level of the second hierarchy.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to be operable for:

determining software code created for an animation of a plurality of elements, the software code representing the plurality of elements in a first hierarchy;

causing display of a plurality of layers on an interface to represent the plurality of elements, the plurality of layers displayed in a second hierarchy on the interface corresponding to the first hierarchy;

generating linking information to link the plurality of layers to the plurality of elements in the software code;

detecting a change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers on the interface; and

causing a corresponding change in the software code to change the first hierarchy for the plurality of elements based on the change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers, the corresponding change performed using the linking information.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further operable for:

detecting the plurality of elements being created on the interface; and

automatically generating the software code for the plurality of elements based on the plurality of elements being created.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further operable for:

scanning the software code to determine a position in the first hierarchy for an element in the plurality of elements that was created on the interface; and

causing display of a layer in the plurality of layers for the element, the element being displayed in a position in the second hierarchy corresponding to a position of the element in the first hierarchy.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein generating the linking information comprises:

determining linking information for each of the plurality of elements; and

storing, for each of the plurality of layers, an identifier for one of the plurality of elements.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein causing the corresponding change comprises:

determining a layer in which a position is moved in the second hierarchy on the interface;

determining an identifier for an element in the software code that corresponds to the layer;

identifying the element in the software code using the element identifier; and

adjusting a position of the element in the first hierarchy of the software code to correspond to the position that is moved for the layer in the second hierarchy.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the layer is moved via a user input moving the position of the layer on the interface.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the master duration is associated with a total animation including all animations of elements in the plurality of elements.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein each layer in the plurality of layers is associated with a single element in the plurality of elements.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein changes in the second hierarchy are only allowed within a single level of the second hierarchy.

18 . An apparatus comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling the one or more computer processors to be operable to:

determining software code created for an animation of a plurality of elements, the software code representing the plurality of elements in a first hierarchy;

causing display of a plurality of layers on an interface to represent the plurality of elements, the plurality of layers displayed in a second hierarchy on the interface corresponding to the first hierarchy;

generating linking information to link the plurality of layers to the plurality of elements in the software code;

detecting a change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers on the interface; and

causing a corresponding change in the software code to change the first hierarchy for the plurality of elements based on the change in the second hierarchy for the plurality of layers, the corresponding change performed using the linking information.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further operable for:

detecting the plurality of elements being created on the interface; and

automatically generating the software code for the plurality of elements based on the plurality of elements being created.

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further operable for:

scanning the software code to determine a position in the first hierarchy for an element in the plurality of elements that was created on the interface; and

causing display of a layer in the plurality of layers for the element, the element being displayed in a position in the second hierarchy corresponding to a position of the element in the first hierarchy.