Systems and methods for displaying contextual revision history in an electronic document
A user may want to view the revision history of a particular section or context of an electronic document. The user selects a context by selecting a section of the electronic document in a document editing application. Based on the selected context, the application filters and displays only information about revisions associated with the selected section of the electronic document. The application omits information about revisions made to other unselected sections of the electronic document from display.
1. A method of presenting revision history information of an electronic document, compromising:
retrieving an electronic document stored as a hierarchical structure of objects,
each object from the hierarchical structure of objects is stored with revision history information;
displaying the electronic document via a user interface;
detecting a selection of a section of the electronic document from the user interface;
associating at least a portion of the selected section with an object from the hierarchical structure of objects;
retrieving revision history information associated with the object;
presenting the revision history information within the displayed electronic document via a visual indicator element on the user interface;
wherein the visual indicator element indicates a beginning position and an ending position of the selected section of the document, and the visual indicator element includes a selectable button that is configured to be moved vertically by a user, and to display a tag next to the selectable button showing the revision history information when the selectable button is moved to be horizontally aligned with a position of the at least one portion of the selected section of the document and the portion of the selected section corresponds to the object; and
wherein the revision history information comprises identification information identifying an editor having made a revision to the object, and timestamp information indicating a time that the revision was made.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to detecting the selection of the section of the electronic document, displaying a first menu having a command to display a subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, the subset including revision history information corresponding to the object and omitting revision history information unassociated with the object.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to detecting the selection by the user of the command to display the subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, displaying via a second menu expanded from the first menu a list having a revision entry associated with a revision to the object.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification information includes a name corresponding to the editor and an image corresponding to the editor.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification information is displayed in a color associated with the editor.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the tag is displayed in the color associated with the editor.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
displaying, in a vertical margin of a visual display of the electronic document, a vertical line having a segment, wherein:
a first end of the segment is aligned vertically with a beginning of the text corresponding to the revision entry;
a second end of the segment is aligned vertically with an end of the text, and the segment is displayed in the color of the text.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first end of the segment comprises a user interface configured to be selected by the user.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a selection by the user of the first end of the segment; and
in response to detecting the selection of the first end of the segment, displaying the revision entry next to the first end of the segment.
10. A system for presenting revision history information of an electronic document, compromising:
a memory;
a processor configured to:
retrieve an electronic document stored as a hierarchical structure of objects, each object from the hierarchical structure of objects is stored with revision history information;
display the electronic document via a user interface;
detect a selection of a section of the electronic document from the user interface;
associate at least a portion of the selected section with an object from the hierarchical structure of objects;
retrieve revision history information associated with the object;
present the revision history information within the displayed electronic document via a visual indicator element on the user interface;
wherein the visual indicator element indicates a beginning position and an ending position of the selected section of the document, and the visual indicator element includes a selectable button that is configured to be moved vertically by a user, and to display a tag next to the selectable button showing the revision history information when the selectable button is moved to be horizontally aligned with a position of the at least one portion of the selected section of the document and the portion of the selected section corresponds to the object; and
wherein the revision history information comprises identification information identifying an editor having made a revision to the object, and timestamp information indicating a time that the revision was made.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to detecting the selection of the section of the electronic document, display a first menu having a command to display a subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, the subset including revision history information corresponding to the object and omitting revision history information unassociated with the object.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to detecting the selection by the user of the command to display the subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, display via a second menu expanded from the first menu a list having a revision entry associated with a revision to the object.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification information includes a name corresponding to the editor and an image corresponding to the editor.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification information is displayed in a color associated with the editor.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the tag is displayed in the color associated with the editor.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
display, in a vertical margin of a visual display of the electronic document, a vertical line having a segment, wherein:
a first end of the segment is aligned vertically with a beginning of the text corresponding to the revision entry;
a second end of the segment is aligned vertically with an end of the text, and the segment is displayed in the color of the text.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first end of the segment comprises a user interface configured to be selected by the user.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a selection by the user of the first end of the segment; and
in response to detecting the selection of the first end of the segment, display the revision entry next to the first end of the segment.
19. A non-transitory computer medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
retrieving an electronic document stored as a hierarchical structure of objects, each object from the hierarchical structure of objects is stored with revision history information;
displaying the electronic document via a user interface;
detecting a selection of a section of the electronic document from the user interface;
associating at least a portion of the selected section with an object from the hierarchical structure of objects;
retrieving revision history information associated with the object;
presenting the revision history information within the displayed electronic document via a visual indicator element on the user interface;
wherein the visual indicator element indicates a beginning position and an ending position of the selected section of the document, and the visual indicator element includes a selectable button that is configured to be moved vertically by a user, and to display a tag next to the selectable button showing the revision history information when the selectable button is moved to be horizontally aligned with a position of the at least one portion of the selected section of the document and the portion of the selected section corresponds to the object; and
wherein the revision history information comprises identification information identifying an editor having made a revision to the object, and timestamp information indicating a time that the revision was made.