Importance

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Abstract

The present invention uses a markup language that defines elements which improve the ability of users to view more complex documents, particularly graphical documents, such as those based on data generated by computer-aided design, computer-aided software engineering, or other data modeling tools. An electronically published document contains descriptive markup defining several tags. Elements defined by tags are instantiated as objects which are responsive to user input. These tags define elements which are interpreted to define a diagram containing a plurality of layers. Each layer contains several graphical objects. An object may have associated with it a menu of actions or hypertext links. A computer system or computer-implemented process processes such an electronically published document and generates on a computer display the diagram defined by the descriptive markup. The different layers of the document may be displayed selectively. Also, the view of the diagram may change using a zoom function, or it maybe refreshed, i.e., redisplayed, or the electronically published document may be reloaded and reprocessed. One or more objects may be selected. Selection of objects may invoke a display of a menu of selectable actions which are associated with that object. These actions may include one or more hypertext links.

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First Claim