Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method display, on a display screen, a graphical user interface (GUI) of a software application having multiple commands, according to at least two different layouts generated by a layout engine. A first layout includes, in a fixed area, a contextual ribbon including groups of controls that each pertain to a function of a particular command, while a second layout includes, in the fixed area, a non-contextual ribbon including groups of controls that each pertain to different commands. The apparatus and method switch between layouts for display in response to receiving a re-layout instruction from a user of the software application. The layout engine operates by processing a command framework, which may be hierarchical, to determine the controls for each layout, and their respective arrangement and sizes within the layout, according to a user experience guideline.

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First Claim