DocHandles: Linking Document Fragments in Messaging Apps

Abstract

In this paper, we describe DocHandles, a novel system that allows users to link to specific document parts in their chat applications. As users type a message, they can invoke the tool by referring to a specific part of a document, e.g., "@fig1 needs revision". By combining text parsing and document layout analysis, DocHandles can find and present all the figures "1" inside previously shared documents, allowing users to explicitly link to the relevant "document handle". In this way, Ddocuments become first-class citizens inside the conversation stream where users can seamlessly integrate documents in their text-centric messaging application.