Method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium

• US 10,402,783 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlson, Jason David
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Velez-Lopez, Mario M
• Application Number:
  US14/752,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size calculated an initial layout for data containers in a report, checks to see if any of the data containers are obscured by the right display edge, and re-arranges the data containers so that no containers are obscured. A similar process is performed on any data grids with obscured columns. Columns are removed according to importance to maintain context. Elements in a removed column are added below respective associated rows.

Claims

1. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises the steps of:

(A) providing a report definition, wherein the report definition defines a plurality of data containers, and wherein the report definition provides instructions for spatially arranging the data containers on a visual medium;

(B) retrieving layout coordinates for a display device, wherein the layout coordinates delineate display boundaries on the display device, and wherein the layout coordinates comprise a right display edge value;

(C) calculating initial container coordinates for each of the data containers from the report definition, wherein the initial container coordinates for each of the data containers comprise an initial left container edge value, an initial right container edge value, an initial top container edge value and an initial bottom container edge value;

(D) comparing the initial container coordinates for each of the data containers to the layout coordinates in order to find an obscured container, wherein the initial right container edge value of the obscured container exceeds the right display edge value;

(E) checking for an adjacent container from the plurality of data containers, wherein the initial right container edge value of the adjacent container is less than the initial left container edge value of the obscured container, and wherein there is vertical overlap between the obscured container and the adjacent container;

(F) moving the obscured container below the adjacent container, if the adjacent container is found;

(G) repeating steps (D) through (F) starting with the rightmost data containers until an obscured container is not found, or until an adjacent container is not found left of an obscured container;

(H) identifying one of the data containers as a data grid, wherein the data grid comprises a plurality of data elements arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the columns may be associated with a column header, and wherein each data element is associated with one of the rows from the plurality of rows and one of the columns from the plurality of columns;

(I) removing a specified column from the data grid if an obscured column is found from the plurality of columns, wherein a column is obscured if the column is positioned right of the right display edge value; and

(J) adding a specific data element from the plurality of data elements of the obscured column into a relocated element container below a respective row from the plurality of rows, wherein the specific data element is associated with the respective row.

2. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

checking for a lower container below the adjacent container, wherein the initial top container edge value of the lower container is greater than the initial lower container edge value of the adjacent container; and

moving the lower container down in order to accommodate the obscured container being moved beneath the adjacent container, if the lower container is found.

3. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing that an arbitrary data container comprises a plurality of data elements;

checking if any of the data elements of the arbitrary data container are obscured, wherein part of an obscured element is past the right display edge boundary;

checking for an adjacent element, wherein the adjacent element is left of the obscured element;

moving the obscured element below the adjacent element, if an initial top element edge value of the obscured element is greater than an initial top edge element value of the adjacent element; and

moving the obscured element above the adjacent element, if the initial top element edge value of the obscured element is less than the initial top edge element value of the adjacent element.

4. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the step of:

adding a column header of the specific column adjacent to the specific data element below the respective row.

5. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

analyzing the column headers of the data grid in order to identify at least one important column and at least one less important column from the plurality of columns; and

removing a less important column left of an obscured important column from the at least one important column as the specified column, if the obscured important column is found.

6. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 5 comprises the steps of:

providing column metadata for each of the columns; and

comparing the column metadata of each of the columns in order to identify the at least one important column and the at least one less important column.

7. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 5 comprises the steps of:

providing a column header importance guessing algorithm; and

identifying the at least one important column and the at least one less important column using the column header importance guessing algorithm.

8. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

receiving input through a user interface to expand the respective row;

showing the relocated element container below the respective row on the user interface;

moving a plurality of lower rows from the plurality of rows from an original position to a relocated position in order to accommodate the relocated element container, wherein the lower rows are rows below the respective row, and wherein the relocated position is lower than the original position;

executing step (G).

9. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

receiving input through a user interface to collapse the respective row;

removing the relocated element container from the user interface;

moving a plurality of lower rows from the plurality of rows from a relocated position to an original position, wherein the lower rows are rows below the respective row, and wherein the relocated position is lower than the original position; and

executing step (G).

10. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the step of:

executing step (G), if the quantity of rows of the data grid changes, or if the quantity of columns of the data grid changes.

11. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing that a specific cell of the data grid is a dynamically expandable cell, and that the dynamically expandable cell is currently collapsed;

receiving input through a user interface to expand the dynamically expandable cell, wherein expanding the dynamically expandable cell either adds rows, columns, or both to the data grid; and

executing step (G).

12. A method of automatically re-organizing structured data in a reporting system based on screen size by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing that a specific cell of the data grid is a dynamically expandable cell, and that the dynamically expandable cell is currently expanded;

receiving input through a user interface to collapse the dynamically expandable cell, wherein collapsing the dynamically expandable cell removes either rows, columns, or both from the data grid; and

executing step (G).