Storing objects in a spreadsheet
First Claim
1. A method for embedding an external object in a spreadsheet cell of a spreadsheet object, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving as input, an object function having an external object identifier;
parsing the object function to determine whether the object function is valid and has a proper syntax;
accessing the external object identified by the external object identifier, to determine whether the external object is functional;
storing an embedded object in the spreadsheet cell, in response to a determination that the object function is valid and has a proper syntax;
recalculating the spreadsheet cell, in response to a determination that the external object is functional.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for embedding an external object in a spreadsheet cell of a spreadsheet object, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving as input, an object function having an external object identifier;
parsing the object function to determine whether the object function is valid and has a proper syntax;
accessing the external object identified by the external object identifier, to determine whether the external object is functional;
storing an embedded object in the spreadsheet cell, in response to a determination that the object function is valid and has a proper syntax;
recalculating the spreadsheet cell, in response to a determination that the external object is functional. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a spreadsheet component having an object function for invoking an external object, the spreadsheet component comprising:
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a formula parser component operative to compare the object function to a function library to determine whether the object function conforms to a predefined syntax contained in a library entry associated with the object function and operative to determine whether the object function properly identifies the external object;
a recalculation component operative to invoke the external object identified by the object function, in response to a determination that the object function conforms to the predefined syntax and properly identifies the external object. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification