Method and apparatus for entry and editing of spreadsheet formulas

• US 20030033329A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bergman, Eric D., Rank, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US09/887,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033329A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/503
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for entry and editing of spreadsheet formulas. In one embodiment, a user is able to complete editing a formula by selecting another cell. If the user selects another cell while editing a formula, it is determined whether entering a reference to the cell at that point in the formula is appropriate. If entering a reference to the cell at that point in the formula is inappropriate, formula editing is terminated and the selected cell becomes the active cell. In one embodiment, a formula toolbar is displayed when a formula is edited. A user selects buttons on the formula toolbar to insert operators or functions into the formula. In one embodiment, a spreadsheet is displayed on a touch sensitive display. Formulas are edited using the touch sensitive display. In one embodiment, the touch sensitive display is the display of a PDA.

Claims

1. A method for editing a spreadsheet formula comprising:

activating a first cell;

selecting a second cell in response to user input;

determining whether a reference to said second cell is appropriate for entry into a formula in said first cell;

storing a current formula in said first cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell; and

activating said second cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a formula toolbar when said formula is edited.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

closing said formula toolbar when said formula is no longer being edited.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said formula toolbar comprises:

at least one mathematical operator.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said formula toolbar comprises:

at least one function operator.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying a function dialogue when said function operator is selected.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

entering said reference in said formula, if said reference is appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

8. A method for formula editing comprising:

selecting a cell; and

entering an editing mode, when an appropriate reference for said formula exists in another selected cell.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said entering comprises:

displaying a formula toolbar.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

entering an editing mode, if a user inputs a formula initiator.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said entering comprises:

displaying a formula toolbar.

12. A method for formula entry comprising:

activating a formula entry area;

obtaining an input from a user;

determining whether said input is appropriate for entry into a formula in said formula entry area; and

storing a current formula in said formula entry area, if said input is not appropriate for entry into said formula.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said formula is a search query.

14. A spreadsheet formula editor comprising:

a first activation device configured to activate a first cell;

a selection device configured to select a second cell in response to user input;

a determiner configured to determine whether a reference to said second cell is appropriate for entry into a formula in said first cell;

a storage unit configured to store a current formula in said first cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell; and

a first activation device configured to activate said second cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

15. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 14 further comprising:

a formula toolbar wherein said formula toolbar is displayed when said formula is edited.

16. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 15 wherein said formula toolbar is closed when said formula is no longer being edited.

17. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 15 wherein said formula toolbar comprises:

at least one mathematical operator.

18. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 15 wherein said formula toolbar comprises:

at least one function operator.

19. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 18 further comprising:

a function dialogue wherein said function dialogue is displayed when said function operator is selected.

20. The spreadsheet formula editor of claim 14 wherein said reference is entered in said formula, if said reference is appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

21. A formula editor comprising:

a selection device configured to select a cell; and

an editing mode configured to be entered when an appropriate reference for said formula exists in another selected cell.

22. The formula editor of claim 21 wherein said mode selector comprises:

a display unit configured to display a formula toolbar.

23. The formula editor of claim 21 wherein said editing mode is configured to be entered, if a user inputs a formula initiator.

24. The formula editor of claim 23 wherein said second mode selector comprises:

a display unit configured to display a formula toolbar.

25. A formula editor comprising:

an activation device configured to activate a formula entry area;

input from a user configured to be obtained;

a determiner configured to determine whether said input is appropriate for entry into a formula in said formula entry area; and

a storage unit configured to store a current formula in said formula entry area, if said input is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said formula entry area.

26. The formula editor of claim 25 wherein said formula is a search query.

27. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to edit a spreadsheet formula, said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to activate a first cell;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to select a second cell in response to user input;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether a reference to said second cell is appropriate for entry into a formula in said first cell;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to store a current formula in said first cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to activate said second cell, if said reference is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to display a formula toolbar when said formula is edited.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to close said formula toolbar when said formula is no longer being edited.

30. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein said toolbar comprises:

at least one mathematical operator.

31. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein said toolbar comprises:

at least one function operator.

32. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to display a function dialogue when said function operator is selected.

33. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enter said reference in said formula, if said reference is appropriate for entry into said formula in said first cell.

34. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to edit a formula, said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to select a cell; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enter an editing mode, when an appropriate reference for said formula exists in another selected cell.

35. The computer program product of claim 34 wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enter comprises:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to display a formula toolbar.

36. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enter an editing mode, if a user inputs a formula initiator.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enter an editing mode, if a user inputs a formula initiator comprises:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to display a formula toolbar.

38. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to edit a formula, said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to activate a formula entry area;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to obtain an input from a user;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether said input is appropriate for entry into said formula in said formula entry area; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to store a current formula in said formula entry area, if said input is not appropriate for entry into said formula in said formula entry area.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein said formula is a search query.