Systems and methods for supporting custom graphical representations in reporting software

• US 20060048048A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hays, Christopher Alan, Welcker, Brian Lee, Carlson, Jason D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

Systems and methods for supporting custom report layouts allow features that may be available to supported report layouts to also be made available to custom layouts. A custom layout definition may first meet a set of report definition criteria so that it is recognizable to report processing software. A design tool is provided that may be used to create such a custom layout definition. The custom layout may then be passed to report processing software. The report processing software can initially process the custom layout, and provide it with any features available in the initial processing stage. The reporting software may provide an interface for custom processing of the custom layout. The interface may be accessible to custom layout builder objects. Custom layout builder objects can be designed to use the report building components provided through the interface to build a custom report layout.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium bearing instructions for generating a report, comprising:

instructions for reading a report definition file, wherein the report definition file defines a graphical representation of a report;

instructions for generating a plurality of graphical features for reports;

instructions for providing an interface that allows an external automated process to access functions represented by said instructions for generating, whereby the automated process can build the graphical representation defined in said report definition file by controlling the graphical features for reports that are produced by said instructions for generating.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein said the report definition file bears a first identification, and wherein said automated process bears a second identification, and wherein an appropriate external process can be selected for use with the report definition file based on said first and second identifications.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein said interface is published to allow all users of said computer readable medium to create said automated process.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for performing initial processing on said report definition file, wherein initial processing occurs prior to processing by said external automated process, and wherein said initial processing enforces a set of criteria for the report definition file.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, further comprising instructions for providing a design tool to assist in creating the report definition file.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions for providing a second interface that allows a second external automated process to access functions represented by said instructions for providing a design tool.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for determining a second automated process to build said graphical representation if said external automated process is not available.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for receiving a set of column groups for the graphical representation, and instructions for placing data in said column groups.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for receiving a set of cell identifiers for cells in the graphical representation, and instructions for placing data in said cells.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the report definition file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for generating a plurality of graphical features for reports are referenced in an index.

12. A method for generating a report, comprising:

reading a report definition file, wherein the report definition file defines a graphical representation of a report;

providing a plurality of processes for generating graphical features for reports;

providing an interface that allows an external process to access said instructions processes for generating, whereby the external process can build the graphical representation defined in said report definition file by controlling the graphical features for reports that are produced by said processes for generating.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said the report definition file bears a first identification, and wherein said external process bears a second identification, and wherein an appropriate external process can be selected for use with the report definition file based on said first and second identifications.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said interface is published to allow all users of said computer readable medium to create said external process.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising performing initial processing on said report definition file, wherein initial processing occurs prior to processing by said external process, and wherein said initial processing enforces a set of criteria for the report definition file.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a design tool to assist in creating the report definition file.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a second interface that allows a second external process to access functions of said design tool.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a second automated process to build said graphical representation if said external automated process is not available.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a set of column groups for the graphical representation, and placing data in said column groups.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a set of cell identifiers for cells in the graphical representation, and placing data in said cells.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the report definition file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the processes for generating a plurality of graphical features for reports are referenced in an index.

23. A means for generating a report, comprising:

means for reading a report definition file, wherein the report definition file defines a graphical representation of a report;

means for generating a plurality of graphical features for reports;

means for providing an interface that allows an external automated process to access functions represented by said means for generating, whereby the automated process can build the graphical representation defined in said report definition file by controlling the graphical features for reports that are produced by said means for generating.

24. The means for generating a report of claim 23, wherein said the report definition file bears a first identification, and wherein said automated process bears a second identification, and wherein an appropriate external process can be selected for use with the report definition file based on said first and second identifications.

25. The means for generating a report of claim 23, wherein said interface is published to allow all users of said means for generating a report to create said automated process.

26. The means for generating a report of claim 23, further comprising means for performing initial processing on said report definition file, wherein initial processing occurs prior to processing by said external automated process, and wherein said initial processing enforces a set of criteria for the report definition file.

27. The means for generating a report of claim 26, further comprising means for providing a design tool to assist in creating the report definition file.

28. The means for generating a report of claim 27, further comprising means for providing a second interface that allows a second external automated process to access functions represented by said means for providing a design tool.

29. The means for generating a report of claim 23, further comprising means for determining a second automated process to build said graphical representation if said external automated process is not available.

30. The means for generating a report of claim 23, further comprising means for receiving a set of column groups for the graphical representation, and means for placing data in said column groups.

31. The means for generating a report of claim 23, further comprising means for receiving a set of cell identifiers for cells in the graphical representation, and means for placing data in said cells.

32. The means for generating a report of claim 23, wherein the report definition file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.

33. The means for generating a report of claim 23, wherein the means for generating a plurality of graphical features for reports are referenced in an index.