One click conditional formatting method and system for software programs

• US 20060074866A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLS Martin GmbH & Co, Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vigesaa, Eric B., Jones, Bruce Cordell, Ellis, Charles D., Chamberlain, Benjamin C., Street, Christopher M., Weber, Brandon G., Gainer, David F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

A method of conditionally formatting a display of data is disclosed that involves providing a preliminary display automatically showing the intended consequences of the condition applied to the data prior to making the condition actually apply to the data. This is especially useful in analysis of spreadsheet data by conditionally formatting certain data. The method involves identifying one or more parameters of the data to be conditionally formatted on the display, selecting a predetermined condition; and automatically applying temporarily the predetermined condition to the parameter(s), displaying a temporary preview on the display of the predetermined condition applied to data that meet the predetermined condition. The method also provides the capability to preliminarily change the conditions and parameters applied to the data and automatically provide appropriate previews of the effect of such application of changed conditions on the displayed data.

Claims

1. A method of conditionally formatting a display of data comprising:

identifying one or more parameters of the data to be conditionally formatted on the display;

selecting a predetermined condition; and

automatically applying temporarily the predetermined condition to the parameter in a predetermined format; and

displaying a temporary preview on the display of the predetermined format applied to one or more of the parameters that meet the predetermined condition.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the process is performed by a computer operating system.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a predetermined set of conditions.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the set of conditions comprises at least three distinct conditions.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein one of the conditions is a color gradient.

6. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein if one of the conditions is met by a parameter, the parameter is highlighted.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data is spreadsheet data.

8. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein one of the predetermined formats is an icon set of at least two different icons.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein each icon is associated with a different relative value of the parameter.

10. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the predetermined set of conditions are data bars related to relative magnitudes of the parameters.

11. A computer program product readable by a computer system and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A computer program product readable by a computer system and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method of claim 4.

13. A computer program product readable by a computer and encoding instructions for executing a computer process for displaying spreadsheet data using conditional formatting, the process comprising:

identifying one or more parameters to be conditionally formatted on the display;

selecting a predetermined condition;

automatically applying temporarily the predetermined condition in a predetermined format to the parameter;

automatically displaying a temporary preview on the display of the predetermined format applied to one or more of the parameters that meet the predetermined condition.

14. A computer program product as defined in claim 13 wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a predetermined set of conditions.

15. A computer program product as defined in claim 13 wherein the set of conditions comprises at least three distinct conditions.

16. A computer program product as defined in claim 13 wherein one of the predetermined formats is a color gradient.

17. A computer program product as defined in claim 14 wherein one of the predetermined formats is an icon set of at least two different icons.

18. A computer program product as defined in claim 17 wherein each icon is associated with a different relative value of the parameter.

19. A computer program product as defined in claim 14 wherein the predetermined set of conditions are data bars related to relative magnitudes of the parameters.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 14 wherein if one of the conditions is met by a parameter, then that parameter is highlighted on the display.

21. A computer program product as defined in claim 13 wherein the conditional format is selected from a predetermined set of display formats.

22. A graphical user interface for a program operable on a computer system, the graphical user interface having a display module for displaying data, said graphical user interface comprising:

a selection module for identifying data to be conditionally formatted on the display;

a condition module providing a set of predetermined conditions;

a format module providing a set of predetermined formats;

a preview module automatically applying temporarily a selected one of the predetermined formats to data meeting a selected one of the predetermined conditions and automatically displaying a temporary preview on the display of the data using the predetermined format applied to the parameter that meets the predetermined condition.

23. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a predetermined set of conditions.

24. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 wherein the set of conditions comprises at least three distinct conditions.

25. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 wherein one of the predetermined formats is a color gradient.

26. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 wherein if one of the conditions is met by a parameter, then the predetermined format is applied to that parameter on the display.

27. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 further comprising a condition dialog module for permitting a modification of the predetermined condition to be made after preview prior to conditional formatting acceptance.

28. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 22 further comprising a formatting dialog module for permitting a modification of the predetermined format to be made after preview prior to conditional formatting acceptance.