System and method for interactively linking data to shapes in a diagram
First Claim
1. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause a computer to:
- execute an instance of a graphical visualization program, the graphical visualization program having a drawing surface and being operable to display a diagram on the drawing surface;
within the instance of the graphical visualization program, import data from a first external data source; and
display the imported data from the first external data source as a first two dimensional table in an interactive display within the instance of the graphical visualization program, the first two dimensional table having zero, one or more rows and zero, one or more columns, such that at least one row from the two dimensional table in the interactive display can be associated to a preexisting shape or a new shape in a diagram.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A facility for linking data from an external data source to shapes in a diagram is provided. The facility is implemented as a component of a graphical visualization program, and provides a modeless data window that is operable to display data from a data source through a two dimensional table. Users can use the facility to import data from a data source and display the imported data in the modeless data window. Users can then use the modeless data window to select and drag rows displayed in the modeless data window onto shapes on a drawing surface of the graphical visualization program to link the dragged rows to the shapes. Users can also drag rows displayed in the modeless data window onto a blank section of the drawing surface to create shapes on the drawing surface and link the rows to the created shapes.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause a computer to:
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execute an instance of a graphical visualization program, the graphical visualization program having a drawing surface and being operable to display a diagram on the drawing surface;
within the instance of the graphical visualization program, import data from a first external data source; and
display the imported data from the first external data source as a first two dimensional table in an interactive display within the instance of the graphical visualization program, the first two dimensional table having zero, one or more rows and zero, one or more columns, such that at least one row from the two dimensional table in the interactive display can be associated to a preexisting shape or a new shape in a diagram. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause a graphical visualization program to link data from an external data source to a shape in a diagram by:
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displaying data from a first external data source as a first two dimensional table in a data grid of an interactive display; and
responsive to a row or multiple rows of the first two dimensional table in the data grid of the interactive display being dragged onto a blank section of a drawing surface;
creating an instance of a shape on the drawing surface for each row dragged onto the drawing surface; and
for each shape created on the drawing surface, linking the shape to the row by, for each column in the row;
responsive to determining that a property of the shape exists that has a name that is the same as a name of the column, populating the property with a value from the column;
responsive to determining that a property of the shape does not exist that has a name that is the same as a name of the column, creating a new property having a name that is the same as the name of the column for the shape, and populating the new property with a value from the column. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. One or more computer memories collectively containing a modeless external data window being operable to be displayed as part of a graphical visualization program and for displaying a two dimensional table, the two dimensional table comprising at least one row and at least one active column, such that a row in can be associated to a shape in a diagram by selecting the row and dragging the row from the modeless external data window onto a drawing surface of the graphical visualization program.
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19. A computer-implemented method in a graphical visualization program for linking a shape in a diagram to a row of data from a first data source, the method comprising:
for each row of data from a first data source to be associated to a shape;
removing any existing link between the shape and another row of data from the first data source; and
for each active column in a row, populating a property of the shape having a name that is the same as a name of the active column. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-implemented method in a graphical visualization program for refreshing a link between a shape in a diagram and a row of data from a data source, the method comprising:
for each property of a shape populated by a link to a data source;
if a column in a row in the data source that is associated to the property is removed, indicating that a value of the property is stale; and
if the column in the row in the data source that is associated to the property is present and active, updating the value of the property with a value from the column. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
Specification