Extensible value types in cells

• US 20070136652A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Simon, Hawking, Robert, Ellis, Charles, Androski, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

Individual cells within a spreadsheet may contain an extensible value as defined by an extensible value type. The extensible value type is a user defined value type that is incorporated into the spreadsheet as a supported data type. Generally, the extensible data types provide support for types that are not internally defined by a spreadsheet. When the extensible value type is defined, an associated set of functions are developed to operate on the type. These functions are added to the set of base functions supported by the spreadsheet. The functions, therefore, behave in a substantially similar manner to the set of base spreadsheet functions. The extensible values that are contained within the cells may be acted upon in the same way that supported base types are acted upon.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for operating on extensible values, comprising:

obtaining an extensible value from a cell of a spreadsheet;

wherein the extensible value is one of an extensible value data type; and

performing an operation involving the extensible value;

wherein the extensible value is treated similarly to base values.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the extensible value within a viewer when the extensible value is selected;

wherein the viewer may be used to view and edit the extensible value.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing the operation involving the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value to a supported base type when the extensible value is not supported by the operation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein casting the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value to one of:

a string type;

an error type; and

a number type.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein casting the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value before the operation is requested to be performed.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the extensible value from an object defined by an operator.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the extensible value provides associated functions and a behavior for how the extensible value behaves when consumed by a function that does not understand the extensible value.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising connecting to a multidimensional database and obtaining data from the multidimensional database that relates to the extensible value.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing a display definition for the extensible value data type.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for interacting with extensible values within a spreadsheet, comprising:

defining a extensible value data type;

including an extensible value defined by the extensible value data type within a cell of the spreadsheet;

performing an operation involving the extensible value;

wherein the operation is performed by at least one of;

a base function and a function defined to operate on the extensible value data type.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein defining the extensible value comprises defining a list of functions that perform at least one operation using the extensible value.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein defining the extensible value comprises defining a behavior for the extensible value when the operation performed does not understand the extensible value.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising defining a manner of displaying the extensible value within a cell;

and defining a viewer that is used to view and edit the extensible value.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein performing the operation involving the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value to another type of value.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein casting the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value to one of:

a string type;

an error type; and

a number type before the operation is requested to be performed.

16. A system for interacting with extensible values from a spreadsheet, comprising:

a processor that is configured to perform operations;

a spreadsheet application that is coupled to a network and is configured to perform steps, comprising;

including an extensible value within a cell of the spreadsheet; and

performing an operation involving the extensible value on the processor;

wherein the extensible value may be consumed by a base spreadsheet operation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the spreadsheet application is further configured to determine a set of functions that perform at least one operation using the extensible value.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the spreadsheet application is further configured to cast the extensible value to another type in response to a type expected by the base spreadsheet function.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display;

wherein the display is configured to display a representation of the extensible value within a cell according to a display definition and display the extensible value within a viewer such that the extensible value may be viewed and edited in its entirety.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein casting the extensible value comprises casting the extensible value to one of:

a string type;

an error type; and

a number type before the operation is requested to be performed.