Referring to cells using header cell values

• US 20090044090A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weeldreyer, Christopher Douglas, Rapp, Peter William, Capela, Jay Christopher, Rosner, Roger Rock, Gur, Yaniv
• Application Number:
  US11/890,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

Referring to cells using header cell values is disclosed. In some embodiments, a header cell value of a header cell is allowed to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell. The header cell may be included in a header row or column included in a table. A header row cell value may be employed to refer to one or more other cells in a corresponding column, and a header column cell value may be employed to refer to one or more other cells in a corresponding row.

Claims

1. A method for referring to cells of a table, comprising:

receiving a header cell value for a header cell; and

enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication to include one or more of a header column and a header row in the table.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the header cell comprises a header row cell.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises enabling the header row cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding column.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the header cell comprises a header column cell.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises enabling the header column cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding row.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving a header cell value for a header cell comprises receiving a plurality of header cell values including the header cell value for a plurality of corresponding header cells.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling a header row cell value associated with a column and a header column cell value associated with a row to be used to refer to a cell that is the intersection of the column and row.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein a syntax of a reference to the cell comprises the header row cell value and the header column cell value separated by a space.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the syntax further comprises one or more of a document name, a sheet name, and a table name associated with the cell.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling the header cell value to be used in combination with one or more address tab values to refer to one or more cells.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing options to hide or show one or more dimensions of address tabs with respect to the table.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a reference in a formula comprising the header cell value.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein when used to refer to a corresponding column or row, the header cell value refers to only associated body cells and excludes the header cell, an associated footer cell, or both.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the associated footer cell is included in a footer row optionally included in the table.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing options to include or hide one or more of a header row, a header column, and a footer row in the table.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling one or more cells to be referred to using one or more of a document name, a sheet name, a table name, and the header cell value.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that a formula has been entered into the header cell.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the formula entered into the header cell includes a reference to another header cell of a same dimension.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising using the formula entered into the header cell to populate a corresponding column or row of cells.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein using the formula entered into the header cell to populate a corresponding column of cells comprises excluding an associated footer cell, if any, from being populated.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table is included in a sheet of a spreadsheet application.

23. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table comprises a sheet of a spreadsheet application.

24. A system for referring to cells of a table, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a header cell value for a header cell; and

enable the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the header cell comprises a header row cell.

26. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein to enable the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises to enable the header row cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding column.

27. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the header cell comprises a header column cell.

28. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein to enable the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises to enable the header column cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding row.

29. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein when used to refer to a corresponding column or row, the header cell value refers to only associated body cells and excludes the header cell, an associated footer cell, or both.

30. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an indication that a formula has been entered into the header cell.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to use the formula entered into the header cell to populate a corresponding column or row of cells.

32. A computer program product for referring to cells of a table, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a header cell value for a header cell; and

enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, further comprising computer instructions for receiving an indication to include one or more of a header column and a header row in the table.

34. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein the header cell comprises a header row cell.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises enabling the header row cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding column.

36. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein the header cell comprises a header column cell.

37. A computer program product as recited in claim 36, wherein enabling the header cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells that are associated with the header cell comprises enabling the header column cell value to be used to refer to one or more other cells included in a corresponding row.

38. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein receiving a header cell value for a header cell comprises receiving a plurality of header cell values including the header cell value for a plurality of corresponding header cells.

39. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, further comprising computer instructions for enabling a header row cell value associated with a column and a header column cell value associated with a row to be used to refer to a cell that is the intersection of the column and row.

40. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein when used to refer to a corresponding column or row, the header cell value refers to only associated body cells and excludes the header cell, an associated footer cell, or both.

41. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, further comprising computer instructions for receiving an indication that a formula has been entered into the header cell.

42. A computer program product as recited in claim 41, further comprising computer instructions for using the formula entered into the header cell to populate a corresponding column or row of cells.