Automatically populating and/or generating tables using data extracted from files

• US 20090044095A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weeldreyer, Christopher Douglas, Capela, Jay Christopher, Rosner, Roger Rock, Gur, Yaniv, Berger, Peter Glen
• Granted Patent: US 8,601,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

Automatically populating and/or generating tables using data extracted from files is disclosed. In some embodiments, in response to receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object is desired to be included in a table, a set of one or more data values associated with the data object is selected for inclusion in the table and automatically included as an entry corresponding to the data object in the table. In various embodiments, the table may comprise an existing table and/or a newly generated table.

Claims

1. A method for automatically populating a table, comprising:

receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising one or more data values is desired to be included in a table, wherein each of at least a subset of the data values is associated with a corresponding metadata value;

selecting for inclusion in the table a selected set comprising at least a subset of the one or more data values; and

automatically including in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected set of data values, each data value in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a drag-and-drop of the data object onto the table.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a drag-and-drop is of the data object onto an empty workspace or an empty portion of a workspace.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising automatically generating the table.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein a default structure of the table is defined at least in part by a template associated with a data object type of the data object used to generate the table.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the template comprises a prescribed set of one or more default header values.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting for inclusion in the table a selected set of data values comprises matching one or more header values associated with the table with one or more metadata values of the data object.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein matching comprises matching using a fuzzy matching algorithm.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected set of data values comprises one or more data values with corresponding metadata values that match with header values associated with the table.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected set of data values comprises all data values comprising the data object.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location of each data value in the entry is determined at least in part by a header value associated with the table that matches its corresponding metadata value.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more header cells of the table are populated by one or more metadata values of the data object.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising including one or more hidden rows, columns, or both in the table for one or more data values not included in the selected set.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the entry comprises a row or column of the table.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the entry comprises a plurality of entries.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table comprises a plurality of tables each of which includes an entry associated with the data object.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data object comprises a plurality of data objects.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data object comprises a file.

20. A method for automatically populating a table, comprising:

receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising one or more data, values is desired to be included in an existing table, wherein each of at least a subset of the data values is associated with a corresponding metadata value; and

automatically adding to the table an entry corresponding to the data object;

wherein the entry comprises one or more data values, each of which has been determined to be associated with a corresponding metadata value that matches a header cell value in the table, and the entry is added to the table without also adding any duplicative or otherwise extraneous header or other rows, columns, or cells.

21. A system for automatically populating a table, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising one or more data values is desired to be included in a table, wherein each of at least a subset of the data values is associated with a corresponding metadata value;

select for inclusion in the table a selected set comprising at least a subset of the one or more data values; and

automatically include in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected set of data values, each data value in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value; and

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

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

23. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically generate the table.

24. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein the selected set of data values comprises one or more data values with corresponding metadata values that match with header values associated with the table.

25. A computer program product for automatically populating a table, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising one or more data values is desired to be included in a table, wherein each of at least a subset of the data values is associated with a corresponding metadata value;

selecting for inclusion in the table a selected set comprising at least a subset of the one or more data values; and

automatically including in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected set of data values, each data value in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, further comprising computer instructions for automatically generating the table.

28. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein a default structure of the table is defined at least in part by a template associated with a data object type of the data object used to generate the table.

29. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein selecting for inclusion in the table a selected set of data values comprises matching one or more header values associated with the table with one or more metadata values of the data object.

30. A computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein matching comprises matching using a fuzzy matching algorithm.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the selected set of data values comprises one or more data values with corresponding metadata values that match with header values associated with the table.