SWITCH CONTROL IN REPORT GENERATION

• US 20130290825A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: Henrik Arndt
• Inventors: Arndt, Henrik, Frankenberg, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a view in a graphical user interface includes a selection area that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of attributes, each of the attributes having a plurality of possible values. The area further includes one or more graphical tools to define filter criteria based at least in part on selected ones of the plurality of possible values of one or more of the attributes. The area further includes one or more switch controls each being associated with a respective one of the one or more of the attributes and indicating presentation criteria including: whether selected ones of the possible values of the respective attribute are to be shown in a report, and a dimension of the report in which to space the selected ones of the possible values from one another if the selected ones of the possible values are to be shown in the report.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface including a view, the view including;

a selection area, the selection area including identifiers associated with a plurality of attributes, each of the plurality of attributes having a plurality of possible values, the selection area further including one or more graphical tools to define filter criteria based at least in part on selected ones of the plurality of possible values of one or more of the plurality of attributes; and

one or more switch controls each being associated with a respective one of the one or more of the plurality of attributes and indicating presentation criteria including;

whether selected ones of the possible values of the respective attribute are to be shown in a report, and

a dimension of the report in which to space the selected ones of the possible values from one another if the selected ones of the possible values are to be shown in the report;

receiving data that satisfies the filter criteria; and

generating the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria and on the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises a tri-state switch.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the tri-state switch of the first one of the switch controls is a first tri-state switch and wherein the generating the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows; and

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first tri-state switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first tri-state switch is in a second state; and

not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first tri-state switch is in a third state.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises two switches.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the two switches of a first one of the switch controls are a first switch and a second switch and wherein the generating the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows;

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with a first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first switch is in a first state and the second switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in a second state, and not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first switch is in a second state.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the view includes a plurality of graphic tools disposed in a user adjustable arrangement;

and

wherein the generating the report comprises;

generating the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria, the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls and the user adjustable arrangement.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the report in the view.

8. A non transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by a machine to result in a method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface including a view, the view including;

a selection area, the selection area including identifiers associated with a plurality of attributes, each of the plurality of attributes having a plurality of possible values, the selection area further including one or more graphical tools to define filter criteria based at least in part on selected ones of the plurality of possible values of one or more of the plurality of attributes; and

one or more switch controls each being associated with a respective one of the one or more of the plurality of attributes and indicating presentation criteria including;

whether selected ones of the possible values of the respective attribute are to be shown in a report, and

a dimension of the report in which to space the selected ones of the possible values from one another if the selected ones of the possible values are to be shown in the report;

receiving data that satisfies the filter criteria; and

generating the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria and on the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises a tri-state switch.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the tri-state switch of the first one of the switch controls is a first tri-state switch and wherein the generating the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows; and

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first tri-state switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first tri-state switch is in a second state; and

not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first tri-state switch is in a third state.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises two switches.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the two switches of a first one of the switch controls are a first switch and a second switch and wherein the generating the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows;

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with a first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first switch is in a first state and the second switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in a second state, and not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first switch is in a second state.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the view includes a plurality of graphic tools disposed in a user adjustable arrangement;

and

wherein the generating the report comprises;

generating the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria, the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls and the user adjustable arrangement.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8, the method further comprising providing the report in the view.

15. Apparatus comprising:

a processing system including a processor and to;

provide a graphical user interface including a view, the view including;

a selection area, the selection area including identifiers associated with a plurality of attributes, each of the plurality of attributes having a plurality of possible values, the selection area further including one or more graphical tools to define filter criteria based at least in part on selected ones of the plurality of possible values of one or more of the plurality of attributes; and

one or more switch controls each being associated with a respective one of the one or more of the plurality of attributes and indicating presentation criteria including;

whether selected ones of the possible values of the respective attribute are to be shown in a report, and

a dimension of the report in which to space the selected ones of the possible values from one another if the selected ones of the possible values are to be shown in the report;

receive data that satisfies the filter criteria; and

generate the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria and on the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises a tri-state switch, wherein the tri-state switch of the first one of the switch controls is a first tri-state switch and wherein generation of the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows; and

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first tri-state switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first tri-state switch is in a second state; and

not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first tri-state switch is in a third state.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of the one or more switch controls comprises two switches, wherein the two switches of a first one of the switch controls are a first switch and a second switch and wherein generation of the report comprises:

generating a table having a plurality of columns each having a plurality of rows;

showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with a first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the columns if the first switch is in a first state and the second switch is in a first state, showing each of the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in a respective one of the rows if the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in a second state, and not showing the selected ones of the possible values of the attribute associated with the first one of the switch controls in the table if the first switch is in a second state.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the view includes a plurality of graphic tools disposed in a user adjustable arrangement;

and

wherein the generating the report comprises;

generating the report based at least in part on the data that satisfies the filter criteria, the presentation criteria indicated by the one or more switch controls and the user adjustable arrangement.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the processing system further to:

provide the report in the view.