Method of entering criteria for selecting records of spatially related data stored in an interactive text processing system

• US 4,434,475 A
• Filed: 05/18/1981
• Issued: 02/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCaskill, Rex A., McInroy, John W., Waldo, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wise, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US06/264,303
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 340/709, 340/715, 340/723, 340/724, 340/726, 340/734, 340/792, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300, 400/83
• US Class Current: 715/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

An improved method is disclosed for assisting the operator of an interactive text processing system. The method assists the operator in entering interactively selection criteria to be used in selecting records from the existing file. The improved method involves displaying to the operator the header portion of the existing file, along with a predetermined number of "qualifying rows" in response to the operator having identified to the system the task to be accomplished and the name and the location of the existing file in the system.

The method further involves movement of the cursor vertically and horizontally to row and column positions for entering of the selection criteria. After entering criteria into the displayed rows, the next operation of the cursor down key while in the last row is interpreted as an instruction to the system to add an additional row so that another "logical OR" selection criteria can be added to the previous criteria.

Claims

1. In an interactive text processing system having a display device, a keyboard and a microprocessor including a memory for storing (1) programs;

(2) conventional text data in one format; and

(3) files of spatially related text type data in second format, where each said file of said spatially related text type data comprises a plurality of vector formatted multi-field records including one header record for defining each of said fields, and a plurality of data records and where said display device includes a display screen having a cursor positionable by cursor move keys on said keyboard and a display format buffer for storing displayed data in said first format while said data is displayed on said screen and where a predetermined portion of a vector formatted record stored in said memory in said second format is converted from said second format to said first format prior to transfer to said display device for display as a line of text data on said screen and reconverted from said first format to said second format after transfer from said display device back to said memory for storage, an improved method for interactively entering field related selection criteria into said system to permit said system to identify each said data record in said predetermined file which meets said entered selection criteria, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) entering into said system through said keyboard an indication of said predetermined file from which said system is to identify said data records in accordance with said selection criteria to be entered by said operator;

(b) converting a first portion of said header record for said predetermined file identified in step (a) from said second format to said first format;

(c) transferring said first portion to said display buffer after being converted to said first format in step (b);

(d) displaying on said display device said first portion of said header record that was converted in step (b) and a predetermined number of qualifying rows with said cursor positioned at a predetermined position in the first row of said qualifying rows;

(e) moving said cursor horizontally by operation of one of said cursor move keys from said predetermined position established in step (d) to a first field position corresponding to the first said selection criterium to be entered;

(f) entering said first selection criterium through said keyboard into said system to update said display buffer to also display said first selection criterium in said first row;

(g) moving said cursor vertically to the next said qualifying row by operation of another said cursor move key and horizontally in said next said qualifying row by said one key to a next said field position corresponding to the next said selection criterium to be entered;

(h) entering said next said selection criterium through said keyboard into said system to update said display buffer to also display said next said selection criterium entered in said next said qualifying row;

(i) repeating steps (g) and (h) until said selection criteria have been entered into each of said displayed predetermined number of qualifying rows;

(j) activating said another said cursor move key to move said cursor vertically to a line on said display device following the last said row of said predetermined number of rows to cause said system to automatically update said display buffer to display one additional qualifying row for entry of further selection criterium by said operator; and

(k) transferring said entered selection criteria from said display buffer to said memory after entry of all said selection criteria including the step of converting said entered criteria to said second format prior to storage in said memory;

to permit said system to identify each said record in said predetermined file by comparing each said entered criterium with the data stored in the corresponding field of each said record.

2. The method recited in claim 1 in which said header record has a number of character positions which is greater than the maximum number of characters that can be displayed on one horizontal line of said display device further including the step of:

"segmenting" said header record and said qualifying rows automatically in response to said moving of said cursor horizontally by said operator to a predetermined horizontal position on said screen.

3. The method recited in claim 2 in which said step of "segmenting" said header record and said qualifying rows requires additional processing time for each said one additional row added to said display.

4. The method recited in claim 2 in which said step of "segmenting" includes the steps of:

reconverting the data in said format buffer from said first format to said second format for storage in said memory; and

rebuilding said display buffer by converting said second portion of said header from said second format to said first format for display along with the same number of said qualifying rows that were previously displayed prior to said "segmenting" step.

5. The method recited in claim 2 in which said step j is inoperative to add any additional qualifying rows to said display after twelve said qualifying rows are displayed.

6. The method recited in claim 4 further including the step of:

horizontally moving said cursor from either said first field position or said next field position after entry of one criterium to a second field position in said same row for entry of another different said selection criterium.