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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
First Claim
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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.

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