Method for hiding and showing spreadsheet cells
First Claim
1. In a computer having a display device, an entry device, and a processor for executing a spreadsheet program, the spreadsheet program causing a plurality of intersecting rows and columns to be displayed on the display device, some of the plurality of rows having a predefined relationship with other rows, the predefined relationship being either dominant or subordinate, a method of hiding selected ones of the plurality of rows comprising the steps of:
- a) automatically identifying a dominant row having a dominant relationship to at least one subordinate row;
b) automatically selecting the at least one subordinate row having a subordinate relationship to the dominant row; and
c) hiding the selected at least one subordinate row such that the at least one subordinate row is not displayed on the display device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for hiding and showing spreadsheet cells of a worksheet being displayed on a computer system display means. The hiding and showing is based upon hierarchical relationships among the spreadsheet cells. This technique is implemented by first determining hierarchical relationships among cells based on cell indentation, content, and formulas. A group of contiguous cells having a common hierarchical relationship is then selected and hidden. Totals for the group of cells may then be shown in place of hidden cells. The hidden group of cells may be stored in a memory location other than main memory such as a magnetic or optical disk. The group of cells may then be retrieved from memory and shown on the display means.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. In a computer having a display device, an entry device, and a processor for executing a spreadsheet program, the spreadsheet program causing a plurality of intersecting rows and columns to be displayed on the display device, some of the plurality of rows having a predefined relationship with other rows, the predefined relationship being either dominant or subordinate, a method of hiding selected ones of the plurality of rows comprising the steps of:
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a) automatically identifying a dominant row having a dominant relationship to at least one subordinate row; b) automatically selecting the at least one subordinate row having a subordinate relationship to the dominant row; and c) hiding the selected at least one subordinate row such that the at least one subordinate row is not displayed on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a computer having a processing unit, an entry device coupled to the processing unit, a display device coupled to the processing unit, and a spreadsheet program being executed by the CPU, the spreadsheet program having a plurality of rows, the rows including at least one parent row and at least one child row, the child row having a predefined relationship to the parent row, the rows having row labels, the spreadsheet program causing a portion of the rows to be displayed on the display device, a method of hiding selected rows comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying the parent row; b) automatically selecting the at least one child row by comparing each of the row labels of a subset of the rows with the row label of the parent row to determine if the predefined relationship between the parent row and the child row exists; and c) hiding the selected at least one child row such that the selected at least one child row is not displayed on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. In a computer having random access memory (RAM), a processing unit coupled to the RAM, an entry means coupled to the processing unit, a display means coupled to the processing unit, and a spreadsheet program being executed by the processing unit, the spreadsheet program having a plurality of rows, the plurality of rows including at least one parent row, at least one child row, and at least one total row, the child row having a predefined relationship to the parent row, the total row containing a formula indicative of the predefined relationship of the child row to the parent row, the spreadsheet program causing a portion of the plurality of rows to be displayed on the display means, a method of hiding selected rows comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying the parent row; b) automatically identifying the total row by examining the contents of a subset of the plurality of rows to locate a row containing a formula indicative of the predefined relationship of the child row to the parent row; c) automatically selecting the at least one child row by selecting at least one of the rows displayed between the parent row and the total row; and d) hiding the selected at least one child row such that the selected at least one child row is not displayed on the display means. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification