Method and system for merging cells in a table and for adding an integrated header and a nested table to a table in an electronic document

• US 6,442,575 B2
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pratley, Christopher Hugh, Namba, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/099,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 707/503, 707/509, 707/510, 707/504, 707/508
• US Class Current: 715/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

In an electronic document, merging cells in a table, adding an integrated header to a table, and adding a nested table to a table. A table erasing tool allows a user to merge cells in a table. An indication is received to merge certain cells. The indication indicates at least one cell border for deletion. Cells of the table are merged horizontally across each row that includes at least one indicated cell border. Cells of the table are merged vertically across each column that includes at least one indicated cell border. A determination is made whether there are any successful merges and, if so, the merging tasks are repeated until there are no further successful horizontal or vertical merges. A table drawing tool allows a user to add an integrated header row to a table or create a nested table.

Claims

1. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic file including a table, the table comprising a first row and a first column, a method for creating an integrated header row within the table in the electronic file, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication to add the integrated header row, wherein the indication comprises receiving dimensions of a drawn box from a user input defining the boundaries of the integrated header row;

adding a second row above the first row;

splitting the first row into a third and a fourth row, so that the table comprises the second row, the third row, and the fourth row;

splitting the first column into a second column, a third column, and a fourth column, so that the table comprises the second column, the third column, and the fourth column, wherein the table comprises a plurality of cells defined by intersections of the rows and the columns of the table, each cell comprising borders defining a boundary for each cell;

suppressing the borders of cells that are not part of the table or part of the integrated header row;

merging the cells within the integrated header row; and

adding the integrated header into the table.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a border style to the borders of the integrated header row.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the integrated header row further comprises text, and the method further comprises the step of aligning the text within the integrated header row.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drawn box comprises data entered by a table drawing tool.

5. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic file including a table, the table comprising a first row and a first column, a method for creating an integrated header column within the table in the electronic file, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication to add an integrated header row, wherein the indication comprises receiving dimensions of a drawn box defining the boundaries of the integrated header column;

adding a second column aside the first column;

splitting the first column into a third column and a fourth column, so that the table comprises the second column, the third column, and the fourth column;

splitting the first row into a second row, a third row, and a fourth row, so that the table comprises the second row, the third row, and the fourth row, wherein the table comprises a plurality of cells, defined by intersections of the rows and the columns of the table, each cell comprising borders defining the boundaries of the cell;

suppressing the borders of cells that are not part of the table or part of the integrated header column;

merging the cells within the integrated header column; and

adding the integrated header into the table.

6. The method recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of applying a border style to the integrated header column.

7. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the integrated header column further comprises text, and the method further comprises the step of aligning the text within the integrated header column.

8. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic file including a table, the table comprising at least one row and at least one column, the table comprising a plurality of cells comprising a plurality of vertical cell borders and a plurality of horizontal cell borders, a method for merging the plurality of cells, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving an indication to merge cells, the indication comprising at least one cell border for deletion, wherein the indication is a drawn box and wherein the at least one cell border indicated for deletion is a cell border that is intersected by the drawn box or completely contained within the drawn box;

(b) determining whether an insertion point of the drawn box is outside of a predetermined hit area of the vertical cell borders and the horizontal cell borders;

if so, then determining whether the drawn box crosses at least one cell border; and

if so, then determining that the cells including at least one cell border within the drawn box and the cells intersected by the drawn box may be merged;

(c) determining whether the insertion point of the drawn box is inside the predetermined hit area of a first vertical cell border or a first horizontal cell border;

if so, then determining whether the drawn box crosses into the predetermined hit area of at least a second cell border; and

if so, then determining that the cells including at least one cell border within the drawn box and the cells intersected by the drawn box may be merged;

(d) merging cells horizontally across each row that includes at least one indicated cell border;

(e) merging cells vertically across each column that includes at least one indicated cell border;

(f) determining whether a successful merger of cells occurred at steps (d) or (e); and

, if so, then repeating steps (b)-(e).

9. The method recited in claim 8 wherein the drawn box is entered using a table erasing tool.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 8.