Methods, apparatus, systems and computer readable mediums for use in association with electronic spreadsheets

• US 9,069,747 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Ueberschaer, Thorsten, Karbach, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): TAPP, AMELIA L
• Application Number:
  US12/869,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 715/212, 715/220
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises: providing an electronic spreadsheet having a plurality of cells arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; receiving information defining a plurality of items, each of the plurality of items representing a respective set of data usable in populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet, at least one of the plurality of items including a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; associating each of the plurality of items with a respective location in the electronic spreadsheet; associating each of the plurality of items with a respective position in a stack, each of the plurality of items being able to be associated with any position in the stack; and rendering the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an electronic spreadsheet having a plurality of cells arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

receiving information defining a plurality of items, each of the plurality of items representing a respective set of data usable in populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet, at least one of the plurality of items including a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective location in the electronic spreadsheet;

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective position in a stack, each of the plurality of items being able to be associated with any position in the stack; and

rendering the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item;

wherein the rendering comprises;

populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item; and

providing a view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position;

the method further comprising;

during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, receiving a request to change the stack position of the second one of the plurality of items from the second highest stack position to the highest stack position; and

after the receiving of the request during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, providing a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position comprises:

changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items; and

after the changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to change the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items;

changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items;

determining a portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items;

after the changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item; and

after the re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet, retaining the portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least two of the plurality of items include a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the plurality of items include a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items relative to the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items without changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and without changing the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema;

and

wherein the second one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema different than the schema of the table included in the first one of the plurality of items.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a first state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the location of the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest position in the stack but does not overlap the location of a third one of the plurality of items shown having a third highest position in the stack;

and

wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a second state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the location of the third one of the plurality of items shown having the third highest position in the stack.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by:

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, are overlapped by nothing above the second highest stack position.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item comprises:

using the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position; and

using the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the view showing both:

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, shows no other item as both having a highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells and shows no other item as both having a second highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells.

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

providing an electronic spreadsheet having a plurality of cells arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

receiving information defining a plurality of items, each of the plurality of items representing a respective set of data usable in populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet, at least one of the plurality of items including a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective location in the electronic spreadsheet;

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective position in a stack, each of the plurality of items being able to be associated with any position in the stack; and

rendering the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item;

wherein the rendering comprises;

populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item; and

providing a view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position;

the method further comprising;

during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, receiving a request to change the stack position of the second one of the plurality of items from the second highest stack position to the highest stack position; and

after the receiving of the request during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, providing a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the providing a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position comprises:

changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items; and

after the changing the stack position associated with the one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, the method further comprising:

receiving a request to change the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items;

changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items;

determining a portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items;

after the changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item; and

after the re-rendering at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet, retaining the portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein at least two of the plurality of items include a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, the method further comprising:

changing the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items relative to the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items without changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and without changing the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema;

and

wherein the second one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema different than the schema of the table included in the first one of the plurality of items.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a first state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the location of the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest position in the stack but does not overlap the location of a third one of the plurality of items having a third highest position in the stack;

and

wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a second state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the third location of the one of the plurality of items shown having the third highest position in the stack.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by:

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, are overlapped by nothing above the second highest stack position.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item comprises:

using the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position; and

using the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12,

wherein the view showing both:

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, shows no other item as both having a highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells and shows no other item as both having a second highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells.

22. Apparatus comprising:

a processing system that includes at least one processor and is configured to;

provide an electronic spreadsheet having a plurality of cells arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, receive information defining a plurality of items, each of the plurality of items representing a respective set of data usable in populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet, at least one of the plurality of items including a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

associate each of the plurality of items with a respective location in the electronic spreadsheet;

associate each of the plurality of items with a respective position in a stack, each of the plurality of items being able to be associated with any position in the stack; and

render the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item;

wherein the processing system is configured to render the electronic spreadsheet by;

populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item; and

providing a view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position;

wherein the processing system is further configured to;

during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, receive a request to change the stack position of the second one of the plurality of items from the second highest stack position to the highest stack position; and

after the receiving of the request during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, provide a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, the processing system wherein the provide a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position comprises:

change the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items, and

after the change to the stack position associated with the one of the plurality of items and the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-render at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, the processing system further configured to receive a request to change the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items, change the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items, determine a portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items, after the change to the location associated with first the one of the plurality of items such that the location of the first one of the plurality of items overlaps the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items, re-render at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items, the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item, and after the re-render of the at least a portion of the electronic spreadsheet, retain the portion of the second one of the plurality of items that is overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein at least two of the plurality of items include a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, the processing system further to change the location associated with the first one of the plurality of items relative to the location associated with the second one of the plurality of items without changing the stack position associated with the first one of the plurality of items and without changing the stack position associated with the second one of the plurality of items.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema;

and

wherein the second one of the plurality of items includes a table having a schema different than the schema of the table included in the first one of the plurality of items.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a first state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the location of the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest position in the stack but does not overlap the location of a third one of the plurality of items having a third highest position in the stack;

and

wherein the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack has a second state in which the location of the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest position in the stack overlaps the location of the third one of the plurality of items shown having the third highest position in the stack.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by:

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, are overlapped by nothing above the second highest stack position.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing system is configured to use the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells that are overlapped by the first one of the plurality of items shown having the highest stack position, and to use the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position in populating each of the plurality of cells that are overlapped by:

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position.

31. The apparatus of claim 22,

wherein the view showing both:

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, shows no other item as both having a highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells and shows no other item as both having a second highest stack position and overlapping a plurality of the cells.

32. A method comprising:

providing an electronic spreadsheet having a plurality of cells arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

receiving information defining a plurality of items, each of the plurality of items representing a respective set of data usable in populating at least a portion of the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet,

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective location within the array in which the plurality of cells are arranged, at least one of the plurality of items including a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, a first one of the plurality of items further including a graphical tool activatable by a user to indicate a request to expand the item;

associating each of the plurality of items with a respective position in a stack, each of the plurality of items being able to be associated with any position in the stack; and

rendering the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item;

after the rendering of the electronic spreadsheet in accordance with the information defining the plurality of items the respective location associated with each item and the respective stack position associated with each item, receiving an indication that a user has activated the graphical tool included in the first one of the plurality of items;

expanding the first one of the plurality of items in response to the indication that the user has activated the graphical tool included in the first one of the plurality of items;

providing a view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position;

during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, receiving a request to change the stack position of the second one of the plurality of items from the second highest stack position to the highest stack position; and

after the receiving of the request during the providing of the view showing both;

(a) a first one of the plurality of items having a highest stack position and overlapping both;

(i) a second one of the plurality of items having a second highest stack position and (ii) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet, and (b) a plurality of the cells of the electronic spreadsheet as overlapped by;

(i) the second one of the plurality of items having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, providing a view showing the second one of the plurality of items as having the highest stack position and overlapping the first one of the plurality of items shown as having the second highest stack position.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of cells of the electronic spreadsheet that are overlapped by:

(i) the second one of the plurality of items shown having the second highest stack position and (ii) no item having the highest stack position, are overlapped by nothing above the second highest stack position.