Importing and exporting markup language data in a spreadsheet application document

• US 20060190814A1
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCormack, Michael J., Lynch, Kelly J., Homann, Ulrich, Dalia, Parul, Burke, Eoin, Natarajan, Ramakrishnan, Niemisto, Juha, Rothschiller, Chad, Chan, Marise, Rivera, James, Chirilov, Joseph, Collie, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for importing markup language formatted data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting markup language formatted data from a spreadsheet document. XML data is associated with an XML schema file defining XML data types and data type definitions for applying XML data to the document. An XML data map is prepared that relates that any XML data applied to the document back to corresponding XML elements or attributes defined in the associated schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the data map is parsed to find XPATHs in the imported spreadsheet document of XML data and the user entered data. Each XPATH is executed to determine the location, data types and user data for each cell or list object in the document that is related back to the associated schema file. The cells and lists are populated with the XML data and user data, and the data is rendered in the spreadsheet according to the formatting dictated by the XML data applied to the spreadsheet in association with the XML schema file. After an imported document has been edited, or after a document is created to include the application of XML data in association with a selected XML schema file, the document may be exported such that the XML data applied to the document is maintained for subsequent import and use of the document.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing hierarchical data in a spreadsheet document, comprising:

selecting a data file containing the hierarchical data for importing into a spreadsheet document whereby the data file has applied hierarchical data mapped to a spreadsheet document, wherein the applied hierarchical data includes a plurality of fields;

identifying a hierarchical data mapping whereby each of the plurality of fields of the hierarchical data applied to the data file is mapped to an associated schema file for defining data definitions for the plurality of fields applied to the document;

parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers associated with the plurality of fields applied to the data file pointing to the applied plurality of fields of the associated schema file, whereby parsing the data mapping includes;

parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers referenced to positions in the data file associated with each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file for pointing each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file to a corresponding data definition in the schema file; and

parsing the data mapping with a parser and obtaining an address for pointing to a particular node in the hierarchical data for each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file from the associated schema file;

executing each pointer to find locations of the plurality of fields applied to the data file;

executing each pointer to the schema file to obtain hierarchical data definitions applicable to the according to the schema file;

determining a layout for rendering the data file to a spreadsheet document based on the locations of each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file; and

rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document whereby the plurality of fields in any user data associated with the plurality of fields are positioned in the document according to the layout.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of rendering the data file in the spreadsheet document includes rendering the data file in the spreadsheet document whereby any user data associated with the plurality of fields are positioned in the spreadsheet document according to the layout.

6. The method of claim 1, whereby identifying a hierarchical data mapping includes matching a root name of a hierarchical language namespace associated with the schema file to the plurality of fields applied to the data file.

7. The method of claim 6, whereby if more than one data mapping is identified for the data file, selecting one mapping from the one or more data mappings.

8. The method of claim 7, whereby selecting one data mapping from the one or more data mappings includes querying a user for a selection of the one data mapping from the one or more data mappings.

9. The method of claim 8, whereby querying a user for a selection of the one mapping includes querying the user via a user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing the each pointer to a hierarchical data markup language processing module.

11. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of executing each pointer to find locations of the plurality of fields applied to the data file includes obtaining the plurality of fields applied to the data file for rendering the data file in the spreadsheet document.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining any user data in the data file associated with the plurality of fields applied to the data file for rendering in the spreadsheet document.

13. The method of claim 12, whereby the locations of the plurality of fields applied to the data file correspond to cells of a spreadsheet application grid for rendering the spreadsheet document.

14. The method of claim 12, whereby the locations of the plurality of fields applied to the data file correspond with list ranges for list objects of a spreadsheet application grid for rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document.

15. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of rendering the data file in the spreadsheet document, populating the locations of each of the plurality of fields with the corresponding plurality of fields and hierarchical data definitions from the associated schema file.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising populating the locations of each of the plurality of fields with any associated user data.

17. The method of claim 16, whereby the step of rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document includes converting the data from a hierarchical structure to a flattened data structure for rendering the data in the spreadsheet document.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising formatting any user data rendered in the spreadsheet document according to the data definitions associated with a field in the plurality of fields applied to the location of the any user data according to the associated schema file.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the plurality of fields applied to the data file including applying additional fields to the spreadsheet document from the associated schema file.

20. The method of claim 19, whereby the step of modifying the plurality of fields applied to the data file includes deleting fields from the spreadsheet document.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising modifying any user data applied to the spreadsheet document associated with the plurality of fields applied to the spreadsheet document according to the associated schema file.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of updating the mapping to include modifications to any of the plurality of fields applied to the data file and to include modifications to any user data applied to the data file.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

23. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions contained thereon which when executed by a computer perform the following steps for utilizing hierarchical data in a spreadsheet document:

selecting a data file containing the hierarchical data for importing into a spreadsheet document whereby the data file has applied hierarchical data mapped to a spreadsheet document, wherein the applied hierarchical data includes a plurality of fields;

identifying a hierarchical data mapping whereby each of the plurality of fields of the hierarchical data applied to the data file is mapped to an associated schema file for defining data definitions for the plurality of fields applied to the document;

parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers associated with the plurality of fields applied to the data file pointing to the applied plurality of fields of the associated schema file, whereby parsing the data mapping includes;

parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers referenced to positions in the data file associated with each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file for pointing each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file to a corresponding data definition in the schema file; and

parsing the data mapping with a parser and obtaining an address for pointing to a particular node in the hierarchical data for each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file from the associated schema file;

executing each pointer to find locations of the plurality of fields applied to the data file;

executing each pointer to the schema file to obtain hierarchical data definitions applicable to the according to the schema file;

determining a layout for rendering the data file to a spreadsheet document based on the locations of each of the plurality of fields applied to the data file; and

rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document whereby the plurality of fields in any user data associated with the plurality of fields are positioned in the document according to the layout.