Button for adding a new tabbed sheet

• US 7,853,868 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Weber, Brandon G., Gainer, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/219,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 715/212, 715/214, 715/215, 715/217, 715/220, 715/273, 715/256, 715/243, 715/244
• US Class Current: 715/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

A “new sheet button” is provided in a program, such as a spreadsheet, that utilizes a collection of tabbed sheets or a “workbook.” The new sheet button is located adjacent the sheet tabs so that a user may add a new sheet to the workbook with a single button press. The new sheet may be added to the end of the workbook or immediately adjacent an active sheet within the workbook, among other options. Selecting the new sheet button with a default operation (such as a left mouse click) adds a blank sheet to the workbook. Selecting the new sheet button with a non-default activation (such as a right-click) generates a menu listing options for creating the new sheet, such as copying the contents of the active sheet.

Claims

1. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for adding a new worksheet to a spreadsheet workbook, wherein each worksheet includes a worksheet tab having a text label identifying the worksheet, and wherein a user may select the worksheet tab to designate the corresponding worksheet as an active worksheet, and wherein each worksheet tab has a minimum length dimension for displaying the text label, and wherein each worksheet tab is aligned within a worksheet tab region along an edge of spreadsheet workbook;

the method comprising;

displaying a new worksheet button having an icon label, wherein the new worksheet button is adjacent to one of the worksheet tabs corresponding to a worksheet within the spreadsheet workbook, wherein the new worksheet button is not associated with a worksheet in the spreadsheet workbook, and wherein the new worksheet button is automatically configured to have a length dimension that is shorter than the minimum length dimension, and wherein the new worksheet button is positioned at an end of the worksheet tab region adjacent a last worksheet tab and the user is prevented from adding a worksheet tab adjacent to at least one side of the new worksheet button;

receiving a first input signal indicating user selection of the new worksheet button;

determining whether the first input signal is one of a default input signal and a non-default input signal;

when the first input signal is a default input signal, automatically adding a default worksheet as the new worksheet to the spreadsheet workbook, the new default worksheet having a new worksheet tab; and

when the first input signal is a non-default input signal, the method further comprising;

generating a menu displaying a plurality of options for creating the new worksheet, wherein the plurality of options comprises an option to copy and add an active worksheet and an option to add a user-defined worksheet;

receiving a second input signal indicating user selection of one of the plurality of options; and

adding the new worksheet to the spreadsheet workbook based on the second input signal, the new worksheet having a new worksheet tab.

2. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the worksheet tabs are aligned horizontally within the worksheet tab region; and

the new worksheet button is positioned at a right end of the worksheet tab region.

3. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the new worksheet tab is positioned between the last worksheet tab and the new worksheet button.

4. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 3, wherein the new worksheet tab is positioned before the active worksheet tab so that the active worksheet tab is positioned between the new worksheet tab and the new worksheet button.

5. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 3, wherein the new worksheet tab is positioned after the active worksheet tab so that the new worksheet tab is positioned between the active worksheet tab and the new worksheet button.

6. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 5, wherein the new worksheet button includes an icon identifying the function of the new worksheet button.

7. A computer-implemented method for adding a new worksheet to a set of worksheets, wherein each worksheet includes a worksheet tab having a label identifying the worksheet, the method comprising:

displaying the set of worksheet tabs, each worksheet tab having a text label identifying the worksheet, wherein each worksheet tab has a minimum length dimension for displaying the text label, and wherein each worksheet tab is aligned within a worksheet tab region along an edge of the set of worksheets;

displaying a new worksheet button having an icon label, the new worksheet button adjacent to one of the worksheet tabs corresponding to a worksheet within the set of worksheets, wherein the new worksheet button does not correspond to a worksheet in the set of worksheets, and wherein the new worksheet button is automatically configured to have a length dimension that is shorter than the minimum length dimension, and wherein the new worksheet button is positioned at an end of the worksheet tab region adjacent a last worksheet tab and the user is prevented from adding a worksheet tab adjacent to at least one side of the new worksheet button;

receiving a first input signal indicating user selection of the new worksheet button;

determining whether the first input signal is one of a default input signal and a non-default input signal;

when the first input signal is a default input signal, automatically adding a default worksheet as the new worksheet to the spreadsheet workbook, the new default worksheet having a new worksheet tab; and

when the first input signal is a non-default input signal, the method further comprising;

generating a menu displaying a plurality of options for creating the new worksheet, wherein the plurality of options comprises;

an option to copy an active worksheet; and

an option to add one of a plurality of user-defined worksheet types;

receiving a second input signal indicating user selection of a menu option;

adding a new worksheet to the set of worksheets based on the second input signal, wherein at least one of the new worksheets'"'"' format and content is determined by the selected menu option.

8. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for adding a new worksheet to a spreadsheet workbook, wherein each worksheet includes a tab having a label identifying the worksheet, and wherein a user may select the tab to designate the corresponding worksheet as an active worksheet, the method comprising:

generating a customized menu for adding new worksheets to the spreadsheet workbook, each worksheet having a text label identifying the worksheet and wherein each worksheet tab is aligned within a worksheet tab region along an edge of the workbook;

receiving a first input signal indicating user selection of a configure menu option;

receiving user indication of one or more worksheet types to be displayed in the customized menu; and

storing the user indications of the one or more worksheet types as user-selected options for display in the customized menu;

displaying a new worksheet button having an icon label, the new worksheet button adjacent to one of the worksheet tabs corresponding to a worksheet within the spreadsheet workbook, wherein the new worksheet button does not correspond to a worksheet in the spreadsheet workbook, and wherein the new worksheet button is automatically configured to have a length dimension that is shorter than a minimum length dimension, and wherein the new worksheet button is positioned at an end of the worksheet tab region adjacent a last worksheet tab and the user is prevented from adding a worksheet tab adjacent at least one side of the new worksheet button;

receiving a second input signal indicating user selection of the new worksheet button;

determining whether the second input signal is one of a default input signal and a nondefault input signal;

when the second input signal is a default input signal, automatically adding a default worksheet as the new worksheet to the spreadsheet workbook, the new default worksheet having a new worksheet tab; and

when the second input signal is a non-default input signal, the method further comprising;

generating the customized menu displaying user-selected options for creating the new worksheet;

receiving a third input signal indicating user selection of one of the customized user-selected options; and

adding a new worksheet having a new worksheet tab to the spreadsheet workbook based on the third input signal, wherein the new worksheet is of a user-defined worksheet type.

9. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the new worksheet tab is positioned between the new worksheet button and the last worksheet tab.

10. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the new worksheet tab is positioned at an end of the worksheet tab region opposite the new worksheet button.

11. The computer storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

designating one worksheet within the spreadsheet workbook as an active worksheet, wherein the active worksheet includes an active worksheet tab; and

positioning the new worksheet tab immediately adjacent the active worksheet tab in the worksheet tab region.