Automatically populating and/or generating tables using data extracted from files

• US 8,601,361 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Berger, Peter Glen, Capela, Jay Christopher, Gur, Yaniv, Rosner, Roger Rock, Weeldreyer, Christopher Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Jr., Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): DYER, ANDREW R
• Application Number:
  US11/890,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 715224-227, 715/234, 715/239
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

Automatically populating and/or generating tables using data extracted from files is disclosed. In some embodiments, in response to receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object is desired to be included in a table, a set of one or more data values associated with the data object is selected for inclusion in the table and automatically included as an entry corresponding to the data object in the table. In various embodiments, the table may comprise an existing table and/or a newly generated table.

Claims

1. A method for automatically populating a table, comprising:

receiving an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising a set of one or more data values and a corresponding set of one or more metadata values is to be included in a table, wherein each metadata value comprises a label for its corresponding data value;

automatically matching the set of metadata values of the data object with a set of one or more table header values associated with an existing or default table definition when there is an exact match and when there is a fuzzy match at least between the one or more labels of the set of metadata values of the data object and the set of one or more table header values associated with the existing or default table definition;

selecting for inclusion in the table a selected subset of the set of data values of the data object, wherein the selection is based on the metadata value and the header values associated with the existing or default table definition, and each data value in the selected subset has a corresponding metadata value that matches with a header value in the set of header values; and

automatically including in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected subset of data values of the data object, wherein each data value in the entry is located in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value and header value with which its corresponding metadata value matches.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a drag-and-drop of the data object onto the table.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a drag-and-drop of the data object onto an empty workspace or an empty portion of a workspace.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising automatically generating the table.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein a default structure of the table is defined at least in part by a template associated with a data object type of the data object used to generate the table.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the set of header values comprises a prescribed set of one or more default header values of the template.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected subset of data values comprises all data values comprising the data object.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more header cells of the table are populated by one or more metadata values of the data object.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising including one or more hidden rows, columns, or both in the table for one or more data values not included in the selected subset.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the entry comprises a row or column of the table.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the entry comprises a plurality of entries.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the table comprises a plurality of tables each of which includes an entry associated with the data object.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data object comprises a plurality of data objects.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data object comprises a file.

16. A system for automatically populating a table, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising a set of one or more data values and a corresponding set of one or more metadata values is to be included in a table, wherein each metadata value comprises a label for its corresponding data value;

automatically match the set of metadata values of the data object with a set of one or more table header values associated with an existing or default table definition when there is an exact match and when there is a fuzzy match at least between the one or more labels of the set of one or more metadata values of the data object and the set of one or more table header values associated with the existing or default table definition;

select for inclusion in the table a selected subset of the set of data values of the data object, wherein the selection is based on the metadata value and the header values associated with the existing or default table definition, and each data value in the selected subset has a corresponding metadata value that matches with a header value in the set of header values;

automatically include in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected subset of data values of the data object, wherein each data value in the entry is located in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value and header value with which its corresponding metadata value matches; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

18. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to automatically generate the table.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein a default structure of the table is defined at least in part by a template associated with a data object type of the data object used to generate the table.

20. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein one or more header cells of the table are populated by one or more metadata values of the data object.

21. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to include one or more hidden rows, columns, or both in the table for one or more data values not included in the selected subset.

22. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the entry comprises a row or column of the table.

23. A computer program product for automatically populating a table, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions to:

receive an indication that at least a portion of a data object comprising a set of one or more data values and a corresponding set of one or more metadata values is to be included in a table, wherein each metadata value comprises a label for its corresponding data value;

automatically match the set of metadata values of the data object with a set of one or more table header values associated with an existing or default table definition when there is an exact match and when there is a fuzzy match at least between the one or more labels of the set of metadata values of the data object and the set of one or more table header values associated with the existing or default table definition;

select for inclusion in the table a selected subset of the set of data values of the data object, wherein the selection is based on the metadata value and the header values associated with the existing or default table definition, and each data value in the selected subset has a corresponding metadata value that matches with a header value in the set of header values; and

automatically include in the table an entry corresponding to the data object, the entry comprising the selected subset of data values of the data object, wherein each data value in the entry is located in a location determined at least in part by its corresponding metadata value and header value with which its corresponding metadata value matches.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the table comprises an existing table.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, comprising computer instructions to automatically generate the table.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein a default structure of the table is defined at least in part by a template associated with a data object type of the data object used to generate the table.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the entry comprises a row or column of the table.