Enhanced indicators for identifying affected data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11157688-B2
Application number	US-201414213332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for displaying one or more visual indicators to assist users in identifying cells of a spreadsheet that are affected by an operation. In embodiments disclosed herein, an application is configured to receive a request to perform an operation on at least one cell of the spreadsheet. The application then identifies cells of the spreadsheet that are affected by the operation. The application then displays a visual indicator to emphasize the affected cells. By providing a timely displayed visual indicator that brings attention to affected cells, the user is able to gain a better perspective of the extent of the operation and how the operation applies to the cells of the spreadsheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising computer-implemented operations for:
displaying a spreadsheet comprising a table having a first plurality of cells and a second plurality of cells unassociated with the table;
receiving a request to perform an operation that, once performed, will affect one or more cells of the spreadsheet;
prior to performing the operation, displaying a first visual indicator to identify which cells of the spreadsheet will be affected by the operation once it is performed, the first visual indicator thereby delineating a scope of the operation to be performed so that a user can ascertain whether the operation will affect cells within the table, cells unassociated with the table, or both;
performing the operation; and
following performance of the operation, displaying a second visual indicator to identify the cells of the spreadsheet that have been affected by the operation, wherein the second visual indicator changes the first visual indicator or is displayed after the first visual indicator is removed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual indicator is removed after a pre-determined time period after the request is received to perform the operation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to or during performing the operation, removing the first visual indicator displayed to identify the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation;
and
following performance of the operation, displaying the second visual indicator to identify the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises highlighting a border of the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises generating an animation that varies in thickness, wherein the animation highlights a border of the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises generating an animation which varies in color, wherein the animation highlights a border of one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises generating an animation which varies in color and thickness, wherein the animation highlights a border of the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises shading the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual indicator or the second visual indicator comprises shading one or more column and row headers associated with the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the plurality of cells affected by the operation is identified based on pattern of data entries around a selected cell.

11. A computer, comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to
display a plurality of cells of a table contained within a plurality of cells of a spreadsheet,
receive a request to perform an operation on at least one of the plurality of cells of the table,
in response to receiving the request to perform the operation and prior to performance of the operation, identify one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation, and
display a visual indicator to specify as a visibly discernable group the one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation;
performing the operation; and
following performance of the operation, display a second visual indicator to identify the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation, wherein the second visual indicator changes the visual indicator or is displayed after the visual indicator is removed.

12. The computer of claim 11 , wherein the visual indicator is removed after a pre-determined time period.

13. The computer of claim 11 , the computer-readable medium having further computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
prior to or during performing the operation, remove the visual indicator;
and
following performance of the operation, display the second visual indicator to identify the one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation.

14. The computer of claim 11 , wherein the display of the visual indicator comprises highlighting a border of the one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation.

15. The computer of claim 11 , wherein the display of the visual indicator comprises generating an animation that varies in thickness, wherein the animation highlights a border of the one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation.

16. The computer of claim 11 , wherein the display of the visual indicator comprises generating an animation which varies in color, wherein the animation highlights a border of one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation.

17. The computer of claim 11 , wherein the one or more of the plurality of cells affected by the operation is identified based on pattern of data entries around a selected cell.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
display a spreadsheet comprising a plurality of cells and a table, wherein the table comprises a selection of cells of the plurality of cells, and wherein the selection of cells of the table has one or more associations that are independent from remaining cells of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet;
receive a request to perform an operation on at least one of the selection of cells of the table;
in response to receiving the request to perform the operation and prior to performing the operation, identify one or more of the plurality of cells affected by the operation
display a visual indicator to identify as a visibly discernable group the one or more of the plurality of cells of the table affected by the operation;
performing the operation; and
following performance of the operation, display a second visual indicator to identify the one or more of the plurality of cells of the spreadsheet affected by the operation, wherein the second visual indicator changes the visual indicator or is displayed after the visual indicator is removed.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the display of the visual indicator comprises a border configured to graphically highlight the one or mo

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Rutherford Allison Jane
• Luis Burguete Marta
• Radakovitz Samuel Chow
• Wilson Aaron Lamar
• Albert Uhl

Classifications

• G06F40/18 Primary

  of spreadsheets (form-filling G06F40/174) · CPC title