Systems and methods for tracking and modifying actions in an action history

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017192952-A1
Application number	US-201514984439-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for generating an updated action history for display in a graphical user interface. The method may include identifying a last matching action between two action histories, disabling a subset of actions in an action history, inserting, subsequent to the last matching action in an updated action history, an action corresponding to user-triggered input, enabling a subset of actions in the updated action history that are listed in the action history after the last matching action and displaying the updated action history in the graphical user interface, the updated action history including one or more indications for each of the actions associated with inserting the action corresponding to the user-triggered input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining an action history that includes a plurality of actions that correspond to manipulating data, the actions being stored in chronological time order; in response to receiving a user-triggered input to perform an action on the data, generating an updated action history, the updated action history including the action history modified by the action corresponding to the user-triggered input, the updated action history generated by,
identifying a last matching action between the action history and the updated action history;
disabling a subset of actions in the action history that are listed in the action history after the last matching action;
inserting, subsequent to the last matching action in the updated action history, the action corresponding to the user-triggered input;
enabling a subset of actions in the updated action history that are listed in the action history after the last matching action; and
displaying the updated action history in a graphical user interface, the updated action history including one or more indications for each of the actions associated with inserting the action corresponding to the user-triggered input.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling a subset of actions in the updated action history includes:
analyzing all actions in the updated action history in a time-consecutive order from newest action to oldest action to verify the subset of actions in the updated action history; in response to validating that the subset of actions, when performed in combination, generate valid data, marking the subset of actions in the updated action history as active; re-applying the subset of actions in the updated action history to the data; and displaying the updated action history in the user interface with updated graphical information, the updated graphical information indicating that the subset of actions are to be performed on the data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating modified data based on the updated action history, the generation including:
automatically producing a data flow graph according to the updated action history; executing the data flow graph, wherein the data flow graph retrieves the data and the updated action history; and displaying the modified data to the user in the graphical user interface.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling a subset of actions in the action history that are listed subsequent to the last matching action includes:
applying an inactive label to at least one action in the subset of actions in the action history; and removing changes executed on data associated with the at least one action.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising,
in response to determining that the user-triggered input to perform an action on the data includes a deletion request, removing from the action history, at least one action based on the user-triggered input and reverting the data to a prior version of the data.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
in response to determining that the user-triggered input to perform an action on the data includes a reorder request:
generating an additional update to the updated action history to modify a chronological position of at least one action in the action history; and
executing the action history including the additional update to generate modified data according to the reorder request.

7 . A system comprising:
a display; a memory including executable instructions; and a processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to execute the executable instructions to cause the system to: obtain an action history that includes a plurality of actions that correspond to manipulating data, the actions being stored in chronological time order; in response to receiving a user-triggered input to perform an action on the data, generating an updated action history, the updated action history including the action history modified by the action corresponding to the user-triggered input, the updated action history generated by,
identifying a last matching action between the action history and the updated action history;
disabling a subset of actions in the action history that are listed in the action history after the last matching action;
inserting, subsequent to the last matching action in the updated action history, the action corresponding to the user-triggered input;
enabling a subset of actions in the updated action history that are listed in the action history after the last matching action; and
displaying the updated action history in a graphical user interface, the updated action history including one or more indications for each of the actions associated with inserting the action corresponding to the user-triggered input.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein enabling a subset of actions in the updated action history includes:
analyzing one or more actions in the updated action history in a time-consecutive order from newest action to oldest action to verify the subset of actions in the updated action history; in response to validating that the subset of actions, when performed in combination, generate valid data, marking the subset of actions in the updated action history as active; re-applying the subset of actions in the updated action history to the data; and displaying the updated action history in the user interface with updated graphical information, the updated graphical information indicating that the subset of actions are to be performed on the data.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to generate modified data based on the updated action history, the generation including:
automatically producing a data flow graph according to the updated action history; executing the data flow graph, wherein the data flow graph retrieves the data and the updated action history; and displaying the modified data to the user in the graphical user interface.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein disabling a subset of actions in the action history that are listed subsequent to the last matching action includes:
applying an inactive label to at least one action in the subset of actions in the action history; and removing changes executed on data associated with the at least one action.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to,
in response to determining that the user-triggered input to perform an action on the data includes a deletion request, removing from the action history, at least one action based on the user-triggered input and reverting the data to a prior version of the data.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to,
in response to determining that the user-triggered input to perform an action on the data includes a reorder request: generating an additional update to the updated action history to modify a chronological position of at least one action in the action history; and executing the action history including the additional update to generate modified data according to the reorder request.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform actions of:
receiving, at a user interface, a plurality of user-triggered inputs to perform a plurality of operations on a spreadsheet including data, wherein the plurality of operations correspond to a manipul

Assignees

• Sap Se

Inventors

• Lehmann Claudia
• Tinari Philip

Classifications

• G06F11/302 Primary

  where the computing system component is a software system · CPC title

• G06F11/3438

  monitoring of user actions (tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535) · CPC title

• G06F40/166

  Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting · CPC title

• G06F40/18 Primary

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

• G06F2201/865

  Monitoring of software · CPC title