Techniques to present a dynamic formula bar in a spreadsheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9805016-B2
Application number	US-201314060537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2013
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques and apparatuses to present a dynamic formula bar in a spreadsheet application. Some embodiments are particularly directed to presenting a dynamic formula bar in a spreadsheet application that may improve usability in particular with large display sizes and/or touchscreen interfaces. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a spreadsheet user interface (UI) component executing on the processor circuit to present a grid comprising cells arranged in rows and columns. The spreadsheet UI component may include a formula bar interface component operative to display a formula bar UI element adjacent to a first cell in response to receiving a control directive selecting the first cell. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor circuit; and
a spreadsheet user interface (UI) component executing on the processor circuit to:
display a grid comprising cells arranged in rows and columns;
receive a control directive selecting a first cell from the grid and in response to receiving the control directive selecting the first cell, use a formula bar interface component to display a formula bar UI element in a row other than a row of the first cell and within the displayed grid, wherein the formula bar UI element further performs at least one of displaying current content of the first cell or accepts input to the first cell, wherein the formula bar interface component is to further display the formula bar UI element with a visual indicator that indicates the formula bar UI element is to display the current content for the first cell by displaying a connection between the formula bar UI element and the row of the first cell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the formula bar interface component further to:
move the formula bar UI element to a second cell adjacent to the first cell when the contents of the first cell are committed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the spreadsheet UI component further to:
scroll or pan the grid behind the formula bar UI element upon the contents of the first cell being committed such that the formula bar UI element remains at a fixed location relative to the display and connected to a second cell adjacent to the first cell.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , the formula bar interface component further to:
receive a docking control directive; and
move the formula bar UI element to a docked location at a side of the grid in response to the docking control directive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the formula bar interface component further to:
dock the formula bar UI element between the first row of the grid and a second row of the grid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , the formula bar interface component further to:
display a numeric keyboard UI element coupled to the formula bar; and
receive input to the formula bar UI element from the numeric keyboard UI element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , the formula bar interface component further to:
position the numeric keyboard UI element dynamically relative to the formula bar UI element and a position on a display.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
presenting on a display, by a processor circuit, a grid comprising cells arranged in rows and columns;
receiving a control directive selecting a first cell in a row from the presented grid;
displaying in response to the received control directive, a formula bar user interface (UI) element in a row other than the row of the first cell and within the presented grid, wherein the formula bar UI element further performs at least one of displaying content of the first cell or accepts input to the first cell;
displaying a visual indicator forming a connection between the formula bar UI element and the row of the first cell to indicate the formula bar UI element is to display the content for the first cell; and
accepting input to the first cell from the formula bar UI element.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , comprising:
displaying a calculated value in the selected first cell, wherein the value is calculated from a formula received as input to the formula bar UI element.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , comprising:
moving the grid when the contents of the first cell are being committed such that the formula bar UI element remains at a fixed location relative to the display and connected to a second cell adjacent to the first cell.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
receiving a docking control directive; and
moving the formula bar UI element to a docked location at a side of the grid in response to the docking control directive.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
docking the formula bar UI element between the first row of the grid and a second row of the grid, wherein the first cell is in one of the first row or the second row; and
moving the docked formula bar UI element to a next lower row when the contents of the first cell are being committed.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 ,
displaying a numeric keyboard UI element coupled to the formula bar; and
receive input to the formula bar UI element from the numeric keyboard UI element.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 ,
position the numeric keyboard UI element dynamically relative to the formula bar UI element and a position on a display.

15. Computer-readable storage hardware comprising a tangible medium to store instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:
present, on a display, a grid comprising cells arranged in rows and columns;
receive a control directive selecting a first cell from the grid;
insert a row into the grid and display a formula bar user interface (UI) element within the inserted row of the grid in response to receiving the control directive selecting the first cell, wherein the formula bar UI element further performs at least one of displaying content of the first cell or accepts input to the first cell;
accept input to the first cell from an entry field in the formula bar UI element; and
move the formula bar UI element upon commitment of the input to the first cell such that the formula bar UI element remains within the grid.

16. The computer-readable storage hardware of claim 15 , comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
expand the size of the entry field to display an entirety of the input.

17. The computer-readable storage hardware of claim 15 , comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
dock the formula bar UI element to one of: a permanent UI element, a semi-permanent UI element, and a floating UI element, in response to a docking control directive; and
dynamically adjust the width of the formula bar UI element in response to a control directive received on at least one of: the formula bar UI element and a UI element that the formula bar is docked to.

18. The computer-readable storage hardware of claim 15 , comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
dock the formula bar UI element between the first row of the grid and a second row of the grid, wherein the first cell is in one of the first row or the second row; and
move the docked formula bar UI element to a next lower row upon the contents of the first cell being committed.

19. The computer-readable storage hardware of claim 15 , comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
move the formula bar UI element adjacent to a second cell adjacent to the first cell when the contents of the first cell are being committed.

20. The computer-readable storage hardware of claim 15 , comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
display a numeric keyboard UI element coupled to the formula bar UI element;
position the numeric keyboard UI element dynamically relative to the formula bar UI element and a position on a display; and
receive input to the formula bar UI element from the numeric keyboard UI element.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Otero Carlos
• Campbell John
• Albert Uhl

Classifications

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F40/18 Primary

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

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title