Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Joseph N Chirilov

Robert C Collie

Juha P Niemisto

Chad B Rothschiller

Eoin James Burke

Ramakrishnan Natarajan

Kelly J Lynch

James Rivera

Parul Dalia

Michael J McCormack

Marise Chan

Ulrich Homann

Robert Wayne Coffen

Hannah Wei Zhou

Dennis R Newland

John C Haymond

Thao Moua

Jianlan Song

Block properties and improved calculated columns properties are provided in a spreadsheet application. Once block properties are set for a group of spreadsheet cells or a spreadsheet list, the properties may be applied to the entire group of selected cells or list as opposed to requiring application of properties to individual cells. If rows or columns are added to the group of selected cells or list, properties applied to the group of cells or list are automatically applied to the new rows or columns. Block properties also provide for intelligent-behaving list borders where list borders are not corrupted by the movement or changing of columns or rows sharing edges with a list border. Calculated columns are a type of block property that extends the functionality of formulas throughout an entire column of an associated group of cells or list.

Block properties and calculated columns in a spreadsheet application

XML data is associated with an XML schema file defining XML data types and data type definitions for applying XML data to the document. An XML data map is prepared that relates that any XML data applied to the document back to corresponding XML elements or attributes defined in the associated schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the data map is parsed to find XPATHs in the imported spreadsheet document of XML data and the user entered data. After an imported document has been edited, or after a document is created to include the application of XML data in association with a selected XML schema file, the document may be exported such that the XML data applied to the document is maintained for subsequent import and use of the document.

Importing and exporting markup language data in a spreadsheet application document

Data presented in a hierarchical format is rendered in a form allowing the data to be imported into a spreadsheet document where the data can be modified and new data can be added. A data file containing the hierarchically formatted data is selected for importing. A mapping relating a plurality of elements within the hierarchical data to a plurality of respective locations in the spreadsheet document is accessed. The hierarchical data is rendered in the spreadsheet document according to the mapping. Input is received to modify the hierarchical data rendered in the spreadsheet document. The mapping is updated to include the modifications to the hierarchical data. The modifications to the hierarchical data and the updated mapping are exported for subsequent rendering in a second spreadsheet document according to the updated mapping.

Extensible markup language data in an extensible markup language (such as XML) is associated with a schema file for defining data types and data type definitions for applying data to the document. A map is prepared that relates that any extensible markup data applied to the document back to corresponding elements or attributes defined in the associated schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the data map is parsed to find XPATHs which determine the location, data types and user data for each cell or list object in the document related to the schema file. The cells and lists are populated with the extensible markup data and user data, and rendered according to formatting dictated by the extensible markup data applied to the document. The document may be exported such that the extensible markup data is maintained for subsequent import and use.

Methods and systems are provided for importing markup language formatted data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting markup language formatted data from a spreadsheet document. XML data is associated with an XML schema file defining XML data types and data type definitions for applying the XML data to the document. An XML data map is prepared that relates any XML data applied to the document back to corresponding XML elements or attributes defined in the associated schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the data map is parsed to find XPATHs in the imported spreadsheet document of XML data and the user entered data. After an imported document has been edited, the document may be exported such that the XML data applied to the document is maintained for subsequent import and use of the document.

Methods and systems are provided for mapping markup language data and schema, such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data and XML schema, to selected fields (cells, columns, rows) of a spreadsheet application document. An XML schema file is associated with a spreadsheet application document by providing a mechanism of adding the schema definitions to the spreadsheet application document. Furthermore, XML schema constructs such as elements, attributes, and simple content are associated to regions in the spreadsheet application document by providing a tree view structure of a generalized instance of a given XML schema file. A user may drag and drop markup language nodes representing elements, attributes and simple data content, from the tree view structure of the generalized instance of the XML schema file onto a spreadsheet worksheet grid. Once a cell, column or row in worksheet grid accepts the dropped element or attribute, an association is made between the target location in the worksheet grid, and the definition, data type and rules associated with the dropped element or attribute by setting an XML path language (XPATH) marker to point the target location back to the selected element or attribute in the XML schema file. Having all or partially all desired markup language elements or attributes associated with desired target locations in the spreadsheet grid, a general mapping of marked-up locations in the spreadsheet grid and their associated elements and/or attributes in an associated XML schema file is created.

Markup language visual mapping

Methods and systems are provided for importing and exporting markup language formatted data into a spreadsheet document. XML data is associated with a schema file defining data types and data type definitions for applying the XML data to the document. A map is prepared that relates any XML data applied to the document back to corresponding elements or attributes defined in the schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the map is parsed to find XPATHs which determine the location, data types and user data for each cell or list object in the document related to the schema file. The cells and lists are populated with the XML data and user data and rendered according to formatting dictated by the XML data applied to the document. The document may be exported such that the XML data is maintained for subsequent import and use.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Joseph N Chirilov