Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Robert C Collie

Juha P Niemisto

Eoin James Burke

Joseph N Chirilov

Chad B Rothschiller

Ramakrishnan Natarajan

Kelly J Lynch

James Rivera

Parul Dalia

Michael J McCormack

Allan Folting

Marise Chan

Ulrich Homann

Eric Barber Vigesaa

Bruce Cordell Jones

Joseph M Chirilov

Charles David Ellis

Benjamin C Chamberlain

Daniel C Battagin

Robert G Hawking

Shahar Prish

Lee B Graber

Andrew James Becker

Darrin N Hatakeda

Raman S Iyer

Su-Piao Bill Wu

Matthew John Androski

Robert Wayne Coffen

Gabhan Berry

Simon Peyton-Jones

Hannah Wei Zhou

John C Haymond

Dennis R Newland

Thao Moua

Amir Netz

Cristian Petculescu

Paul Jonathon Sanders

John C Delo

Anatoly V Grabar

Konrad Tupaj

Malcolm S Haar

Weide Zhong

David E Gonzalez

Jianlan Song

Andrew J Becker

Matthew J Androski

Charles D Ellis

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

A method and system associate conditional formats with selected data points or groups of data points within a summary table. In one embodiment, related groups of data are determined based upon currently highlighted cells in a summary table. A user then selects from the groups and identifies conditional formats to be associated with the specified data points. The conditional formats are associated with currently displayed as well as non-displayed data within the summary table. The associated conditions are saved relative to the data points rather than the original cell positions so that the conditions remain associated with the data points following a reorganization of the summary table.

Associating conditions to summary table data

Third party data embedding may be provided. Data associated with a third party provider may be saved in a native application save file. If a save file opened by the application is determined to comprise third party data, the application may determine whether an appropriate data provider is available. The application may connect to the data provider and provide on-demand, asynchronous access to the third party data upon request from a user.

Embedding and retrieving data in an application file format

A method and system associate conditional formats with selected data points or groups of data points within a summary table. In one embodiment, related groups of data are determined based upon currently highlighted cells in a summary table. A user then selects from the groups and identifies conditional formats to be associated with the specified data points. The conditional formats are associated with currently displayed well as non-displayed data within the summary table. The associated conditions are saved relative to the data points rather than the original cell positions so that the conditions remain associated with the data points following a reorganization of the summary table.

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for utilizing spreadsheet references with grouped aggregate views. A grouped aggregate view feature enables a user to create a grouped aggregate view of data. A calculation feature enables the user to calculations for the grouped aggregate view of data that are based upon relative or absolute references to data in the grouped aggregate view. Input is received from a user to write a calculation within a first cell in a grouped aggregate view. Input is received from the user to select a second cell to reference when writing the calculation. The user is presented with available references that are relevant to data contained in the second cell. Input is received from the user to select one of the available references that are relevant for the second cell. The selected one of the available references is placed into the first cell.

Utilizing spreadsheet references with grouped aggregate views

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.

The present invention provides several database formulas that can manipulate large sets of data. Each database formula is customizable and repeatable without user intervention. Thus, users may enter numerous options that can cover the user's desire for data output in certain forms or formats, select a set of input data, and consistently receive a set of output data. In some embodiments, the user may refer to the set of data semantically instead of specifying a range of cells to use in the database formula. Referring to the data semantically allows the database formulas to adjust to changes in the range of cells new data may occupy.

Design of spreadsheet functions for working with tables of data

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.

A graphical user interface for creating a data summary table includes a pane including a plurality of fields, and a data summary table. Upon selection of a field to include in the data summary table, the user interface is programmed to analyze the field and automatically place the field in the data summary table.

Automated placement of fields in a data summary table

A method and computer-readable medium for upgrading an application program, and making an installer program aware that an application has been upgraded is disclosed. The method recognizes that an upgrade to the application has been initiated. The upgrade includes an identifier for the application to be upgraded, as well as information required for the installer to perform the upgrade. The installer program accesses the upgrade information, which includes instructions necessary for installing the upgrade. The installer program also accesses information related to the installed state of the application and related applications. The installer program determines whether or not the upgrade should be performed. If the upgrade should be performed, the installer program performs the upgrade and stores the fact that the application has been upgraded. If the application should not be upgraded, the installer program stores information reflecting the fact that the upgrade is available but not installed.

Method and computer-readable medium for installing an upgrade to an application program

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Robert C Collie