US 10,380,238 B2Granted

Block properties and calculated columns in a spreadsheet application

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsJoseph N. Chirilov, Dennis R. Newland, Eoin J. Burke, Hannah W. Zhou, John C. Haymond, Juha P. Niemisto, Robert C. Collie, Robert W. Coffen, Thao Moua

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Abstract

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.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for formatting cells in a spreadsheet workbook, comprising:

receiving a selection of a group of cells in the spreadsheet workbook that includes more than one workbook row and column for application of a formatting property, wherein the selection of the group of cells defines a list border about a perimeter of the selected group of cells to establish the selected group of cells as a block unit, the list border encompassing the selected group of cells, and wherein the selection of the group of cells associates the list border with the block unit instead of a particular cell, row or column within the selected group of cells;
displaying the selected group of cells along with the list border encompassing the selected group of cells;
storing information about the selected group of cells including a position and a number of rows and a number of columns included in the selected group of cells;
applying the formatting property to all of the cells in the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as the block unit;
and
moving one of a row or column that is at a perimeter position of the block unit to an interior position within the block unit while maintaining the displayed list border as encompassing the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as the block unit.

3 more elements

A computer-readable medium, excluding a signal, having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform operations for applying formatting properties to a group of cells in a spreadsheet application document, comprising:

receiving a selection of a group of cells from a spreadsheet workbook, wherein the selection of the group of cells defines a list border about a perimeter of the selected group of cells to establish the selected group of cells as a block unit, the list border encompassing the selected group of cells, and wherein the selection of the group of cells associates the list border with the block unit instead of a particular cell, row or column within the selected group of cells;
displaying the selected group of cells along with the list border encompassing the selected group of cells;
storing information including a position and a number of rows and a number of columns for the selected group of cells;
and
applying a formatting property to all of the cells in the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as the block unit;
and
moving one of a row or column that is at a perimeter position of the block unit to an interior position within the block unit while maintaining the displayed list border as encompassing the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as the block unit.

4 more elements

A system for interacting with a group of cells in a spreadsheet workbook, comprising:

a processor and a memory device;
the processor configured to perform operations, comprising:
receiving a selection of a group of cells in a spreadsheet workbook for application of a formatting property, wherein the selection of the group of cells defines a list border about a perimeter of the selected group of cells to establish the selected group of cells as a block unit, the list border encompassing the selected group of cells, and wherein the selection of the group of cells associates the list border with the block unit instead of a particular cell, row or column within the selected group of cells;
displaying the selected group of cells along with the list border encompassing the selected group of cells;
storing information about a position and identity of one or more workbook rows and columns making up the selected group of cells;
applying a formatting property to all of the cells in the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as the block unit;
and
moving one of a row or column that is at a perimeter position of the block unit to an interior position within the block unit while maintaining the displayed list border as encompassing the selected group of cells based on the selected group of cells being established as a block unit.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.