Common charting using shapes
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsDaniel P. Cory, Miltos Vafiadis, Sissie Ling-le Hsiao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for rendering a chart associated with a document includes translating a chart object into a shape-based chart definition, wherein the chart object defines the chart with chart elements, and the shape-based shape definition defines the chart with shapes, and maintaining the chart object in the document to enable access to underlying chart data contained in the chart. A system includes a chart object defining a chart with chart elements, a graphics module operable to render shapes, a charting module generating a shape-based chart definition based on the chart object, wherein the shape-based chart definition defines the chart with shapes that can be rendered by the graphics module.
Claims24
A method for rendering a chart associated with a document, the method comprising:
- receiving a chart object, the chart object defining the chart with chart elements and referencing a data source of underlying chart data on which the chart is based, the underlying chart data including data values for the chart;
- determining a type of chart represented by the chart object;
- retrieving the underlying chart data from the data source referenced by the chart object;
- translating a plurality of chart elements into a plurality of corresponding shapes based on the type of chart and the data values associated with each of the plurality of chart elements using a translation engine of a common charting module that can be used by multiple application programs and includes a common charting component;
- generating a shape-based chart definition based on the plurality of corresponding shapes, wherein the determining, retrieving, translating and generating are performed automatically when the document is opened;
- maintaining the chart object in the document to enable access to underlying chart data contained in the chart;
- and
- editing the chart through the common charting component.
A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a process for rendering a chart associated with a document, the process comprising:
- receiving a chart object defining the chart with one or more chart elements;
- determining a type of chart represented by the chart object;
- retrieving the underlying chart data from the data source referenced by the chart object, the underlying chart data including data values for the chart;
- translating a plurality of chart elements into a plurality of corresponding shapes based on the type of chart and the data values associated with each of the plurality of chart elements using a translation engine of a common charting module that can be used by multiple application programs and includes a common charting component;
- generating a shape-based chart definition based on the plurality of corresponding shapes, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to automatically perform the determining, retrieving, translating and generating when the document is opened;
- rendering the chart using the shape-based chart definition without disassociating the chart object from the document;
- and
- editing the chart through the common charting component.
A system comprising:
- a processing unit;
- a document including a chart;
- a chart object defining the chart with chart elements;
- a graphics module operating on the processing unit and operable to render shapes;
- a common charting module operating on the processing unit and operable to automatically generate a shape-based chart definition based on the chart object when the document is opened, wherein the common charting module includes a translation engine and a common charting component and can be used by multiple application programs, wherein the shape-based chart definition defines the chart with shapes that can be rendered by the graphics module and wherein the common charting module is also operable to determine a type of chart represented by the chart object, retrieve underlying chart data, including data values for the chart, from a data source referenced by the chart object, translate a plurality of chart elements into a plurality of corresponding shapes based on the type of chart and the data values associated with each of the plurality of chart elements using the translation engine, and manipulate charts using the common charting component.
A system comprising:
- a document including a chart, wherein the chart is defined with chart elements;
- a processing unit;
- one or more computer storage media containing a computer program that is executable by the processing unit, the computer program including:
- means for rendering shapes representative of the chart elements;
- and
- means for translating the chart elements into shapes that can be rendered by a graphics module, wherein the means for translating can be shared by multiple application programs and comprises:
- means for determining a type of chart;
- means for retrieving underlying chart data from a data source referenced by the chart, the underlying chart data including data values for the chart;
- means for translating the chart elements into corresponding shapes based on the type of chart and the data values associated with each of the plurality of chart elements;
- and
- means for generating a shape based chart definition based on a plurality of corresponding shapes, wherein the means for determining, retrieving, translating and generating are performed automatically when the document is opened;
- and
- means for manipulating the chart in a common manner by multiple application programs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.