Variable formatting of cells
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsBenjamin C. Chamberlain, Bruce C. Jones, Christopher M. Street, David F. Gainer, Eric B. Vigesaa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Variable formatting for cells in computer spreadsheets, tables, and other documents is provided. For a selected range of cells, cell formats vary with the value in each cell (or an associated value). Formats can include color-scale backgrounds, in-cell elements (e.g., icons and data bars), and other cell formats that can be varied with a value.
Claims19
A computer-implemented method for formatting a selected range of spreadsheet cells according to a generated spectrum of cell formats the method comprising:
- receiving a selection of a range of spreadsheet cells, wherein each cell of the range of spreadsheet cells includes a respective cell value;
- displaying a format input dialog for receiving formatting criteria for the selected range of spreadsheet cells, wherein receiving formatting criteria includes:
- receiving a selection of a cell format style,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value,
- receiving a selection of a maximum value,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value cell format, and
- receiving a selection of a maximum value cell format,
- based on the minimum value cell format and the maximum value cell format of the received formatting criteria, generating an interval of varying cell formats that vary in a spectrum from the minimum value cell format to the maximum value cell format;
- receiving a selection to format the selected range of spreadsheet cells, wherein formatting includes:
- identifying the respective value for each cell in the range of spreadsheet cells,
- determining whether the respective value for each cell is between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value, and
- for each respective value between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value, applying, into the cells of each respective value, a respective cell format determined from a correlation of each respective value to the respective cell format in the spectrum of varying cell formats.
A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for formatting a selected range of cells according to a generated spectrum of cell formats, the instructions comprising:
- receiving a selection of a range of cells, wherein each cell of the range of cells includes a respective cell value;
- receiving formatting criteria for the selected range of cells, wherein receiving formatting criteria includes:
- receiving a selection of a cell format style,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value,
- receiving a selection of a maximum value,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value cell format, and
- receiving a selection of a maximum value cell format,
- based on the minimum value cell format and the maximum value cell format of the received formatting criteria, generating an interval of varying cell formats that vary in a spectrum from the minimum value cell format to the maximum value cell format;
- determining whether the respective value for each cell is between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value;
- and
- for each respective value between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value, applying, into the cells of each respective value, a respective cell format determined from a correlation of each respective value to the respective cell format in the spectrum of varying cell formats.
A system for formatting a selected range of cells according to a generated spectrum of cell formats, the instructions comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon wherein the instructions cause the processor to execute for:
- receiving a selection of a range of cells, wherein each cell of the range of cells includes a respective cell value;
- receiving formatting criteria for the selected range of cells, wherein receiving formatting criteria includes:
- receiving a selection of a cell format style,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value,
- receiving a selection of a maximum value,
- receiving a selection of a minimum value cell color format, and
- receiving a selection of a maximum value cell color format,
- based on the minimum value cell color format and the maximum value cell color format of the received formatting criteria, generating an interval of varying cell color formats that vary in a color spectrum from the minimum value cell color format to the maximum value cell color format;
- determining whether the respective value for each cell is between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value;
- and
- for each respective value between the selected minimum value and the selected maximum value, applying, into the cells of each respective value, a respective cell color format determined from a correlation of each respective value to the respective cell color format in the color spectrum of varying cell formats.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.