For a given cell in a spreadsheet, evaluating an unlimited number of conditional formatting rules and applying multiple corresponding formats to the cell

A computer-readable memory having computer executable components for applying and evaluating multiple conditional formatting rules, comprising:

• a conditional formatting rules control component operable by a computing device to assign priority ranks to first and second conditional formatting rules for formatting cells in a user interface;
• a conditional formatting rules evaluation component operable by the computing device to evaluate the first and second conditional formatting rules for a cell of a user interface;
• and
• a formatting resolution component operable by the computing device to determine whether a first formatting, a second formatting, or both the first formatting and the second formatting should be applied to the cell based on the priority ranks and the evaluation of the first and second conditional formatting rules, including determining whether the second formatting and the first formatting belong to a single group of conflicting formats prior to applying the second formatting associated with the second conditional formatting rule.

A method for evaluating a plurality of conditional formatting rules applied to a user interface, the method comprising:

• identifying first and second conditional formatting rules for formatting cells in a user interface, wherein the first conditional formatting rule is assigned a first priority and is associated with a first formatting, wherein the second conditional formatting rule is assigned a second priority and is associated with a second formatting, and wherein the first priority is greater than the second priority;
• identifying a cell contained in the user interface, the cell being associated with the first and second conditional formatting rules;
• determining with a computing device whether both of the first and second conditional formatting rules are satisfied for the cell;
• if both are satisfied, determining with the computing device whether formatting associated with the first and second conditional formatting belong to a single group of conflicting formats prior to applying the formatting associated with the first and second formatting;
• if the formatting does not conflict, applying the first and second formatting to the cell;
• and
• if the formatting does conflict, applying only the first formatting to the cell.

A method for evaluating a plurality of conditional formatting rules applied to a user interface, the method comprising:

• identifying first and second conditional formatting rules for formatting cells in a user interface, the first conditional formatting rule being assigned a first priority and being associated with a first formatting, the second conditional formatting rule being assigned a second priority and being associated with a second formatting, and the first priority being greater than the second priority;
• identifying a cell contained in the user interface, the cell being associated with the first and second conditional formatting rules;
• determining with a computing device whether the first conditional formatting rule is satisfied for the cell;
• if the first conditional formatting rule is satisfied, applying the first formatting associated with the first conditional formatting rule to the cell;
• and
• determining whether the second formatting and the first formatting belong to a single group of conflicting formats prior to applying the second formatting associated with the second conditional formatting rule.

A computer-readable memory having computer executable components for applying and evaluating multiple conditional formatting rules, comprising:

• a conditional formatting rules control component operable by a computing device to assign priority ranks to a plurality of conditional formatting rules for formatting one or more cells in a user interface wherein a first conditional formatting rule has a priority rank greater than the priority ranks of the plurality of conditional formatting rules;
• a conditional formatting rules evaluation component operable by the computing device to evaluate the plurality of conditional formatting rules for the one or more cells in a user interface;
• and
• a formatting resolution component operable by the computing device to determine whether to apply a first formatting associated with the first conditional formatting rule to the one or more cells based on the priority ranks and the evaluation of the plurality of conditional formatting rules, including determining whether the second formatting and the first formatting belong to a single group of conflicting formats prior to applying the second formatting associated with the second conditional formatting rule.