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1. 499 COPY GET 1 1 ee eee DESCRIBE MOVE SHOW CREATE no le m on JE E 57 After the spreadsheet more text could appear per haps a graphic diagram or any of a variety of the many different object types FIG 4 U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 5 of 7 5 121 499 I POSITION TO FIRST CELL TO PROCESS MORE EDITING TO 00 NO CALL FIND NEXT CELL RETURNS NEXT CELL NORMAL PROCESSING POST ERROR MESSAGE CURRENT CELL NEXT CELL END FIG 5 U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 6 of 7 5 121 499 20 LOCATE CURRENT CELL ATTRIBUTES FIND THE NEXT CELL ATTRIBUTE 2 CALL EVALUATE NEXT CELL RETURNS EVALUATED NEXT CELL RET CODE INVALID RET CODE VALID NEXT CELL EVALUATED NEXT CELL FIG 6 U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 7 of 7 5 121 499 CHECK THE REMAINDER 30 YES OF THE STRING FOR A EVALUATE BOOLEAN VALID CELL SYNTAX EXPRESSION 3 YES z SET THE RETURN NO CODE TO VALID CELL NOT FOUND 33 IS EXPRESSION TRUE CALL EVALUATE NEXT CELL WITH STRING AFTER THE ELSE 35 CALL EVALUATE_NEXT_CELL WITH STRING BETWEEN THEN AND ELSE SET THE RETURN CODE TO VALID CELL NOT FOUND RETURN THE CELL NAME SET THE RETURN CODE2. 8599445096050050006065890905860923532495029252499063909590022590959 99 Locate current cell attributes Find the next cell attribute Call EVALUATE NEXT CELL IF a valid next cel found THEN Set return code to valid cell found Set next cell to edit to cell returned from EVALUATE NEXT CELL ELSE Set return code to valid cell not found ENDIF a 0 6 The flow chart for the procedure FIND NEX T CELL is shown in FIG 6 This procedure is called to determine the next cell to edit as specified in the Next Cell property of the current cell The current cell attri butes are located and the Next Cell attribute is located as indicated in block 20 The value for this attribute is a string that was specified by the operator through key ing pointing or some other means This string is evalu ated by calling the EVALUATE NEXT CELL pro cedure to parse the string and derive the identity of the next cell to edit as indicated in block 21 This procedure returns an error indicator which is tested in decision block 22 If the error indicator is true then an invalid return code is returned to the calling program as indi cated in block 23 On the other hand if the error indica tor is false the identified cell can be returned to the calling program as indicated in block 24 The PDL code listing for the procedure EVALUATE NEXT CELL is listed below PROCEDURE EVALUATE NEXT CELL 949999929909290592099 09952229590990959999 59609
3. a way in which the order of data entry and or editing of cells in a spreadsheet can be specified by the originator of the model represented by the spreadsheet According to the invention a mechanism is provided to link a cell to the next cell to be edited The value placed in the next cell parameter may be a constant such as the name of another cell However the value may also be a logic expression so that the next cell to edit can be different depending on some condition This mechanism can be used to set edit paths that can merge cross or follow any pattern desired Multiple paths can also be defined By using a system defined indicator such as a specific keystroke to go to the next cell the operator can move through the spreadsheet on a path or simply choose to use the keys that move to adjacent cells BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects aspects and advan tages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings in which FIG 1 illustrates the screen of a spreadsheet applica tion that has a command area and a document area FIG 2 illustrates the highlighting of one of the cells in the document area of the screen shown in FIG 1 FIG 3 shows the result of selecting the DESCRIBE command from the command area of the screen shown in FIG 1 FIG 4 shows the result of selecting the NEXT CELL property in the screen shown in FI
4. code to valid cell not found ELSE IF the boolean expression evaluated true THEN call EVALUATE NEXT CELL with the string between the then and else Pass back the return parameters returned from EVALUATE NEXT CELL ELSE Call EVALUATE NEXT CELL with the string after the else Pass back the return parameters returned from EVALUATE NEXT CELL ENDIF ENDIF ELSE Check the remainder of the string for a valid cell syntax IF a valid cell syntax was found THEN return the celi name Set the return code to valid cell found ELSE Set the return code to valid cell not found ENDIF e we oe on 5 121 499 continued 10 The flow chart for the EVALUATE_NEX T_CELL procedure is shown in FIG 7 This proce dure examines the input string to determine the cell to be identified according to the syntax rules of the Next Cell attribute The syntax is described in the PDL code given above for this procedure First a test is made in decision block 25 to determine if an IF Statement is contained in the string If there is not an IF Statement in the string then the remainder is examined in block 26 for valid syntax of a specific cell In decision block 27 a test is made for a valid cell syntax If a valid cell syntax is not found then a return parameter is passed to the calling program indicating that a valid cell was not found as indicated in block 29 On the
5. other hand if a valid cell syntax is found then a return parameter is passed to the calling program indicating that a valid cell was found and the name of the cell as indicated in block 28 In the case where the IF Statment is found in decision block 25 the boolean expression of the state ment is evaluated as indicated in block 30 Since the expression may be in error a test is made in decision block 31 so that a return parameter can be passed to the calling program to indicate that a valid cell was not found as indicated in block 32 If no error occured then the expression evaluated is either True or False This is tested in decision block 33 If the expression is True then the following portion of the string between the THEN and ELSE parts of the IF statement is to be evaluated recursively by this same procedure as indi cated in block 35 In the case where the expression is False the portion of the string after the ELSE is to be evaluated as indicated in block 34 In either case the return parameters from the recursive call are returned as the parameters to the calling program as indicated in block 36 While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment those skilled in the art will rec ognize that the technique employed may be modified and used without departing from the scope of the inven tion Having thus described my invention what I consider novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is set
6. 920990 9249995999999909942095999002900909568909 e e n o eee 9 9 9 9 amp 9 PURPOSE INPLT OUTPUT SYNTAX gt IF Boolean Expression gt Simple Expression Evaluate the next cell attribute expression Pointer to and length of the eapression Return code Valid cell found Valid cell not found Cell identifier Gf valid cell found The following is the set of syntax diagrams for the expression e e e e gt Expression Cell If Statement If Statement oe THEN gt Eapression 9999 9 ELSE Eapression Boolean Expression Simple Expression 9 9 5 oe Simple Expression Term Term OR 9 9 9 e e 9 8 o 99 5 121 499 continued Term Factor Factor Unsigned Constant P Boolean Expression NOT Factor Unsigned Constant Integer Number Real Number NIL Integer Number Real Number Cell R gt Row Number Col Number gt 99609599500099090529050000994090399500093060509098600559960990996059909 5000095 IF the expression with an if statement THEN Evaluate the boolean expression IF there is a syntax error in the boolean expression THEN set the return
7. G 3 FIG 5 is a flow chart showing the main procedur according to the invention FIG 6 is a flow chart showing the procedure for the subroutine FIND NEXT CELL which is called from the main procedure and FIG 7 is a flow chart showing the procedure for the subroutine EVALUATE NEXT CELL which is called from the subroutine FIND NEXT CELL 5 121 499 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the multiple data editor described for example in the above referenced U S Pat No 4 723 210 table is the name given to an object set that consists of a sym metrical arrangement of cells which form a rectangular pattern consisting of rows and columns on the display Thus a table object set is defined as a collection of cells arranged in rows and columns and such an object set includes a spreadsheet as defined above A cell is the smallest object in the table object set and the contents of a cell may include formulas calculations numeric values and textual data As implemented in the multiple data editor the invention is practiced by providing a NEXT CELL key which allows the user go to the cell named in the Next Cell attribute of the current cell In designing the model for the spreadsheet the origina tor supplies this attribute FIG 1 illustrates the screen of a spreadsheet applica tion that has a command area 1 and a document area 2 Inside the document area is teat data 3 followed by spr
8. TO VALID CELL FOUND PASS BACK RETURN PARAMETERS FROM EVALUATE NEXT CELL 5 121 499 1 METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE ORDER OF EDITING CELLS IN A SPREADSHEET BY EVALUATING ENTERED NEXT CELL ATTRIBUTE OF CURRENT CELL CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of Ser No 739 368 filed May 30 1985 abandoned The invention disclosed in this application is related in subject matter to the inventions disclosed in the fol lowing patent applications which are assigned to the assignee of this application Ser No 06 645 622 filed Aug 30 1984 by Barbara A Barker and Rex A McCaskill for Superblock Structure in a Multiple Data Editor now U S Pat No 4 723 210 Ser No 06 645 620 filed Aug 30 1984 by Barbara A Barker and Irene H Hernandez for Implicit Cre ation of a Superblock Structure now U S Pat No 4 739 477 and Ser No 06 645 630 filed Aug 30 1984 by Barbara A Barker Irene H Hernandez and Rex A McCaskill for Editing of a Superblock Structure now U S Pat No 4 723 211 The disclosures of the foregoing patent applications are incorporated herein by reference TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention generally relates to data edi tors and more particularly to a technique for linking a cell in a spreadsheet to the next cell in the spreadsheet for facilitating data entry and editing in a spreadsheet application The invention has particular application in a mult
9. United States Patent McCaskill et al HR US005121499A u1 Patent Number 45 Date of Patent 5 121 499 Jun 9 1992 54 METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE ORDER OF EDITING CELLS IN A SPREADSHEET BY EVALUATING ENTERED NEXT CELL ATTRIBUTE OF CURRENT CELL Rex A McCaskill Beverly H Machart Harry E O Steen all of Travis County Tex 75 Inventors International Business Machines Corp Armonk N Y 21 Appl No 735 698 22 Filed Jul 25 1991 73 Assignee Related U S Application Data 63 Continuation of Ser No 739 368 May 30 1985 aban doned 51 Int CL uuu dcn GO06F 13 00 52 U 395 700 364 DIG 2 364 419 364 943 364 943 1 364 948 2 58 Field of Search 364 419 200 MS File 364 900 MS File 56 References Cited U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 4 470 129 9 1984 Disbrow et al 4 520 457 5 1985 Hagler et al 364 900 4 586 158 4 1986 Brandle 364 900 4 633 430 12 1986 Cooper 364 900 4 646 250 2 1987 Childress 364 518 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 0075742 9 1982 European Pat OTHER PUBLICATIONS Implicit Object Definition In a Multiple Data Editor CALL EVALUATE NEXT CELL RET CODE VALID LOCATE CURRENT CELL ATTRIBUTES FINC THE NEXT CELL ATTRIBUTE RETURNS EVALUATED NEXT CELL WEXT_CELL EVALUATED NEXT CELL Barker et al IBM Tech
10. d nex t cell procedure This procedure is written Pro gram Design Language PDL from which source and Object code may be readily derived by a programmer of ordinary skill in the art PROCEDURE main 996529995099 069909999949959909000909590822829955602569 5099 PURPOSE Control the order of editing cells the spreadsheet 96060092594959590090969 0909599595042095592 959 99559900009090 Position the operating point to the first cell to process WHILE editing is to be done DO Edit the current cell IF edit next cell is requested THEN Call FIND_NEXT_CELL If no error in finding next cell THEN Position operating point to the cell returned by FIND NEXT CELL ELSE Post an error message indicating that the nex cell expression is in error ENDIF ELSE Process depending on method to use when edit next cell is not requested ENDIF ENDWHILE FIG 5 is the flow chart for the main procedure This is the procedure that is in effect at the time the spread sheet is being edited The first cel to be processed as determined by the system is used as the cell to which the operating point is initially positioned as indicated by block 11 The initial condition of spreadsheet editing is that this first cell is to be edited so the system deter mines that there is more editing to do as indicated by decision block 12 and begins the process of editing the cell in block 13 After the cell has been edited the sys tem must
11. determine whether the next cell to edit is identified by the Next Cell property of the current cell This is indicated by decision block 14 If not then as indicated in block 16 the normal processing determines the next cell to edit which could be dependent on the direction of cursor movement or an explicit selection by pointing The process loops back to decision block 12 and it may be that at this time editing is complete If this were the case the process exits However on the other hand if the Next Cell property is found in decision block 14 then a procedure is called to identify which cell is to be edited next This is the function indicated in block 15 After the procedure is executed a test is made in decision block 17 to see if an error condition exists If not then the identified cell is made the current cell as indicated in block 19 If an error occured an error message is posted as indicated in block 18 and the cur rent cell remains unchanged In either case the proce dure loops back to decision block 12 The PDL code for the procedure FIND NEX T_ CELL is listed below PROCEDURE FIND NEXT CELL 5 121 499 continued 96525992959945539496569549505090550900922399959595699090999999595399599 8555 PURPOSE Find the cell by using the next s Cell attribute INPUT Current cell location in the spreadsheet OUTPUT Return code indicating if a valid next cell was found The neat cell gt to edit
12. eadsheet data 4 which in turn is followed by more text data lt will be observed that the spreadsheet data is represented by an array of rectangles These rectangles represent the cells of the spreadsheet as described above FIG 2 illustrates the highlighting of one of the cells of the spreadsheet data In this figure the high lighting is represented by a cell 5 drawn with double lines however those skilled in the art will understand that highlighting on a display screen can take any of a number of different forms including reverse video in creased intensity or a change in color The highlighted cell is in the second row and second column and has the a default name of R2C2 meaning that the cell is located in row 2 and column 2 FIG 3 shows the result of se lecting the DESCRIBE command after an object in this case a cell of the spreadsheet has been selected A pop down menu 6 is presented with the properties of the selected object In this illustration two of the types of properties are shown Some properties such as the PROTECT property 7 for a cell are specified by select ing one of several options Other properties such as NEXT CELL 8 are specified by a free key input field that must then be interpreted by the program FIG 4 shows the result of selecting the NEXT CELL prop erty and typing in the specification R4C3 at 9 This specification indicates that when the system designated method for moving to the next cell is used the ne
13. evaluating the entered next cell attribute of the current cell to determine the next cell to edit and moving to the next cell identified by the next cell attribute 2 The method recited in claim 1 wherein the next cell attribute is a constant identifying a predetermined different cell in the spreadsheet 3 The method recited in claim 1 wherein the next cell attribute is logic expression said method further comprising the computer performed step of evaluating said logic expression to determine the identity of the next cell to edit in the spreadsheet 4 The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of accessing a first cell of said plurality of selected and edited cells locating cell attributes of a currently accessed cell evaluating said next cell attribute and upon entry of data in said currently accessed cell moving to a cell identified by said next cell attribute and repeating said locating evaluating and moving steps until data has been entered in all of said selected cells 5 A computer implemented data entry method for an electronic spreadsheet running on a computer compris ing the steps of providing the cells of the spreadsheet with a next cell attribute as part of the data structure which defines the cells accessing an attribute editing function for the spread sheet application program for each of a plurality of selected cells of the spreadsheet inputting data in the next cell a
14. forth in the following claims 1 A computer implemented method of setting up a spreadsheet application program on a computer said application program displaying a spreadsheet compris ing intersecting rows and columns forming cells of the spreadsheet each of said cells being defined by a data structure accessed by said spreadsheet application pro gram and evaluated by said computer for the processing of displayed data wherein the order of data entry to the cells of the spreadsheet by a user is controlled by the computer so that a user of the spreadsheet application program is directed from a current cell to a next cell of the spreadsheet for the purpose of making entries int eh cells of the spreadsheet in an order in which data is to be entered comprising the steps of providing in said spreadsheet application program at least some of the cells of the spreadsheet with a next cell attribute as part of the data structure which defines the cell and which is evaluated by said computer to determine the next cell after the current cell for the entry of data 35 40 55 60 65 accessing an attribute editing function of said spread sheet application program entering data in fields of the data structure defining the next cell attribute of a selected plurality of cells of the spreadsheet to define said order of data entry to said selected plurality of cells of the spreadsheet responding to a next cell command from the user by
15. iple data editor characterized by a superblock construction containing two or more diverse object sets however the technique according to the invention can be advantageously applied to spreadsheet applica tions in general and is therefore not limited to multiple data editors DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Spreadsheet applications or programs have come into wide use on personal computers and are used for bud geting financial forecasting profit and loss statements as well as many other accounting applications The electronic spreadsheet generated by such a program can be considered to be analogous to an accountant s ledger sheet having many rows and columns in which data are entered Certain columns may be mathemati cally linked so that data entered in a row of one column and data entered in the same row of another column generate data in that row of yet another column Thus for example the first column might be an interest rate the second column might be the principal amount and the third column might be the interest amount com puted by multiplying the interest rate times the principal amount Further the amounts in the principal amount column and the amounts in the interest amount column might be summed to provide total amounts This of course is but a simple example to illustrate the use of a spreadsheet in general and the description is equally applicable to hand entry of data in a ledger sheet or the data entered by a keyboa
16. nical Disclosure Bulletin vol 27 No 10B Mar 1985 p 6002 Interactive Forms Positioning with Delayed Print Colnen et al IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol 19 No 8 Jan 1977 p 2821 Form Log and Printing Cook et al IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol 18 No 11 Apr 1976 p 3552 Manual of The Smart Spreadsheet with Graphics pp 13 192 13 194 copyright Jun 1984 published by In novative Software Inc William Doyle in Using Supercalc The Next Genera tion published by John Wiley amp Son Inc 1985 Lotus 1 2 3 User s Manual 1983 pp 109 110 157 158 341 Barleti et al Table Processing Jan 1984 IBM Tech nica Disclosure Bulletin vol 26 No 8 pp 4349 4354 Primary Examiner Thomas C Lee Assistant Examiner L Donaghue Attorney Agent or Firm Whitham amp Marhoefer 57 ABSTRACT A mechanism allows for programming the order of cells for an operator to enter data in a spreadsheet Each cell of the spreadsheet may be provided with a next cell attribute and these attributes as well as other attributes for the cells are stored in a table The next cell attri bute may be a constant such as the name of the next cell or it may be a logic expression so that the next cell to be edited can be different depending on some condi tion When the operator presses the NEXT CELL key the next cell attribute is searched by accessing the attribute table and if a next cell a
17. rd into the spreadsheet applica tion The advantage of the latter is that the computa tions once defined by the user are all automatic as data is entered into the first two columns in the example 10 30 40 45 50 60 65 2 described and if data is changed or deleted in the course of editing the spreadsheet all computations that are effected by the changes or deletions are automati cally recomputed In existing spreadsheets however there is no method for programming the order of cells for an operator to enter data In a large complex model it is desirable even for the originator of the model to direct the user to the cells in which data is to be entered and to specify the order of entry By cells what is meant the various intersections of rows and columns of the spreadsheets These may be of various sizes as defined by the origina tor of the model to accomodate the expected number of characters that may need to be entered into a particular cell SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the subject invention to provide a technique for programming the order of celis for an operator to enter data in a spreadsheet Jt is another object of the invention to provide a method to direct the user to the cells in which to enter data and to specify the order of entry of the data in a spreadsheet program It is a further object of the invention to provide the spreadsheet editor of a multiple data editor with
18. ttribute data struc ture for said selected cells which data defines an order of data entry for said selected cells of the spreadsheet accessing a first cell of said plurality of selected cells locating cell attributes of a currently accessed cell evaluating said next cell attribute and upon entry of data in said currently accessed cell moving to a cell identified by said next cell attribute and repeating said locating evaluating and moving steps until data has been entered in all of said selected cells 6 The data entry method for an electronic spread Sheet recited in claim 5 wherein said data which defines an order of data entry comprises for at least one of said selected cells a Boolean expression which when evalu ated identifies first or second cells of said plurality of selected cells of the spreadsheet said method further comprising the steps of evaluating said Boolean expression and if said Boolean expression is true moving to said first cell otherwise moving to said second cell
19. ttribute is found it is evaluated to determine the next cell to be edited 6 Claims 7 Drawing Sheets RET CODE INVALID U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 1 of 7 5 121 499 MOVE COPY GET SHOW CREATE DESCRIBE Text appears in the document followed by the table The numbers are part of a spreadsheet 3 of numbers different type of data in the that is in fact document J JL JL JL JL JL Hh Ji UMEN 1 JL JL JL J After the spreadsheet more text could appear or per haps a graphic diagram or any of a variety of the many different object types FIG U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 2 of 7 MOVE COPY GET SHOW CREATE DESCRIBE Text appears in the document followed by the table of numbers The numbers are part of a spreadsheet thet is in fact a different type of data in the document Ili JE Lr 1L si JL JL JL After the spreadsheet more text could appear Or per haps a graphic diagram or any Of a variety of the many different object types FIG 2 5 121 499 U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 3 of 7 5 121 499 MOVE COP Y SHOW CREATE DESCRIBE CELL Text appears i 7 of numbers T that is in fal PROTECT ON document WEXT CELL After the spreadsheet more text could appear of per haps a graphic diagram or any of a variety of the many different object types FIG 3 U S Patent June 9 1992 Sheet 4 of 7 5 121
20. xt cell to edit is cell 10 in row four column three The following is a pseudocode description of an im plementation of cell linking This description repre sents the logic of the implementation The assumptions made for the purpose of this description are that a spreadsheet program has been implemented in such a way that each cell in the spreadsheet has certain attri butes associated with it Examples of attributes are pro tection adjust numeric formatting and the like As is well known in the data processing arts such attributes are part of the data structure that define the cell The particular attribute that is required for this invention is the Next Cell attribute mentioned above and this too is part of the data structure of the cell This attribute is used to indicate what cell should be edited or made active next when the NEXT CELL key is pressed by the operator This is different from using cursor motion keys to indicate that the next cell to edit is in one of four 0 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 4 directions relative to the currently edited cell The assumption for the Next Cell attribute made for this description is that the attribute is a free key field as shown in FIG 3 in which the operator can enter an expression that when properly evaluated indicates the next cell to edit The main procedure below is representative of a spreadsheet program that would use the fin
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