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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method of modifying a display matrix in a matrix display area in a
window on a computer display screen, comprising:
displaying data in a matrix format, thereby frowning a display matrix in
said matrix display area, said matrix display area having a first
dimension;
increasing, responsive to a selection of an increase activator, the number
of existing columns of matrix cells in said display matrix by adding an
additional column of matrix cells to said display matrix;
computing, using a central processing unit, a computed width of a column of
matrix cells in said existing columns of matrix cells if said column of
matrix cells is reduced in width to accommodate said additional column of
matrix cells;
reducing said width of said column of matrix cells to accommodate said
additional column of matrix cells within said first dimension if said
computed width does not fall below a predefined minimum column width; and
automatically increasing a width of said matrix display area to accommodate
said additional column of matrix cells if said computed width falls below
said predefined minimum column width.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
disabling said increase activator to prevent a user from selecting said
increase activator if another addition of another column of matrix cells
would increase the total number of columns in said matrix display area,
after said another addition, beyond a predefined maximum number.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
disabling said increase activator to prevent a user from selecting said
increase activator if another addition of another column of matrix cells
would increase a width of said window area beyond a predefined maximum
window width.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
reducing, responsive to a selection of a decrease activator, the number of
existing columns of matrix cells in said display matrix by removing a
column of matrix cells chosen for deletion from said display matrix,
wherein said matrix display area retains a dimension it has prior to said
reducing step.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said increase activator is visually
presented to the user as an increase button, said decrease activator is
visually presented to the user as a decrease button, and said selecting is
performed with a screen pointer device.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
disabling said decrease activator to prevent a user from selecting said
decrease activator if another removal of another column of matrix cells
would reduce the total number of columns in said matrix display area,
after said another removal, below a predefined minimum number of columns.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said predefined minimum number of columns
is one.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
reducing, responsive to a selection of a decrease activator, the number of
existing columns of matrix cells in said display matrix by removing a
column of matrix cells chosen for deletion from said display matrix,
wherein said matrix display area is reduced in width by an amount equals a
width of said column of matrix cells chosen for deletion.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said increasing step further comprises:
computing an expanded width, said expanded width representing a width of
said matrix display area after said additional column of matrix cells is
added to said display matrix, said expanded width equals the product of
said predefined minimum column width and a total number of columns in said
display matrix after said additional column of matrix cells is added to
said display matrix.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said increasing step further comprises:
computing an expanded width, said expanded width representing a width of
said matrix display area after said additional column of matrix cells is
added to said display matrix, said expanded width equals the sum of the
widths of all columns of matrix cells in said display matrix after said
additional column of matrix cells is added to said display matrix.
11. A method of modifying a display matrix in a matrix display area in a
window on a computer display screen, comprising:
displaying data in a matrix format, thereby forming a display matrix in
said matrix display area, said matrix display area having a first
dimension;
increasing, responsive to a selection of an increase activator, the number
of existing rows of matrix cells in said display matrix by adding an
additional row of matrix cells to said display matrix;
computing, using a central processing unit, a computed height of a row of
matrix cells in said existing rows of matrix cells if said row of matrix
cells is reduced in height to accommodate said additional row of matrix
cells;
reducing said height of said row of matrix cells to accommodate said
additional row of matrix cells within said first dimension if said
computed height does not fall below a predefined minimum row height; and
automatically increasing a height of said matrix display area to
accommodate said additional row of matrix cells if said computed height
falls below said predefined minimum row height.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
disabling said increase activator to prevent a user from selecting said
increase activator if another addition of another row of matrix cells
would increase the total number of rows in said matrix display area, after
said another addition, beyond a predefined maximum.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
disabling said increase activator to prevent a user from selecting said
increase activator if another addition of another row of matrix cells
would increase a height of said window area beyond a predefined maximum
window height.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
reducing, responsive to a selection of a decrease activator, the number of
existing rows of matrix cells in said display matrix by removing a row of
matrix cells chosen for deletion from said display matrix, wherein said
matrix display area retains a dimension it has prior to said reducing
step.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said increase activator is visually
presented to the user as an increase button, said decrease activator is
visually presented to the user as a decrease button, and said selecting is
performed with a screen pointer device.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
disabling said decrease activator to prevent a user from selecting said
decrease activator if another removal of another row of matrix cells would
reduce the total number of rows in said matrix display area, after said
another removal, below a predefined minimum number of rows.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined minimum number of rows
is one.
18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
reducing, responsive to a selection of a decrease activator, the number of
existing rows of matrix cells in said display matrix by removing a row of
matrix cells chosen for deletion from said display matrix, wherein said
matrix display area is reduced in height by an amount equals a height of
said row of matrix cells chosen for deletion.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein said increasing step further comprises:
computing an expanded height, said expanded height representing a height of
said matrix display area after said additional row of matrix cells is
added to said display matrix, said expanded height equals the product of
said predefined minimum row height and a total number of rows in said
display matrix after said additional row of matrix cells is added to said
display matrix.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein said increasing step further comprises:
computing an expanded height, said expanded height representing a height of
said matrix display area after said additional row of matrix cells is
added to said display matrix, said expanded height equals the sum of the
heights of all rows of matrix cells in said display matrix after said
additional row of matrix cells is added to said display matrix.
21. An apparatus for modifying in a discrete, stepwise manner a display
matrix comprising of matrix cells arranged in rows and columns in a matrix
display area having a first dimension in a window on a computer display
screen, comprising:
an increase activator means;
means for increasing, responsive to a selection of said increase activator
means, the number of existing columns of matrix cells in said display
matrix by adding an additional column of matrix cells to said display
matrix;
means for computing a computed width of a column of matrix cells in said
existing columns of matrix cells if said column of matrix cells is reduced
in width to accommodate said additional column of matrix cells, wherein
said width of said column of matrix cells is reduced to accommodate said
additional column of matrix cells within said first dimension if said
computed width does not fall below a predefined minimum column width, said
width of said matrix display area is automatically increased if said
computed width falls below said predefined minimum column width;
a decrease activator means; and
means for reducing, responsive to a selection of said decrease activator
means, the number of existing columns of matrix cells in said display
matrix by removing a column of matrix cells chosen for deletion from said
display matrix, wherein said matrix display area retains a dimension it
has prior to said reducing step.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein said computing step further comprises the
step of:
integer dividing a width of said matrix display area by a first number of
columns of matrix cells, said first number of column equals a sum of said
number of existing columns of matrix cells and said additional column of
matrix cells; and
if there are remainder pixels left over from said integer dividing step,
adding said remainder pixels to a buffer column provided in said window,
thereby permitting said buffer column to be displayed with a new width
inclusive of said remainder pixels after said additional column of matrix
cells is added to said window.
23. The method of claim 4 wherein said computing step further comprises the
step of:
integer dividing a width of said matrix display area by a first number of
columns of matrix cells, said first number of column equals a value
representing of said number of existing columns of matrix cells subtracted
by one;
if there are remainder pixels left over from said integer dividing step,
adding said remainder pixels to a buffer column provided in said window,
thereby permitting said buffer column to be displayed with a new width
inclusive of said remainder pixels after said additional column of matrix
cells is added to said window.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein said window further comprises:
a buffer column for storing any remainder pixels left over from a computing
operation carried out by said computing means in calculating said computed
width, said computing operation comprising integer dividing a width of
said matrix display area by a first number of columns of matrix cells,
said first number of column equals a sum of said number of existing
columns of matrix cells and said additional column of matrix cells, said
buffer column, after storing said remainder pixels, is displayed in said
window with a width inclusive of said remainder pixels. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to computer systems and to displays on
computer display screens. More particularly, the present invention relates
to apparatus and methods for modifying a display matrix in a display
window in a discrete, stepwise manner.
Windows are often used with computer systems implementing graphical user
interfaces (GUIs). Many people find that computers having GUIs are easier
to learn and use than comparable computers without GUIs. Computers having
GUIs include desktop units, such as the popular Apple.TM. Macintosh.TM.
and IBM.TM.-compatible computers, notebooks and subnotebooks, such as the
popular Apple.TM. Powerbooks.TM. and IBM.TM. ThinkPads, as well as
pen-based computers such as the Apple.TM. Newton.TM.. For ease of
understanding and without limiting the scope of the invention, a Power
Macintosh.TM. computer system manufactured by Apple.TM. Computer Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif. is selected for illustration purposes. However, it
should be noted that the discussion below is equally applicable to
computers of other makes and models.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art GUI screen on a computer screen 10.
Computer screen 10 represents the area within which images, texts, and
other types of data objects can be displayed and manipulated. On an Apple
Power Macintosh, computer screen 10 often includes a desktop image 14
which is produced by a Macintosh operating system. Desktop image 14 often
includes a menu bar 18 and a desktop display area 20. Within desktop
display area 20, shown are a number of icons 22, 24 and 26 representing
different objects. For example, icon 22 represents a hard disk drive, icon
24 represents a "trash can" in which files can be deposited to be deleted,
and icon 26 represents a folder entitled "desk stuff," which may contain
application programs and files of various types.
Menu bar 18 preferably includes a number of menu labels 28, 30, and 32 for
implementing pop down menus, as are well known to Macintosh users. Desktop
image 14 also includes a screen cursor shown in the form of an arrow 34.
The screen cursor works in cooperation with a pointing device, for
example, a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, special keys on a computer
keyboard, or the like. As is well known to those of skill in the art, the
screen cursor may be moved to different positions on computer screen 10
and may assume different forms.
There is also shown in FIG. 1 a window 16 within desktop image 14. Window
16 represents an instance of a utility program known as Finder.TM., also
manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. In a typical GUI
environment, there are often multiple windows simultaneously open on
computer screen 10, each of which may be an instance of a particular
application program. At the top of window 16, shown is a title bar 36. As
shown in FIG. 1, title bar 36 identifies the current window as "A Folder."
Each window has associated with it a window display area 37 within which
information from a data set associated with window 16 may be displayed and
manipulated. Optional vertical scroll bar 38 and horizontal scroll bar 40
are preferably located at the vertical and horizontal edges of window 16.
Window 16 can be moved around desktop display area 20, preferably by
dragging on title bar 36. Window 16 can also be resized, preferably by
dragging a size box 42 to expand or contract window 16. Further, window 16
can also be closed, preferably by clicking on a close box 44 in the upper
left corner of window 16.
Windows sometimes include information regarding the software currently
under use and the current system capacity. In FIG. 1, textual information
box 46 in window 16 indicates that there is currently 0 item in "A
Folder," 53.2 megabytes of total memory capacity on a disk storage device,
of which 9.7 megabytes of memory is available. The functions and use of
the aforementioned items, which are typical in a GUI environment, are well
known to those familiar with the Apple.TM. Macintosh.TM..
In certain types of display windows, information may be more clearly
conveyed to the user and manipulable when displayed in a matrix format.
Examples of application programs that display information to the user in a
matrix format include spreadsheet programs, e.g. ClarisWorks.TM. by Claris
Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif., personal information manager programs, e.g.
Claris Organizer.TM., manufactured by the aforementioned Claris Corp., or
word processing programs that manipulate text displayed in newspaper
column styles.
Often times, a user viewing a display matrix wishes to view one additional
column or row of matrix cells. To add an additional column or row of
matrix cells to the existing display matrix, a user in the prior art
manually increases the size of the display window by dragging on a window
size box, thereby displaying more of the display matrix. Manually
increasing the size of the display window to view an additional column or
row of matrix cells is, however, an inconvenient and indirect way to
accomplish what the user really wants, i.e. to add an additional column or
row of matrix cells to the existing display matrix. Further, when a
display window is already at its maximum size, e.g. occupying the entire
computer display screen, it is not possible to further increase the size
of the display window to add an additional column or row to the existing
display matrix.
Another prior art method permits the user to reduce the size of existing
cells to create additional room in the display window to accommodate an
additional column or row of matrix cells. The reduction in the size of
existing cells is typically accomplished by manually changing the size of
existing cells in the display window, e.g. by dragging on an edge of a
cell or a group of cells. However, this manual operation is also an
inconvenient and indirect way of accomplishing the addition of an
additional column or row of matrix cells to the existing display matrix.
Further, this prior art method needlessly requires the user to exercise
judgment regarding the appropriate cell size. To optimally display the
additional column or row of matrix cells in the window matrix display
area, a user often has to experiment in a trial-and-error fashion with
different cell sizes.
Consequently, what is needed is an improved apparatus and method for
modifying a display matrix in a display window in a discrete, stepwise
manner. The improved method and apparatus preferably adds or removes a row
or column of matrix cells responsive to a user's command, and adjusts the
display matrix to accommodate the addition or removal such that cells are
displayed in an efficient manner in the matrix display area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to, in one aspect, a method of modifying a display
matrix in a matrix display area in a window on a computer display screen.
The method includes the steps of displaying data in a matrix format,
thereby forming a display matrix in the matrix display area, the matrix
display area having a first dimension, and increasing, responsive to a
selection of an increase activator, the number of existing columns of
matrix cells in the display matrix by adding an additional column of
matrix cells to the display matrix. The method further includes the step
of computing, using a central processing unit, a computed width of a
column of matrix cells in the existing columns of matrix cells if the
column of matrix cells is reduced in width to accommodate the additional
column of matrix cells. The method also includes the steps of reducing the
width of the column of matrix cells to accommodate the additional column
of matrix cells within the first dimension if the computed width does not
fall below a predefined minimum column width, and increasing a width of
the matrix display area to accommodate the additional column of matrix
cells if the computed width falls below the predefined minimum column
width.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of modifying a display
matrix in a matrix display area in a window on a computer display screen,
including the steps of displaying data in a matrix format, thereby forming
a display matrix in the matrix display area, the matrix display area
having a first dimension, and increasing, responsive to a selection of an
increase activator, the number of existing rows of matrix cells in the
display matrix by adding an additional row of matrix cells to the display
matrix. The method further includes the step of computing, using a central
processing unit, a computed height of a row of matrix cells in the
existing rows of matrix cells if the row of matrix cells is reduced in
height to accommodate the additional row of matrix cells. The method also
includes the steps of reducing the height of the row of matrix cells to
accommodate the additional row of matrix cells within the first dimension
if the computed height does not fall below a predefined minimum row
height, and increasing a height of the matrix display area to accommodate
the additional row of matrix cells if the computed height falls below the
predefined minimum row height.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for modifying
in a discrete, stepwise manner a display matrix comprising of matrix cells
arranged in rows and columns in a matrix display area having a first
dimension in a window on a computer display screen, including an increase
activator means, and means for increasing, responsive to a selection of
the increase activator means, the number of existing columns of matrix
cells in the display matrix by adding an additional column of matrix cells
to the display matrix. The apparatus further includes means for computing
a computed width of a column of matrix cells in the existing columns of
matrix cells if the column of matrix cells is reduced in width to
accommodate the additional column of matrix cells, wherein the width of
the column of matrix cells is reduced to accommodate the additional column
of matrix cells within the first dimension if the computed width does not
fall below a predefined minimum column width, the width of the matrix
display area is increased if the computed width falls below the predefined
minimum column width. The apparatus also includes a decrease activator
means, and means for reducing, responsive to a selection of the decrease
activator means, the number of existing columns of matrix cells in the
display matrix by removing a column of matrix cells chosen for deletion
from the display matrix, wherein the matrix display area retains a
dimension it has prior to the reducing step.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows in a simplified format a typical prior art GUI screen;
FIG. 2 shows in a simplified diagram a computer system for implementing the
present invention;
FIG. 3A shows in a simplified format an application program which displays
information in a matrix format;
FIG. 3B shows in a simplified format the window of FIG. 3A, including an
additional column;
FIGS. 3C and 3D show a window that is increased in width to accommodate the
addition of an additional column of matrix cells;
FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment including a window having activators
for both columns and rows;
FIG. 5 shows a window implementing the present invention in a spreadsheet
program;
FIG. 6 shows in a simplified flowchart format the steps involved in
modifying a display matrix in accordance with one aspect of the present
invention;
FIG. 7 shows in greater detail the draw matrix step 604 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 shows in greater detail the determine column width step 656 of FIG.
7;
FIG. 9 shows, in one embodiment, an implementation of step 606 of FIG. 6
that is specific to the Apple Macintosh and Power PC computers; and
FIG. 10 shows in a simplified flowchart format the adjust display matrix by
discrete values step 608 of FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Physical Embodiment
It should be noted that the invention employs various process steps
involving data stored in computer systems. These steps are those requiring
physical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though not
necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic
signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and
otherwise manipulated. It is sometimes convenient, principally for reasons
of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,
variables, windows, matrix, display areas, cells, objects, or the like. It
should be remembered, however, that all of these and similar terms are to
be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely
convenient labels applied to these quantities.
Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms, such
as identifying, selecting, dragging, or dropping. In any of the operations
described herein that form part of the present invention, these operations
are machine operations. Useful machines for performing the operations of
the present invention include general purpose digital computers or other
similar devices. In all cases, there should be borne in mind the
distinction between the method of operations in operating a computer and
the method of computation itself. The present invention relates, in part,
to method steps for operating a computer in processing electrical or other
physical signals or quantities to generate other desired physical signals
or quantities.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing these
operations. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required
purposes, or it may be a general purpose computer selectively activated or
reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Although a
particular computer may be selected for illustration purpose, the
processes presented herein are not inherently related to any particular
computer or other apparatus. In particular, various general purpose
machines may be used with programs written in accordance with the
teachings herein, or a more specialized apparatus may be used to perform
the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these
machines will appear from the description given below.
Architecture and Operation of the Apparatus and Method
FIG. 2 shows a general purpose computer system for implementing the present
inventive method. Referring to FIG. 2, a computer system 100 in accordance
with the present invention includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102,
read only memory (ROM) 104, random access memory (RAM) 106, expansion RAM
108, input/output (I/O) circuitry 110, display assembly 112, input device
114, and expansion bus 116. Computer system 100 may also optionally
include a mass storage unit 118 such as a disk drive unit or nonvolatile
memory such as flash memory and a real-time clock 120.
CPU 102 is preferably a commercially available, single chip microprocessor
such as one of the Intel X86 or Motorola 680XX family of chips, and is
preferably a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) chip such as the
PowerPC microprocessor available from Motorola, Inc. CPU 102 is coupled to
ROM 104 by a data bus 122, control bus 124, and address bus 126. ROM 104
contains the basic operating system for the computer system 100. CPU 102
is also connected to RAM 106 by busses 122, 124, and 126 to permit the use
of RAM 106 as scratch pad memory. Expansion RAM 108 is optionally coupled
to RAM 106 for use by CPU 102. CPU 102 is also coupled to the I/O
circuitry 110 by data bus 122, control bus 124, and address bus 126 to
permit data transfers with peripheral devices.
I/O circuitry 110 typically includes a number of latches, registers and
direct memory access (DMA) controllers. The purpose of I/O circuitry 110
is to provide an interface between CPU 102 and such peripheral devices as
display assembly 112, input device 114, and mass storage 118.
Display assembly 112 of computer system 100 is an output device. In the
case of certain computers, such as the Apple.TM. Newton.TM., display
assembly 112 also serves as a part of the input device. When operating as
an input device, a position-sensing apparatus disposed on the surface of
display assembly 112 works in cooperation with input device 114 to receive
data input from the user. Accordingly, it is coupled to I/O circuitry 112
by a data bus 128. When operating as an output device, the display
assembly 112 receives data from I/O circuitry 110 via bus 128 and displays
that data on a suitable screen. Note that unless display assembly 112
serves an input function, it is not absolutely necessary that data bus 128
be bi-directional.
The screen for display assembly 112 can be a device that uses a cathode-ray
tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or the like, of the types
commercially available from a variety of manufacturers. Input device 114
can be a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus working in cooperation with a
position-sensing display, or the like. Alternatively, input device can be
an embedded RF digitizer activated by an "active" RF stylus. Therefore, as
used herein, the term input device will refer to any mechanism or device
for entering data and/or pointing to a particular location on a screen of
a computer display. The aforementioned input devices are available from a
variety of vendors and are well known in the art.
Some type of mass storage 118 is generally considered desirable. However,
mass storage 118 can be eliminated by providing a sufficient amount of RAM
106 and expansion RAM 108 to store user application programs and data. In
that case, RAMs 106 and 108 can optionally be provided with a backup
battery to prevent the loss of data even when computer system 100 is
turned off. However, it is generally desirable to have some type of long
term mass storage 118 such as a commercially available hard disk drive,
nonvolatile memory such as flash memory, battery backed RAM, PC-data
cards, or the like.
In operation, information is inputted into the computer system 100 by
typing on a keyboard, manipulating a mouse or trackball, or "writing" on a
tablet or on position-sensing screen of display assembly 112. CPU 102 then
processes the data under control of an operating system and an application
program stored in ROM 104 and/or RAM 16. CPU 102 then typically produces
data which is outputted to the display assembly 112 to produce appropriate
images on its screen.
Expansion bus 116 is coupled to data bus 122, control bus 124, and address
bus 126. Expansion bus 116 provides extra ports to couple devices such as
modems, display switches, microphones, speakers, etc. to CPU 102.
FIG. 3A shows in a simplified format an application program which displays
information in a matrix format. For illustration purposes and without
limiting the scope of the invention disclosed herein, the application
program shown in FIG. 3A is arbitrarily chosen to be a personal
information manager program, e.g. a type of program that displays, among
others, a calendar and appointments thereon. Referring to FIG. 3A, shown
is a window 202. Within window 202, there is shown a matrix display area
having a width W.sub.1 and a height H.sub.1. Within matrix display area
W.sub.1 H.sub.1, there are eight rows 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218,
and 220. Matrix display area W.sub.1 H.sub.1 also has, as shown in FIG.
3A, six columns, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, and 234. Rows 206-220 and
columns 224-234 form a eight-by-six matrix display area whose dimensions
are, as mentioned earlier, W.sub.1 H.sub.1.
In the personal information manager application program shown in FIG. 3A,
column 222 serves as a buffer column and is used to display the hours of a
day. Row 204 serves as a buffer row and is used for displaying the header
information regarding the days of the week. Row 220 is reserved for the
user to make notations regarding the tasks to be done in a particular day
of interest. At the intersection of each row and column is a matrix cell
for entering, displaying, and manipulating information. For example, at
the intersection of row 206 and column 224, there is shown a cell
designated cell (206, 224) wherein information may be entered regarding
the user's appointment at 5:00 PM on Monday, November the 28th.
A buffer column represents a column whose width is not proportionally
adjusted responsive to an increase or decrease in the number of rows or
columns displayed in the matrix display area. In some applications, buffer
columns may advantageously be utilized to show row heading information,
e.g. column 222 of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 3A also shows two scroll arrows: a left scroll arrow 236 and a right
scroll arrow 238. When left scroll arrow 236 is selected, e.g. by clicking
on arrow button 236, the calendar shown in FIG. 3A is scrolled backward to
show an earlier calendar period, e.g. from Sunday, November 27 to Friday,
December 2nd. When right scroll arrow 238 is selected, e.g. by clicking on
arrow button 238, the calendar shown in FIG. 3A scrolls forward,
displaying a more future calendar period, e.g. to Sunday December 4th.
There is also shown in FIG. 3A two activators: an increase activator 240
and a decrease activator 250. In the example of FIG. 3A, increase
activator 240 is used to add an additional column of matrix cells to the
existing matrix. 0n the other hand, decrease activator 250 is used to
remove a column of matrix cells from the existing matrix. When a column is
added, by selecting increase activator 240, the newly added column of
matrix cells is preferably placed to the right of the existing columns.
Conversely, when a column of matrix cells is removed from the display
matrix, e.g. by selecting decrease activator 250, the right-most column of
matrix cells is preferably removed.
FIG. 3B shows in a simplified format window 202 of FIG. 3A, including an
additional column 300. Note that the matrix display area of FIG. 3B has
the same dimension of the matrix display area of FIG. 3A: W.sub.1 H.sub.1.
Also shown in FIG. 3B are seven columns 222, 224(R), 226(R), 228(R),
230(R), 232(R), and 234(R). Column 222 of FIG. 3B has substantially the
same width as column 222 of FIG. 3A since column 222 is a buffer column
whose width is not proportionally adjusted responsive to an increase or
decrease in the number of rows or columns displayed in the matrix display
area. In one embodiment, however, column 222 may be used as a flexible
storage column, which may flexibly be expanded to close up any gaps
between the columns and the boundaries of a window. Gaps between the
columns and the boundaries of a window may exist when, for example, the
columns do not fit neatly into the space available within the matrix
display area. The amount by which a flexible storage column is expanded is
kept track of. As will be seen later, when it is time to adjust the matrix
again, that amount is taken into account as part of the matrix display
area for the purpose of determining the size of the matrix display area.
In contrast to column 222, each of columns 224-234 of FIG. 3A are
proportionally reduced in width to accommodate additional column 300. For
example, column 224 of FIG. 3A is reduced in width, resulting in column
224(R) of FIG. 3B.
FIGS. 3C and 3D show a window 350 that is increased in width to accommodate
the addition of an additional column of matrix cells. FIG. 3C shows in a
simplified format window 350, including a matrix display area having a
dimension of W.sub.2 H.sub.2. Referring to FIG. 3C, there are shown a
plurality of columns, including columns 352, 354, 356, 358, 360, 362, and
364 in display window 350. Also shown are increase activator 240 and
decrease activator 250 for adding or removing columns of matrix cells in
the manner previously discussed. Column 352 is designated a buffer column,
i.e. its width does not proportionally change responsive to an increase or
decrease in the number of columns in window 350. Each of columns 354-364
has a width W.sub.c that, for the purpose of illustrating the present
invention, is at or only slightly larger than a predefined minimum column
width W.sub.M. Predefined minimum column width W.sub.M may be predefined
by the user or the software. Typically, predefined minimum column width
W.sub.M is set to correspond to a predefined minimum critical area. The
minimum critical area is a value preset either by the user or by the
software, and represents the minimum area of a cell that can be displayed.
It is often advantageous to display only the minimum critical areas of the
cells instead of the entire cell areas because a user may wish to display
a maximum number of cells in a display matrix in certain view modes.
FIG. 3D shows the window 350 of FIG. 3C after increase activator 240 has
been selected once to add an additional column to the display matrix in
the matrix display area of window 350. A new column 370, representing
Sunday December 4, is added to the calendar window shown in FIG. 3D.
Column 352 of FIG. 3D has substantially the same width as column 352 of
FIG. 3C. However, each of columns 354(R), 356(R), 358(R), 360(R), 362(R),
and 364(R) as well as column 370 has a column width W.sub.M, representing
the minimum column width value that is preset by the user. In contrast to
the situation of FIG. 3B in which the matrix display area retains it
original dimension after an additional column is added, the matrix display
area of window 350 of FIG. 3D is increased in width, to W.sub.3, in order
to accommodate additional column 370. The increase in the width of the
matrix display area and consequently of window 350 is necessary because
each of columns 354-364 of FIG. 3C cannot be further decreased in width to
accommodate an additional column within the original matrix display area
dimension W.sub.2 H.sub.2 without falling below the predefined minimum
column width W.sub.M.
FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment, including a window 390 having
activators for both columns and rows. In FIG. 4, shown are column increase
activator 400 and column decrease activator 402. Column increase activator
400 is used for increasing the number of columns of matrix cells displayed
while column decrease activator 402 is used for removing a column of
matrix cells from window 390. Row increase activator 404 is used to add an
additional row of matrix cells to the matrix display area of window 390
while row decrease activator 406 is used for removing a row of matrix
cells from window 390. There is also shown in FIG. 4 a constant height row
410 used to note the tasks to be performed in each day of the week. When
row increase activator 404 is selected, a row is preferably added at the
bottom of the matrix display area before row 410. For example, if row 412
was the last row before the selection of row increase activator 404, newly
added row 414 would be inserted between row 412 of the matrix display area
and row 410. Conversely, if row decrease activator 406 is selected, the
steps mentioned previously are reversed, and row 414 is preferably removed
from the matrix display area of application program 390. In this case, row
410 simply moves up to close the gap left by removed row 414.
Alternatively, the newly added row may simply be added at the bottom of
the matrix display area, e.g. immediately below row 410. In this case,
when row decrease activator 406 is selected, the bottom-most row is simply
removed from the matrix display area of window 390.
In the example of FIG. 4, the user further has the option of specifying
both the minimum column width and the minimum row width. When a row is
added, e.g. by selecting row increase activator 404, window 390 preferably
keeps the same dimension unless by shrinking the height of existing rows
to accommodate a new row in the original dimension of the matrix display
area, the width of any of the rows shrinks below the predefined minimum
row height. In that case, window 390 is preferably enlarged so that each
row at least has a height that equals or exceeds the predefined minimum
row height.
FIG. 5 shows a window 450 for implementing the present invention in a
spreadsheet program. As is well known, spreadsheet programs are popular
for performing calculations, making business forecasts, and organizing
data. Spreadsheet window 450 includes a plurality of columns 451, 452,
454, 456, 458, 460, 462, and 464. Column 451 is preferably a buffer column
for listing the row numbers of spreadsheet 450. Each of columns 452-464
has a minimum width that is predefined by the user or by the data
contained in the cell at the intersection of a row and a column.
As is known, columns of a spreadsheet, such as the spreadsheet of FIG. 5,
typically have the same width although such is not a requirement. In one
embodiment, when it is desirable to keep all columns proportional in
width, i.e. having the same width relative to one another, the width of
each column is adjusted proportio | | |
