Some "summary" information in a cell named range is preserved when some spreadsheet elements rows, columns, or pages are added or removed from the cell named range. A range summary cell is defined by specifying in a table a range summary cell address. A range summary cell address is updated in the table according to the updated cell range address, and the range summary cell is moved according to the updated range summary cell address. The cell range address is updated in the table after the addition or the deletion of the spreadsheet element, and the range summary cell address is updated in the table according to the updated cell range address.

In an electronic multidimensional spreadsheet, a method for displaying and/or hiding on a user interface including (A) detecting a command for hiding at least one element in a selected range of cells, the command identifying a display focus level selected among a plurality of ordered display focus levels defined for the selected range of cells; (B) identifying the selected range of cells comprising the element to hide; (C) identifying the selected display focus level; (D) identifying a table associated with the selected range of cells, the table associating each defined display focus level with at least one cell content criteria to apply to the content of the at least one cell; and (E) selectively displaying the element on the user interface based on the relationship of the selected display focus level with the display focus level associated with the element.

A system and method of copying and pasting a source range of cells onto a destination range of cells in a spreadsheet. The source range includes at least one working range of cells and at least one fastening range of cells that include graphical objects. The source range of cells and any graphical objects whose associated fastening range of cells is included therein are copied onto the destination range of cells. When the cell identifications are relative rather than absolute, means for identifying the working range of cells within the source range of cells are replaced by means for identifying the copied working range of cells within the destination range of cells.

A divided table cell is generated by selecting one cell in a table and creating a new cell to display over the selected cell. Both cells contain a constraint that define an area where that cell cannot display objects. Objects comprise alphanumeric characters, graphical symbols or any representation in a table cell. The cells are displayed over top of each other such that the display area of one cell coincides with the constraint area of the other cell. The display shows a divided cell capable of accepting and editing objects. The divided cell also retains the characteristics of other cells in the table. The object layout in a cell with a constraint utilizes test rectangles to calculate the height and width of the displayable area of the cell. An initial test rectangle is calculated using the full width of the cell and the height of the objects to be placed in it. The initial test rectangle is then modified by applying the constraint to the initial test rectangle and removing all the sections, preferably rectangular sections, of the initial test rectangle that intersect the constraint. The resulting objects that fit in the modified test rectangle are presented in the display.

A calculation engine processes user-definable formulas to generate calculation results. A calculation engine may use the following types of data structures: table, column, row, and field. A sub table may be embedded within a row. Operations may be performed at various levels, such as at: table, column, and field. A calculation engine may operate on a calculation table having columns, which may each have an ordered list of formulas. Formulas within such an ordered list may be evaluated in the order specified until one of the formulas is successfully evaluated. A hierarchy of formulas may be formed by a column's formula depending on another column or table. A graph of data dependencies may be prepared for determining an order in which operands and operations should be evaluated and performed.