Named object view of electronic data report

Abstract

A named object view of a report is generated from an electronic data file. Objects in the file to be published are identified in the file. A named object view of the report associated with the file is generated by publishing the identified objects. A viewer at a client is presented with the named object view of the report such that the viewer's attention is focused on the published objects.

1 . A method for generating a named object view of a report associated with a file, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request for the report;    retrieving the file associated with the requested report from a data store;    receiving a selection of objects in the file, wherein the selected objects are published;    generating the report with the published objects; and    rendering the report with the published objects at a client.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a request for the report further comprises receiving the request for the report at a server.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising converting the published objects into a format suitable for rendering at the client by a web browser, wherein the report is rendered at the client by the web browser.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the report further comprises rendering each published object individually at the client such that the published objects are displayed on the client one at a time.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the file is associated with a spreadsheet application.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one object comprises a named range.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a unique name to each object.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein assigning a unique name further comprises assigning a unique name to an object automatically.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein rendering the report further comprises rendering the report with a tool bar, wherein the tool bar identifies the published objects by name.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising displaying a particular published object in a user interface at the client when the name associated with the particular published object is selected from the tool bar.  
   
   
       11 . A system for generating a named object view of a report associated with a file, the system comprising: 
 a client, wherein a request for the report is generated at the client;    a data store, wherein the file associated with the requested report is stored in the data store; and    a server coupled to the client and the data store, wherein the server is arranged to: 
 receive the request for the report from the client;  
 retrieve the file associated with the requested report from the data store;  
 receive a selection of objects in the file, wherein the selected objects are published;  
 generate the report with the published objects; and  
 render the report with the published objects at the client.  
   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is further arranged to convert the published objects into a format suitable for rendering at the client.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is further arranged to render each published object individually at the client such that the published objects are displayed on the client one at a time.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is further arranged to assign a unique name to each object in the file.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the objects are selected for publication by name.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the server is further arranged to render the report with a tool bar, wherein the tool bar identifies the published objects by name.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the server is further arranged to display a particular published object in a web part at the client when the name associated with the particular published object is selected from the tool bar.  
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for generating a named object view of a report associated with a file, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request for the report;    retrieving the file associated with the requested report from a data store;    assigning a unique name to each object in the file;    receiving a selection of objects in the file, wherein the selected objects are published, and wherein the objects are selected by the corresponding unique name;    generating the report with the published objects;    rendering the report with the published objects, wherein the report lists the unique names assigned to the published objects;    receiving a selection of the unique name of a particular published object; and    displaying the particular published object corresponding to the selected unique name, wherein the particular published object is displayed in a user interface at the client.    
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising converting the published objects into a format suitable for rendering at the client by a web browser, wherein the report is rendered at the client by the web browser.  
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein assigning a unique name further comprises assigning a unique name to an object automatically.