Reference representation and transformation in collaborative documents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to implementing changes to a data structure, such as a formula, in a collaborative context. In certain embodiments, collaborative changes made to a formula containing references to other portions of a table are retained or account for when an undo operation is performed. In one aspect, unique identifiers are used to identify and track table features, such as columns, rows, or cells, which may be moved, deleted, or created during a collaborative session. In some instances, collaborative changes may be logged for later application or applied to commands in an undo stack to prevent loss of changes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processor-implemented method for making table changes, comprising:
 on a first electronic device, editing a document in which a formula is embedded, wherein the formula references one or more other portions of the document;   receiving a first change to the document from a user of the first electronic device;   executing the first change to the document; and   generating an undo command corresponding to an inverse of the first change and storing the undo command in an undo stack on the first electronic device, wherein the undo command incorporates unique identifiers to identify one or more portions of the document affected by the first change.   
     
     
         2 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the document comprises a table and the one or more other portions of the document comprise columns, rows, or cells of the table. 
     
     
         3 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first change to the document comprises a move, merge or unmerge, delete, or insert command that incorporates geometric referencing based on address tabs displayed with the document, wherein the geometric referencing is distinct from the unique identifiers. 
     
     
         4 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifiers are not dependent on column indicators or row indicators displayed with the document. 
     
     
         5 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second change to the document from a different user of a second electronic device on which the document is also being edited;   executing the second change to the documents on the first electronic device; and   if the second change affects the formula, updating the undo command in the undo stack based on the second change.   
     
     
         6 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second change to the document from a different user of a second electronic device on which the document is also being edited;   executing the second change to the documents on the first electronic device;   storing the second change in a log on the first electronic device; and   applying the second change to the undo command when the undo command is executed, if the second change affects the formula.   
     
     
         7 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an undo instruction from on the first electronic device; and   executing the undo command on the first electronic device, wherein the undo command when executed uses the unique identifiers to determine affected portions of the document.   
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium encoding processor-executable routines, wherein the routines, when executed by a processor cause acts to be performed comprising:
 receiving edits to a document, wherein the document includes a formula incorporated into a cell of a table, wherein the formula references other cells of the table;   receiving and executing one or more forward actions causing changes to the table that affect the referenced cells or the cell in which the formula is entered; and   generating and storing one or more inverse actions corresponding to the one or more forward actions in an undo stack, wherein generating the one or more inverse actions comprises translating one or more row, column, or cell references to references employing unique identifiers instead of geometric coordinates.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 8 , wherein the changes to the table that affect the referenced cells or the cell in which the formula is entered comprise movement, deletion, or insertion of a row, column, or cell of the table. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 8 , wherein the unique identifiers are not displayed with the table but one or more address indicators corresponding use in formulating the geometric coordinates are displayed. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 8 , further comprising routines, which when executed by a processor cause acts to be performed comprising:
 updating the one or more inverse actions based on subsequent forward actions if the subsequent forward actions impact the formula.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 11 , wherein the subsequent forward actions are received from a remote collaborator. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 8 , further comprising routines, which when executed by a processor cause acts to be performed comprising:
 logging one or more subsequent forward actions; and   applying the one or more logged forward actions to affected columns, rows, or cells of the table if an undo action is performed that affects the formula.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium, of  claim 8 , further comprising routines, which when executed by a processor cause acts to be performed comprising:
 applying the one or more inverse actions in the undo stack upon receipt of an undo command, wherein the one or more inverse actions, when applied, utilize the unique identifiers to affect changes to the table.   
     
     
         15 . A processor-based system, comprising:
 a display;   a memory storing one or more routines; and   a processing component configured to execute the one or more routines stored in the memory, wherein the one or more routines, when executed by the processing component, cause the processing component to:
 run an application used to generate or modify a collaborative document; 
 receive a change to the collaborative document from a first user, wherein the change references one or more portions of the collaborative document using geometric references based on an addressing scheme displayed with the collaborative document; 
 apply the changes to the collaborative document; 
 generate an inverse command to the change, wherein the inverse command incorporates unique identifiers referencing the one or more portions of the collaborative document, wherein the unique identifiers are not the geometric references; 
 populate an undo stack with the inverse command. 
   
     
     
         16 . The processor-based system of  claim 15 , wherein the collaborative document comprises a collaborative spreadsheet table and wherein the one or more portions of the collaborative document comprise one or more of cells, rows, or columns of the spreadsheet table referenced using address indicators displayed with the rows and columns of the table. 
     
     
         17 . The processor-based system of  claim 15 , wherein the unique identifiers are generated by the system in response to a function call to the system for a unique number. 
     
     
         18 . The processor-based system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more routines further comprise one or more routines which, when executed by the processing component, cause the processing component to:
 update the inverse command based on subsequent changes received from a collaborator if the subsequent changes affect a formula present in the collaborative document.   
     
     
         19 . The processor-based system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more routines further comprise one or more routines which, when executed by the processing component, cause the processing component to:
 log subsequent changes received from a collaborator; and   apply one or more of the logged subsequent changes when the inverse command is executed if the subsequent changes affect a formula present in the collaborative document.