Methods and devices for manipulating graphical views of data

Abstract

A method is performed at an electronic device. The method displays a chart including a plurality of data marks. The method detects a first touch input that corresponds to a location on the display of a first predefined area in the chart, the first predefined area having a corresponding first value. In response to detecting the first touch input, the method selects and visually distinguishes the first predefined area. While the first predefined area is selected, the method detects a second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface. In response to detecting the second touch input: the method visually distinguishes a sequence of predefined areas in the chart, where the sequence of predefined areas is adjacent to the first predefined area; and the method displays a change between the first value for the first predefined area and a value for a last predefined area in the sequence of predefined areas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display:
 displaying a chart on the display, the chart including a plurality of data marks; 
 detecting a first touch input at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of a first predefined area in the chart, the first predefined area having a corresponding first value; 
 in response to detecting the first touch input at the location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to the location on the display of the first predefined area in the chart:
 selecting the first predefined area; and 
 visually distinguishing the first predefined area; 
 
   while the first predefined area is selected, detecting a second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface; and,   in response to detecting the second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface:
 visually distinguishing a sequence of predefined areas in the chart, wherein the sequence of predefined areas is adjacent to the first predefined area; and 
 displaying a change between the first value for the first predefined area and a value for a last predefined area in the sequence of predefined areas. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first touch input is a tap gesture. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predefined area includes a column in the chart. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predefined area includes a single data mark in the plurality of data marks. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein data marks in the plurality of data marks are displayed in corresponding columns in the chart, with a single data mark per column. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein data marks in the plurality of data marks are separated horizontally from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of the first predefined area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of an edge of the first predefined area. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of a selection handle in or next to the first predefined area. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second touch input is a drag gesture, and the method includes:
 detecting movement of a finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values; and,   in response to detecting movement of the finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values, displaying a series of changes between the first value in the first predefined area and the corresponding values of the sequence of predefined areas.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after the second touch input, a selected area in the chart comprises the first predefined area and the sequence of predefined areas, and the method includes:
 detecting a third touch input, the third touch input including:
 initial contact of a finger at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display within the selected area in the chart, and 
 movement of the finger across the touch-sensitive surface; and, 
   in response to detecting the third touch input:
 moving the selected area across the chart, in accordance with the movement of the finger across the touch-sensitive surface, while maintaining a number of predefined areas in the moved selected area equal to the number of predefined areas in the sequence of predefined areas plus one; and 
 displaying a change between a value corresponding to a leftmost predefined area in the moved selected area and a value corresponding to a rightmost predefined area in the moved selected area. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after the second touch input, a selected area in the chart comprises the first predefined area and the sequence of predefined areas, and the method includes:
 detecting a fourth touch input; and,   in response to detecting the fourth touch input:
 zooming in on the selected area in the chart; 
 in accordance with a determination that areas in the chart outside the selected area are still displayed on the display, maintaining selection of the selected area; and 
 in accordance with a determination only areas in the chart in the selected area are displayed on the display, ceasing selection of the selected area. 
   
     
     
         13 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a display;   a touch-sensitive surface;   one or more processors;   memory; and   one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 displaying a chart on the display, the chart including a plurality of data marks; 
 detecting a first touch input at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of a first predefined area in the chart, the first predefined area having a corresponding first value; 
 in response to detecting the first touch input at the location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to the location on the display of the first predefined area in the chart:
 selecting the first predefined area; and 
 visually distinguishing the first predefined area; 
 
 while the first predefined area is selected, detecting a second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface; and, 
 in response to detecting the second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface:
 visually distinguishing a sequence of predefined areas in the chart, wherein the sequence of predefined areas is adjacent to the first predefined area; and 
 displaying a change between the first value for the first predefined area and a value for a last predefined area in the sequence of predefined areas. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the first touch input is a tap gesture. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of the first predefined area. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of an edge of the first predefined area. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the second touch input is initially detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of a selection handle in or next to the first predefined area. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the second touch input is a drag gesture, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 detecting movement of a finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values; and,   in response to detecting movement of the finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values, displaying a series of changes between the first value in the first predefined area and the corresponding values of the sequence of predefined areas.   
     
     
         19 . A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the electronic device to:
 display a chart on the display, the chart including a plurality of data marks;   in response to detecting a first touch input at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location on the display of a first predefined area in the chart, the first predefined area having a corresponding first value:
 select the first predefined area; and 
 visually distinguish the first predefined area; and, 
   while the first predefined area is selected and, in response to detecting a second touch input on the touch-sensitive surface:
 visually distinguish a sequence of predefined areas in the chart, wherein the sequence of predefined areas is adjacent to the first predefined area; and 
 display a change between the first value for the first predefined area and a value for a last predefined area in the sequence of predefined areas. 
   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the second touch input is a drag gesture, and the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
 detect movement of a finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values; and,   in response to detecting movement of the finger contact in the drag gesture across locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the display of the sequence of predefined areas in the chart that have corresponding values, display a series of changes between the first value in the first predefined area and the corresponding values of the sequence of predefined areas.