Methods and systems for connecting a spreadsheet to external data sources with formulaic specification of data retrieval

Abstract

The technology disclosed relates to accessing external data in spreadsheet cells and includes spreadsheet cells that can use formulaically defined external data, allowing users to utilize many cells as if they were one cell and to simplify or expand the type of calculations possible within a cell. The disclosed technology further includes a spreadsheet application that can perform looped calculations within the spreadsheet cells without the need to use an embedded programming language. Additionally the disclosed spreadsheet application can use named variables and formulaic cell designators for cell operations in which formulaically defined non-spreadsheet cell data variables and their values can be exposed and multiple values can exist in a cell, and the user can step through and see those different values.

We claim as follows: 
     
         1 . A method of repeatedly performing a complex calculation in a spreadsheet, including:
 parsing a column of cells from a top cell that initiates running of a calculation, through intermediate cells that express parts of a calculation in at least three successive rows of the column, to an end cell that concludes the calculation in the column of the cells;   wherein the top cell includes   a unique token used to identify it as a complex calculation,   a unit name to specifically identify this particular complex calculation, and   at least one parameter accessible in the intermediate cells by parameter name; and   upon invocation of the column of cells from a calling cell with at least one parameter, stepping through the column of cells, calculating a value according to spreadsheet formulas in the intermediate cells, and returning a result upon reaching the end cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 parsing a cell in the column of cells and identifying a name on a left side of an assignment operator;   instantiating a named variable symbolically referenced by the name and assigning a value to the named variable based on at least one term on a right side of the assignment operator; and   making the assigned value of the named variable available for reference by cells of the spreadsheet.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including repetitive use of the column of cells running the calculation where the value or values generated are recorded by an initiating statement for its run of the column of cells and not altered by other usage of the column of cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including assigning a unit name or a unique default variable name to the column based on a cell location of the top cell. 
     
     
         5 . A method of performing a looping calculation in a spreadsheet, including:
 parsing a column of cells from top cell that initiates running of a looping calculation, through intermediate cells that express parts of the looping calculation in at least three successive rows of the column, to a next cell that marks an end of the looping;   wherein the top cell includes   a unique token used to identify it as a loop,   a unit name to specifically identify this particular loop, and   one or more parameters or values that set a number of potential loop iterations; and   upon invocation of the column of cells from a calling cell or the top cell, stepping through the column of cells, calculating a value according to spreadsheet formulas in the intermediate cells, and either looping or exiting the looping after reaching a command or the cell and iteration value that marks the end of looping.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including multiple nested loops within the column of cells. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further including repetitive use of a loop where the value or values recorded outside of the loop and not reset by the loop are not affected when the loop is used with different input values.