Interacting with a document as an application

Abstract

A document application is used to interact with a document as if the document was an application. Data from the document is automatically/manually selected to be associated with the document application. The document application displays document application pages (DAPs) that are used to interact with the document. One or more DAPs are automatically created using the selected data along with any rules associated with the data. For example, column names from selected data in the document may be used to create data entry/display fields within one or more DAPs and the rules may be used to specify how to interact with the data in the document application. The automatically created default DAPs may be customized by a user. For example, one DAP may be configured to be the starting page for the document application and another DAP may be configured to display a chart.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for interacting with a document as if it were an application, comprising:
 accessing a document comprising data that is associated with a default application configured to perform operations comprising: navigating the data, editing the data, inputting additional data, deleting the data, charting the data, and storing the data;   selecting data from the document that is used to automatically create a document application that is different application from the default application and is automatically created using the selected data from the document and rules associated with the selected data;   automatically creating one or more default display application pages (DAPs) including fields based on the selected data and the rules associated with the selected data that each include a display of information obtained directly from the selected data the rules;   displaying the default DAPs;   receiving configuration information for the default DAPs that is used to customize the default DAPs; and   storing the configuration information that is used when displaying the document application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically creating the one or more default DAPs based on the selected data and the rules comprises automatically generating a data entry DAP including a data field for each column of data in the selected data that is configured to receive a value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically generating a display DAP that includes an option for configuring a graphic to display within the document that uses data from the document. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein configuring the graphic to display comprises selecting an existing graphic obtained from the document. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the configuration information the default DAPs comprises displaying options for setting three or more options, comprising: setting a name for each of the fields; setting one of the DAPs as a starting page for the document application; automatically showing the document application in response to receiving an indication to open the document; setting a size/location for each of the fields; providing editing options for fields that are editable; setting help information for at least some of the fields; setting whether one of the fields is displayed; setting whether one of the field is editable; setting whether one of the field is a required entry; deleting one of the automatically generated fields from the DAP. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the data from the document comprises receiving at least one of: a selection of a range of columns and a selection of a table of the document. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a link option to link one of the DAPs with another DAP. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the configuration information the default DAPs comprises receiving configuration information for configuring a display DAP, including displaying options for setting three or more of options, comprising: setting a title; setting the display DAP as a starting page for the document application; automatically showing the document application in response to opening the associated document; setting a size/location of a graphic generated using data from the document; setting help information; displaying a preview of the graphic; and linking the display DAP to another DAP. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying an option define how to input data into at least one of the fields including an option to use a camera input and a speech input. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for interacting with a document as if it were an application, comprising:
 accessing a document comprising data that is associated with a default application configured to perform operations comprising: navigating the data, editing the data, inputting additional data, deleting the data, charting the data, and storing the data;   selecting a portion of the data from the document that is used to automatically create a document application that is a different application from the default application and is automatically created using the selected data from the document and rules associated with the selected data;   automatically creating a default display application page (DAP) including automatically generating a data field for each column of data in the selected data that is configured to receive a value;   displaying the default DAP;   receiving configuration information for the default DAP that is used to customize the fields of the default DAP; and   storing the configuration information that is used when displaying the document application.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising automatically generating a display DAP that includes an option for configuring a graphic to display within the document that uses data from the document. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the configuration information the default DAPs comprises displaying options for setting three or more options, comprising: setting a name for each of the fields; setting one of the DAPs as a starting page for the document application; automatically showing the document application in response to receiving an indication to open the document; setting a size/location for each of the fields; providing editing options for fields that are editable; setting help information for at least some of the fields; setting whether one of the fields is displayed; setting whether one of the field is editable; setting whether one of the field is a required entry; deleting one of the automatically generated fields from the DAP, setting a size/location of a graphic generated using data from the document; displaying a preview of the graphic; and linking the display DAP to another DAP and displaying a link option to link one of the DAPs with another DAP. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein selecting the data from the document comprises receiving at least one of: a selection of a range of columns and a selection of a table of the document. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying an option define how to input data into at least one of the fields including an option to use a camera input and a speech input. 
     
     
         15 . A system for interacting with a document as if it were an application, comprising:
 a processor and a computer-readable medium;   a document that includes a table;   a document application that is automatically created from the document that includes fields;   an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and   a manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to actions comprising:
 displaying the document application for the document, wherein the document application comprises document application pages (DAPs) automatically created from fields within the table; 
 displaying a default DAP; and 
 interacting with the document through the document application. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the document application comprises at least one data entry DAP and at least one display DAP. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one DAP includes an automatically generated data field for each column of data in the table that is configured to receive a value. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein configuration information for the DAPs are stored within the document. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the DAPs interact with only a portion of the content of the document. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein displaying the default DAP comprises displaying a chart that is selected from the document.