Animation Transitions and Effects in a Spreadsheet Application

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for animation transitions and effects in a spreadsheet application. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a computer system can execute a visualization component. The computer system can detect selection of a scene included in a visualization of spreadsheet data. The computer system also can generate an effect for the scene selected. In some embodiments, the computer system identifies another scene and generates a transition between the scenes. The computer system can output the effect animation and the transition animation.

1 . A computer-implemented method for generating an animation in a spreadsheet application, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:
 detecting, at a computer system executing a visualization component, selection of a scene included in a visualization of spreadsheet data;   determining, by the computer system, a duration of the scene based upon a start time of the scene and an end time of the scene;   receiving, by the computer system, selection of an effect comprising a visual effect applied during rendering of the scene from a viewpoint from which the scene is rendered;   generating, by the computer system, the scene based upon the duration and the effect for the scene; and   outputting, by the computer system, an effect animation corresponding to the effect applied to the scene.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the effect comprises
 determining an effect type for the scene,   determining a duration of the effect and a speed or magnitude of the effect, and   generating the effect animation based upon the effect type and the duration of he scene, as well as positioning of the viewpoint.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the effect further comprises
 determining a camera distance for the effect, the camera distance comprising a distance between the viewpoint for the effect animation and a center point of data included in the scene.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect type is selected from a group comprising an orbit effect, a figure eight effect, a back and forth effect, a line effect, and a stationary effect. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a further scene included in the visualization;   generating a transition between the scene the further scene; and   outputting a transition animation corresponding to the transition applied to the scene and the further scene.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein generating the transition further comprises
 determining a transition type for the transition,   determining a distance between a start location that corresponds to the scene and an end location corresponding to the further scene,   determining a duration of the transition, and   generating the transition animation based upon the transition type, the distance, and the duration.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining the distance between the scene and the further scene comprises
 identifying a first geographic location associated with data in the scene,   identifying a second geographic location associated with data in the further scene,   determining a distance between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, and   defining the distance between the scene and the further scene as the distance between the first geographic location and the second geographic location.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the transition type is selected from a group comprising a linear transition type, an arc transition type, or a zoom-in/zoom-out transition type. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein generating the transition further comprises
 identifying the transition type as one of a cut transition type or a fade transition type, and   and generating the transition animation based upon the transition type.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 generating an effect for the further scene; and   outputting a further effect animation corresponding further scene and the effect applied to the further scene.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a user interface comprising
 a representation of the scene, 
 a further representation of a further scene of the visualization, and controls for specifying
 an effect type, 
 a duration of the effect, 
 a speed of the effect, 
 a magnitude of the effect, 
 a transition type for a transition between the scene and the further scene, and 
 a duration for the transition; and 
 
   determining, based upon interactions with the user interface, the effect type, the duration of the effect, the speed of the effect or the magnitude of the effect, the transition type, and the duration.   
     
     
         12 . A computer storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 detect selection of a scene included in a visualization of spreadsheet data;   determine a duration of the scene, the duration comprising an amount of time between a start time of the scene and an end time of the scene;   receive data indicating a selection of an effect to be applied to the scene, the effect comprising a visual effect applied during rendering of the scene from a viewpoint from which the scene is rendered;   identify a further scene included in the visualization;   generate a transition between the scene and the further scene; and   output an effect animation and a transition animation.   
     
     
         13 . The computer storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein generating the effect comprises
 determining an effect type for the scene,   determining a speed of the effect or a magnitude of the effect,   determining a camera distance for the effect, the camera distance comprising a distance between the viewpoint for the effect animation and a center point of data included in the scene, and   generating the effect animation based upon the effect type, the duration, the speed or the magnitude, and the camera distance.   
     
     
         14 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The computer storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein generating the transition further comprises
 determining a transition type for the transition,   determining a duration of the transition,   determining a distance between the scene and the further scene,   determining a duration of the transition,   determining a path and an orientation of a viewpoint from which the transition is to be rendered, and   generating the transition animation based upon the transition type, the distance, and the duration.   
     
     
         22 . The computer storage medium of  claim 21 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
 generate a user interface comprising
 representations of the scene and the further scene, and 
 controls for specifying an effect type, a duration of the effect, a speed of the effect or a magnitude of the effect, a transition type for a transition between the scene and the further scene, and a duration of the transition; and 
   determining, based upon interactions with the user interface, the effect type, the duration of the effect, the speed or magnitude of the effect, the transition type, and the duration.   
     
     
         23 . A computer storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 generate a user interface comprising representations of a scene and a further scene included in a visualization of spreadsheet data, and controls for specifying an effect type, a duration of the effect based upon a start time of the scene and an end time of the scene, a speed of the effect or a magnitude of the effect, a transition type for a transition between the scene and the further scene, and a duration of the transition;   detect selection of one of the representations corresponding to the scene;   determine a duration of the scene based upon the start time and the end time;   identify, based upon a selection received via the user interface, an effect to be applied to the scene selected, the effect comprising a visual effect applied during rendering of the scene from a viewpoint from which the scene is rendered and being based on the effect type, the duration of the effect, and the speed or magnitude of the effect;   identify a further scene included in the visualization;   generate a transition between the scene and the further scene, the transition being based on the transition type and the duration; and   output an effect animation and a transition animation.   
     
     
         24 . The computer storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the transition type comprises one effect selected from a group comprising a cut transition type, a fade transition type, a linear transition type, an arc transition type, or a zoom-in/zoom-out transition type. 
     
     
         25 . The computer storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the effect type is selected from a group comprising an orbit effect, a figure eight effect, a back and forth effect, a line effect, and a stationary effect. 
     
     
         26 . The computer storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein outputting the effect animation and the transition animation comprises
 generating a preview of a visualization comprising the effect animation and the transition animation, and   presenting the preview in the user interface.