Method of comparing two data tables and displaying the results without source formatting

Abstract

A method and system for displaying the comparison output of two versions of a spreadsheet document such that the source formatting of the spreadsheet can be selectively suppressed to enhance the legibility of the comparison output.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method executed by a computer system comprised of a computer with a display output of displaying for selectively displaying formatting data for a comparison of a first data file representing a first version of a data table, and a second data file representing a second version of the data table said data table comprised of at least one cells, said method comprising:
 storing in computer memory the first data table file representing the first version;   storing in computer memory the second data table file representing the second version;   generating in computer memory a comparison output data structure comprised of comparison output data produced by a comparison of the first and second version, said data structure organized on a cell by cell basis so that each cell in the data table is represented by an at least one corresponding record in the data structure, the data structure being further comprised of a source formatting data organized on a cell by cell basis that is separable from a comparison formatting data that are organized on a cell by cell basis;   receiving an input value encoding a display formatting selection;   in dependence on the received input value, generating and storing a display output data set using the comparison output data structure and expressing or not expressing in the display output data set the source formatting data or comparison formatting data in dependence on the display formatting selection input.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  where the generating and storing a display output data step is comprised of selecting a first predetermined set of formatting data associated with presentation of no formatting at all and utilizing that first predetermined set to generate the display output data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where the generating and storing a display output data step is comprised of selecting a second predetermined set of formatting data associated with presentation of the comparison formatting and suppressing the source formatting and utilizing that second predetermined set to generate the display output data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  where the generating and storing a display output data step is comprised of selecting a third predetermined set of formatting data associated with presentation of a subset of the source formatting and utilizing that first predetermined set to generate the display output data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  where the generating and storing a display output data step is comprised of suppressing the source formatting data and expressing the comparison formatting data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating a flat graphical file that is a rendition of the display output data set expressing the comparison formatting data. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating an output file that is a spreadsheet data file that is comprised of the source and comparison formatting data utilized in the generating and storing a display output data step. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating an output data file that is an encoding of the comparison output data structure that is comprised of the cell comparison data, the source formatting data, and the selected formatting data input, such that the output file may be parsed by another computer at a later time and the comparison output data structure recreated in the parsing computer memory. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  where the output data structure is organized such that the source formatting is stored in a first subset of the at least one data records and the comparison formatting data is stored in a second subset of the at least one data records. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  where the source formatting data and the comparison formatting data for each cell in the output comparison data structure are stored in the same data record corresponding to such cell such that the source formatting data is stored in a first data element comprising the data record and the comparison formatting data is stored in a second data element comprising the data record. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  where the source formatting data and the comparison formatting data for each cell in the output comparison data structure are stored in the same data record comprising the data structure corresponding to said cell where the source formatting data and comparison formatting data are encoded in order that by logical processes, either may be read from the data element and the logic determine by inspection whether the read data is a source formatting or a comparison formatting data. 
     
     
         12 . A computer system comprised of a computer with a display output and a computer memory for selectively displaying formatting of a comparison of a first data file representing a first version of a data table, and a second data file representing a second version of the data table said data table comprised of at least one cells, comprising:
 a module adapted by logic to store in the computer system the first data table file representing the first version;   a module adapted by logic to store in computer system the second data table file representing the second version;   a module adapted by logic to generate in computer memory a comparison output data structure comprised of comparison output data produced by a comparison of the first and second version, said data structure organized on a cell by cell basis so that each cell in the data table is represented by an at least one corresponding record in the data structure, the data structure being further comprised of a source formatting data organized on a cell by cell basis and a comparison formatting data that are organized on a cell by cell basis, such that the source formatting data may be separated from the comparison formatting data;   a module adapted by logic to receive an input value encoding a display formatting selection;   a module adapted by logic to, in dependence on the received input value, generate and store a display output data set using the comparison output data structure and express or not express in the display output data set the source formatting data or comparison formatting data in dependence on the display formatting selection input.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate and store a display output data is further adapted by logic to select a first predetermined set of formatting data associated with presentation of no formatting at all and utilize that first predetermined set to generate the display output data. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate and store a display output data is further adapted by logic to select a second predetermined set of formatting data associated with presentation of a subset of the source formatting and utilize that second predetermined set of formatting to generate the display output data. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate and store a display output data is further adapted by logic to suppress the source formatting data and to express the comparison formatting data. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a module adapted by logic to generate a flat graphical file that is a rendition of the display output data set expressing the comparison formatting data. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a module adapted by logic to generate an output file that is a spreadsheet data file that is comprised of the formatting data utilized in the generating and storing a display output data step. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a module adapted by logic to generate an output data file that is an encoding of the comparison output data structure that is comprised of the cell comparison data, the source formatting data, and the selected formatting data input, such that the output data file may be later used as input and parsed by a different computer and thereby the comparison output data structure recreated in the different computer memory. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate in computer memory a comparison output data structure is further adapted by logic to store the source formatting is stored in a first subset of the at least one data records and the comparison formatting data in a second subset of the at least one data records. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate in computer memory a comparison output data structure is further adapted by logic to store the source formatting data and the comparison formatting data for each cell in the output comparison data structure in the same data record such that the source formatting data is stored in a first data element comprising the data record and the comparison formatting data is stored in a second data element comprising the data record. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12  where the module adapted by logic to generate in computer memory a comparison output data structure is further adapted by logic to store the source formatting data and the comparison formatting data for each cell in the output comparison data structure in the same data record comprising the data structure where the source formatting data and comparison formatting data are encoded in order that by a module adapted by logic, either formatting data may be read and the logic determine whether the read data is source formatting or comparison formatting data.