Tabular data sorting and display

摘要

A method and apparatus, including a computer program product, implementing techniques for displaying a table of data including a set of markers associated with rows or columns of the table, the table having one or more sort keys having a sort key order including a most significant sort key, each sort key being a row or column of the table; receiving a user input gesture selecting a marker; establishing the row or column associated with the user-selected marker as the most significant sort key, and maintaining the positions of the remaining sort keys in the sort key order; sorting the data using the sort key order; and displaying the sorted data. The techniques also include representing visually a sort key order for a table of data by displaying on a graphical user interface display one or more markers with a pattern of distinct visual properties.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising:
displaying a table of data having a plurality of columns;accessing, from a memory resource, a sort key order having a plurality of sort keys and a predetermined maximum number of sort keys, wherein each of the sort keys in the sort key order has a position and a sort direction;receiving an input selecting a displayed marker associated with a particular column of the plurality of columns, wherein the particular column is not associated with any of the plurality of sort keys;determining whether the plurality of sort keys comprises fewer than the predetermined maximum number of sort keys;if it is determined that the plurality of sort keys comprises the predetermined maximum number of sort keys, removing a least significant sort key from the sort key order in response to selecting the displayed marker, adding a new sort key associated with the particular column as a most significant sort key, and maintaining respective positions and sort directions of other remaining sort keys in the sort key order;if it is determined that the plurality of sort keys comprises fewer than the predetermined maximum number of sort keys, adding a new sort key associated with the particular column as a most significant sort key, and maintaining respective positions and sort directions of other sort keys in the sort key order;sorting the columns of the table of data according to the sort key order; anddisplaying the sorted table of data.