Column formatting by typed example

Claim 2

A multiple text-column formatting method in an interactive word processing system having a display screen, a keyboard, a memory for storing formats, and an intercoupling microprocessor characterized in that it comprises the steps of: formatting the column widths and gutters defining a multicolumn table by way of an operator keyed-in example line of repeated text and control characters; and vector encoding and saving said example line in the memory suitable for revision upon recall.

Claim 3

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that revising the format of an existing table includes the steps of: operator selecting of a revision choice by stroking a predesignated function key, building a formatted line from the vector encoded and saved repeated text and control characters, and operator entering of repeated text and control characters for revision of column widths or the insertion of a new column according to the revision choice.

Claim 4

Method according to claims 2, characterized in that : the step of formatting for creating a new table format is by displaying a scale line, cursoring to the table margin intersecting the line, entering repeated text and control characters whose escapements along said line define the width maximum for each column, gutters between adjacent columns, and relative positions between said columns and gutters to the table margin, and vector encoding and saving of the formatted line; and the step of revising the format of an existing table is by rebuilding the line from the defining text and control character sequence obtained from the counterpart vector encoding, cursoring to either a designated table or column margin on the display of the rebuilt line, entering repeated text and control characters, defining an altered width of an existing column or a new column, and vector encoding and saving the revised line.

Claim 5

Method according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the steps of revising the format of an existing table by entering repeated text and control characters defining a new column further includes the steps of: ascertaining the position of the column relative to other columns in the table and, if not the first table column, then inserting a minimum space if not otherwise defined by the repeated text and control character entries.

Claim 6

Method according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that the steps of revising the format of an existing table is by rebuilding the formatted line from the defining text and control characters sequence previously vector encoded further includes the steps of: restoring tab stops by causing the cursor to be moved to the start of the column example line, determining whether a tab stop is set at the table left margin and obtaining its alignment, and repeating the determination until the last tab stop is set or the end of the example line is encountered.

Claim 7

Method according to claim 5 characterized in that the step of restoring tab stops to the column example line includes the steps of: scanning the tab rack for the next tab stop, and if the tab stop is found, determining the tab stop graphic to be inserted and replacing the column width character by the tab graphic, and incrementing the cursor escapement by an appropriate character width.