An aid to convert spreadsheets to higher quality presentations

Abstract

A table is often the preferred medium for presenting quantative information. In some cases the presentation of quantative information can be presented as textual data or graphics at a loss of precision and clarity. The subject of this thesis is to aid the extraction and production of quality tables from a common means of preparing data in tabular form, the spreadsheet. Spreadsheet processors are in common use. Many tables are prepared by a range of users from the na??ıve users to experts in graphic arts. Spreadsheet data is also produced in automatic form from applications. We will review the specification of tabular data, presentation formats, and the systems and their associated formats for storing and interchange of data. The goal of this research is the specification and development of a system to convert common spreadsheet data to a markup language that will allow for presentation of the data at a higher level of typographic excellence. The desired characteristics of this system will include 1. Robust importing of data from an array of commercial and open spreadsheet processors 2. Formatting decisions of the output specified by the user rather than taken from the spreadsheet 3. Development or identification of a canonical form that is robust, does not lose data, and allows for repeated automatic application of styles 4. Development of a program to convert this canonical form into a markup system.