Solving display-based problems

Display-based problems in current spreadsheet systems have been identified as conceptually simple problems requiring complex solutions. In this paper, we examine such display-based problems and discuss an approach aimed at keeping the solutions of conceptually simple problems simple. This approach is based on functional abstraction, direct manipulation of regions, and invocation polymorphism which is the process of resolving ambiguity in function invocations applied to regions. In this approach, the traditional cell-referencing mechanism is replaced by a region-referencing mechanism. Programs are then constructed visually by direct region manipulations. Unfortunately, region-referencing introduces ambiguity in function invocations. The resolution of this ambiguity requires intelligent assistance. We call the application of such intelligent assistance to resolve invocation polymorphism applicability checking.