EFFICIENT SPACE ALLOCATION FOR BUSINESS OBJECTS

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining a granularity of a scale displayed on a graphical user interface;

determining coordinates of rows in the graphical user interface;

sorting visual representations of business objects to be displayed on the graphical user interface;

identifying, from the sorted visual representations, visual representations that fit into a viewable area in the graphical user interface;

determining a start coordinate and width of each identified visual representation;

identifying a row to place the each identified visual representation;

calculating dimensions of the each identified visual representation based on dimensions of the each identified visual representation's identified row;

identifying at least one row to place a detail box associated with the each identified visual representation; and

calculating dimensions of the detail box.

2 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining a granularity of a scale displayed on a graphical user interface;

determining coordinates of rows in the graphical user interface;

sorting visual representations of business objects to be displayed on the graphical user interface;

identifying, from the sorted visual representations, visual representations that fit into a viewable area in the graphical user interface;

determining a start coordinate and width of each identified visual representation;

identifying a row to place the each identified visual representation; and

calculating dimensions of the each identified visual representation based on dimensions of the each identified visual representation's identified row.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

identifying at least one row to place a detail box associated with the each identified visual representation; and

calculating dimensions of the detail box.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the identifying the at least one row to place the detail box includes accessing a cache with row information.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining the start coordinate and the width includes:

determining a scale unit closest to a start attribute value of the each identified visual representation's underlying business object, wherein the scale unit is associated with the displayed scale; and

assigning a coordinate corresponding to the closest scale unit as the start coordinate of the each identified visual representation.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the identifying the row to place the each identified visual representation includes accessing a cache with row information.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the cache includes at least an association between a row and at least one of a visual representation of a business object and a detail box placed in the row.

8 . An apparatus comprising:

a processor to:

obtain a granularity of a scale displayed on a graphical user interface;

determine coordinates of rows in the graphical user interface;

sort visual representations of business objects to be displayed on the graphical user interface;

identify, from the sorted visual representations, visual representations that fit into a viewable area in the graphical user interface;

determine a start coordinate and width of each identified visual representation;

identify a row to place the each identified visual representation; and

calculate dimensions of the each identified visual representation based on dimensions of the each identified visual representation's identified row.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify at least one row to place a detail box associated with the each identified visual representation; and

calculate dimensions of the detail box.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein to identify the at least one row to place the detail box, the processor is further configured to:

access a cache with row information.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein to determine the start coordinate and the width, the processor is further configured to:

determine a scale unit closest to a start attribute value of the each identified visual representation's underlying business object, wherein the scale unit is associated with the displayed scale; and

assign a coordinate corresponding to the closest scale unit as the start coordinate of the each identified visual representation.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein to identify the row to place the each identified visual representation, the processor is further configured to:

access a cache with row information.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the cache includes at least an association between a row and at least one of a visual representation of a business object and a detail box placed in the row.

14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodied with computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute instructions, the computer instructions comprising:

obtaining a granularity of a scale displayed on a graphical user interface;

determining coordinates of rows in the graphical user interface;

sorting visual representations of business objects to be displayed on the graphical user interface;

identifying, from the sorted visual representations, visual representations that fit into a viewable area in the graphical user interface;

determining a start coordinate and width of each identified visual representation;

identifying a row to place the each identified visual representation; and

calculating dimensions of the each identified visual representation based on dimensions of the each identified visual representation's identified row.

15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:

identifying at least one row to place a detail box associated with the each identified visual representation; and

calculating dimensions of the detail box.

16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the identifying the at least one row to place the detail box includes accessing a cache with row information.

17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the determining the start coordinate and the width includes:

determining a scale unit closest to a start attribute value of the each identified visual representation's underlying business object, wherein the scale unit is associated with the displayed scale; and

assigning a coordinate corresponding to the closest scale unit as the start coordinate of the each identified visual representation.

18 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the identifying the row to place the each identified visual representation includes accessing a cache with row information.

19 . The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the cache includes at least an association between a row and at least one of a visual representation of a business object and a detail box placed in the row.