Patent ID: 8578277

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing and editing a host chart presented in a host application, the method comprising: displaying the host chart using host chart data in a host application that is stored in a first location that includes a host feature set for interacting with the host chart, wherein the host chart data is associated with separate application chart data from a separate application that is stored in a second location that has a separate application feature set that includes more features than the host feature set for interacting with the host chart; automatically determining when a manipulation to the host chart is a change to the host chart data that requires an additional feature that is not available in the host feature set; in response to determining the additional feature is not available in the host feature set: determining when the manipulation that changes the host chart data can be carried out without a visible instance of the separate application and when determined initiating a non-visible instance of the separate application that does not include a display of the separate application chart data; determining whether an instance of the separate application is to be made visible to respond to the manipulation that changes the host chart data; in response to determining the instance of the separate application is to be made visible: displaying the host chart in the host application; initiating the separate application and displaying the separate application chart data in a window associated with the separate application near a display of the host chart; wherein the additional feature is included in the separate application feature set; providing functionality for editing the separate application chart data; and communicating changes made to the separate application chart data that occur within the separate application to the host application to update the host chart data that is stored in the first location, wherein the changes to the separate application chart data are reflected in the presentation of the host chart in the host application.