Patent ID: 8706744

Claim:
A method comprising: in response to receiving, by a dependent object, a request for a dependent value calculated using a formula that yields one or more functions, sending the formula for the dependent value from the dependent object to the parser; parsing, by the parser using one or more processors, the formula to yield the one or more functions, at least one function comprising a dependent value of the dependent object; determining one or more macro handlers configured to execute the one or more functions; and in response to determining the one or more macro handlers, instructing at least one macro handler of the one or more macro handlers to identify one or more dominant objects comprising input for the one or more functions and register with the one or more dominant objects on behalf of the dependent object, the one or more dominant objects used to evaluate the dependent value, wherein registering the dependent object with the one or more dominant objects sets up a notification operation instructing the one or more dominant objects to notify the dependent object of a change in one or more dominant values of the one or more dominant objects.