1. A method in a computing system of displaying data as structural visual attributes based on user-defined format maps, said method comprising the steps of: receiving at least one format map comprising at least one mapping segment, said mapping segment comprising a beginning boundary value, an ending boundary value, at least one beginning structural visual attribute corresponding to said beginning boundary value, and at least one ending structural visual attribute corresponding to said ending boundary value; associating said format map with a variable; using said format map to associate at least one data value of said variable with at least one structural visual attribute corresponding to said at least one data value; and expressing said data value by displaying said structural visual attribute.