Graphical user interface for building queries with hierarchical conditions

• US 20030163455A1
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Richard Joseph, Dettinger, Richard Dean, Johnson, Peter John, Tong, Ikhua
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention generally provides methods, systems and articles of manufacture for programmatically providing a user interface for creating queries. In one embodiment, graphical user interface content which defines a graphical user interface is provided. The graphical user interface comprises (i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and (ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition. In another embodiment, the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphical element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of a complex condition.

Claims

1. A method of programmatically providing a user interface for creating queries, comprising:

providing graphical user interface content which defines a graphical user interface, comprising;

(i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and

(ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphic element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of the complex condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the region and the first graphical element are on a common screen of the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface content is hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions comprise comparison operations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the complex condition comprises at least one comparison operator and at least one Boolean operator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical element comprises a button.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface content further defines an third graphical element of the graphical user interface;

wherein the third graphical element, which when selected, causes the query to be executed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface content comprises generating the graphical user interface content by an application configured to access a data repository.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is a Web application.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user event activating the first graphical element:

combining two or more user-selected conditions of the query together to form the complex condition; and

outputting information which, when rendered on a display device, displays the complex condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the output information is capable of being rendered by a GUI-based program.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the GUI-based program is a Web browser.

14. A method of programmatically providing a user interface for creating queries, comprising:

generating graphical user interface (GUI) content which, when processed by a GUI-based program, defines a graphical user interface, comprising;

(i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and

(ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition;

in response to a user event activating the first graphical element;

(i) combining two or more user-selected conditions of the query together to form the complex condition; and

(ii) outputting information which, when rendered on a display device, displays the complex condition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphic element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of the complex condition.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the graphical user interface is performed by an application configured to access a data repository.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the conditions comprise comparison operations and wherein the complex condition comprises at least one comparison operator and at least one Boolean operator.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface content is hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the conditions comprise comparison operations.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the complex condition comprises at least one comparison operator and at least one Boolean operator.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first graphical element comprises a button.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphic element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of the complex condition.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface content further defines an third graphical element of the graphical user interface;

wherein the third graphical element, which when selected, causes the query to be executed.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface content is generated by an application configured to access a data repository.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the application is a Web application.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising, in response to a user event activating the first graphical element:

combining two or more user-selected conditions of the query together to form the complex condition; and

outputting information which, when rendered on a display device, displays the complex condition.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the output information is capable of being rendered by a GUI-based program.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the GUI-based program is a Web browser.

18. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation of generating a user interface for creating queries, the operation comprising:

generating graphical user interface content which defines a graphical user interface, comprising;

(i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and

(ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition.

30. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation of generating a user interface for creating queries, the operation comprising:

generating graphical user interface (GUI) content which, when processed by a GUI-based program, defines a graphical user interface, comprising;

(i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and

(ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition;

in response to a user event activating the first graphical element;

(i) combining two or more user-selected conditions of the query together to form the complex condition; and

(ii) outputting information which, when rendered on a display device, displays the complex condition.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphic element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of the complex condition.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein generating the graphical user interface is performed by an application configured to access a data repository.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the conditions comprise comparison operations and wherein the complex condition comprises at least one comparison operator and at least one Boolean operator.

34. A computer, comprising:

a memory containing at least an application; and

a processor communicably connected to the memory and which, when executing the application, performs an operation of generating a user interface for creating queries, the operation comprising;

generating graphical user interface content which defines a graphical user interface, comprising;

(i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and

(ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition.

35. The computer of claim 34, further comprising a web server in memory which, when executed, transmits the graphical user interface content received from the application to a Web browser via a network connection.

36. The computer of claim 34, wherein the conditions comprise comparison operations.

37. The computer of claim 34, wherein the complex condition comprises at least one comparison operator and at least one Boolean operator.

38. The computer of claim 34, wherein the first graphical element comprises a button.

39. The computer of claim 34, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphic element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of the complex condition.

40. The computer of claim 34, wherein the graphical user interface content further defines an third graphical element of the graphical user interface;

and wherein the third graphical element, which when selected, causes the query to be executed.

41. The computer of claim 34, further comprising a storage device accessible by the processor and containing a data repository from which data is retrieved in response to execution of the query.