Method of managing and providing parameterized queries

• US 20050234878A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Wenzel, Shannon E., Stevens, Richard J., Kolz, Dan P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2438 Embedded query languages

Abstract

Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for managing parameterized queries and making them available to users based on associations between parameterized queries and fields belonging to result sets are provided. By associating fields with parameterized queries, a query manager can be configured to provide users with a contextually appropriate selection of parameterized queries that can be used to obtain data related to objects in a result set. The selection of parameterized queries may be provided to users via a variety of interfaces including graphic interfaces and plug-in components utilized by external applications.

Claims

1. A search system for gathering detailed information about objects of interest, comprising:

an interface for presenting, to a user, a results set received in response to issuing an original executable query, wherein the results set contains a field with one or more values representing objects of interest;

a set of parameterized queries, each having one or more conditions containing at least one parameter marker for which a value may be substituted to generate an executable query;

a set of parameterized query associations, each specifying one or more fields involved in conditions having parameter markers contained in a corresponding parameterized query; and

an executable component configured to identify one or more parameterized queries only if each field, specified as required in one or more parameterized query associations corresponding to the identified parameterized queries, are contained in the result set.

2. The search system of claim 1, wherein the executable component is configured to present the user with one or more links to the identified parameterized queries from within the interface.

3. The search system of claim 2, wherein the executable component is configured to provide a parameterized query interface displaying at least one of the identified parameterized queries, in response to the user selecting one of the links.

4. The search system of claim 3, wherein the executable component is configured to substitute, for at least a first parameter marker contained in the at least one of the identified parameterized queries, at least one value contained in the results set.

5. The search system of claim 4, wherein the parameterized query interface prompts the user to provide a value to be substituted for at least a second parameter marker contained in the at least one of the identified parameterized queries.

6. The search system of claim 2, wherein, in response to the user selecting one of the links, the executable component is configured to automatically generate an executable query by substituting, for at least one parameter marker contained in a parameter marker associated with the selected link, at least one value from the results set.

7. A method for automatically presenting a user with parameterized queries, each having parameter markers for which parameter values may be substituted to generate executable queries, comprising:

providing an interface presenting the user with a results set comprising a plurality of fields;

identifying one or more parameterized queries, each associated with one or more of the plurality of fields in the results set; and

providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the one or more parameterized queries comprises:

comparing fields in the results set to one or more fields specified as required in a set of parameterized query associations, each corresponding to a parameterized query; and

identifying a parameterized query only if each field, specified as required in a parameterized query association corresponding to the identified parameterized query, are contained in the result set.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface comprises providing a link accessible by selecting a field value.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface comprises providing a link to a parameterized query having multiple parameter markers, each associated with a field in the results set.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the link is provided adjacent a row in the results set.

12. A method for providing a user with access to parameterized queries, each having parameter markers for which parameter values may be substituted to generate executable queries, comprising:

associating one or more fields with one or more parameterized queries containing parameter markers in conditions containing the one or more fields;

analyzing a results set presented to identify parameterized queries associated with fields contained therein;

presenting a user with a list of one or more identified parameterized queries; and

generating an executable query by substituting, for one or more parameter markers in at least one of the identified parameterized queries, one or more values from the results set.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising prompting the user for values to be substituted for parameter markers associated with fields not contained in the result set.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein associating one or more fields with one or more parameterized queries containing parameter markers in conditions containing the one or more fields comprises:

specifying which fields contained in conditions having parameter markers are required to be contained in the results set before a corresponding parameterized query is presented to the user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

presenting a user with a list of one or more identified parameterized queries comprises presenting the user with a list of more than one parameterized query; and

the method further comprises receiving a user selected one of the parameterized queries, wherein the new query is generated by substituting, for one or more parameter markers in the selected parameterized query, one or more values from the results set.

16. A computer-readable medium containing a program for providing a user with access to parameterized queries having parameter markers for which parameter values may be substituted to generate executable queries which, when executed by a processor, performs operations comprising:

providing an interface presenting the user with a results set comprising a plurality of fields;

identifying one or more parameterized queries, each associated with one or more of the plurality of fields in the results set; and

providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising providing an interface allowing a user to associate parameterized queries with fields.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the interface allows the user to specify one or more fields that are required to be contained in the results set before a corresponding parameterized query is presented to the user.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface comprises providing a link accessible by selecting a field value.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein providing the user access to the identified parameterized queries from the interface comprises providing a link to a parameterized query having multiple parameter markers, each associated with a field in the results set.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the link is provided adjacent a row in the results set.

22. A data processing system, comprising:

a plurality of parameterized queries, each including at least one condition involving at least one parameter marker for which parameter values may be substituted to generate an executable query;

a set of parameterized query associations, each specifying one or more fields associated with one of the parameterized queries; and

an executable component configured to examine a results set obtained in response to issuing a first query, examine the set of parameterized query associations to identify parameterized queries associated with fields in the results set, and provide an indication of the identified parameterized queries to a user.

23. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the executable component is further configured to generate a second query by substituting values contained in the results set for one or more parameters for one of the identified parameterized queries.

24. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the executable component is configured to:

provide a first interface to display the results set to a user; and

provide one or more links from within the first interface to a second interface indicating the identified parameterized queries.

25. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the executable component is configured to generate a second query by substituting values contained in the results set for one or more parameters for one of the identified parameterized queries selected by the user.

26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the executable component is further configured to prompt the user for data to be substituted for one or more parameters of the selected parameterized query that is not contained in the results set.