Method, system, and apparatus for exposing workbooks as data sources

• US 20060024653A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Petculescu, Cristian, Netz, Amir, Battagin, Daniel C., Prish, Shahar, Asnash, Liviu, Megiddo, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and utilizing workbooks as server data sources. The system includes a client computer capable of executing a spreadsheet application program for creating a workbook including one or more worksheets. The workbook may be published to a server computer where the contents of the workbook are exposed as a multi-dimensional data source. The server computer allows client applications to discover and connect to the workbook as a multi-dimensional, data source, such as a cube.

Claims

1. A method for exposing the contents of a workbook as a server data source, the method comprising:

receiving a database query directed toward the workbook;

in response to the query,

recalculating the workbook,

generating a database representation of the recalculated workbook,

performing the requested query on the database representation of the recalculated workbook to obtain a query result, and

transmitting the query result as a response to the database query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the workbook contains a reference to a data source;

in response to determining that the workbook contains a reference to a data source, retrieving from the data source the data necessary to calculate the workbook; and

recalculating the workbook utilizing the data retrieved from the data source.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the database representation comprises a cube and wherein the database query is received from an OLAP client application.

4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

5. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.

6. A method for exposing the contents of a workbook as a server data source, the method comprising:

providing a facility for authoring a workbook comprising one or more worksheets having one or more cells; and

;

publishing the workbook to the server computer, whereby the sheets and the cells are exposed at the server computer as a multi-dimensional data source.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a query directed to the multi-dimensional data source;

in response to the query, calculating the workbook at the server computer and generating the multi-dimensional data source from the calculated workbook;

performing the requested query over the generated multi-dimensional data source; and

responding to the query request with the query results.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 6.

9. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 6.

10. A method for exposing and utilizing a workbook as a server data source, the method comprising:

authoring a workbook having one or more worksheets having one or more cells contained therein;

generating metadata for the one or more data objects, said metadata for use by a server computer in responding to requests for the workbook as a server data source;

publishing the workbook and the metadata to the server computer;

exposing the workbook as a server data source;

receiving a data source query at the server computer referencing data contained within workbook data source;

in response to receiving the query, loading the workbook and calculating the workbook;

generating a database representation of the workbook utilizing the metadata;

performing the requested query on the database representation of the workbook to create a query result; and

responding to the query with the query result.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising prior to calculating the workbook:

determining whether the workbook contains a reference to a data source;

in response to determining that that the workbook contains a reference to a data source, retrieving data from the data source necessary to calculate the workbook; and

calculating the workbook, including calculating the value of the workbook in view of the data retrieved from the data source.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 10.

13. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 10.

14. A system for exposing and utilizing a workbook as a server data source, the system comprising:

a client computer operative to execute a spreadsheet application program for authoring a workbook having one or more worksheets including one or more cells, the spreadsheet application program further operative to publish the workbook to a server computer; and

a server computer operative to execute a server program for exposing the workbook as a server data source and for receiving and responding to query requests directed to the workbook data source.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the spreadsheet application program is further operative to generate and store metadata within the workbook, said metadata for use by the server computer in responding to requests for the workbook data sources.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the spreadsheet application program is further operative to provide a facility for allowing a user to edit the metadata.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a second client computer operative to execute an application program for issuing queries against a server data source, and wherein the server program is further operative to receive and respond to a database query from the second client computer to the server data source.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein responding to a database query from the second client computer comprises:

recalculating the workbook;

generating a cube corresponding to the recalculated workbook;

performing the requested query on the cube to obtain a query result; and

transmitting the query result to the second client computer as a response to the database query.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein responding to a database query from the second client computer further comprises:

determining whether the workbook contains a reference to a data source;

in response to determining that the workbook contains a reference to a data source, retrieving from the data source the data necessary to calculate the workbook; and

recalculating the workbook utilizing the data retrieved from the data source.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the application executing on the second client computer comprises an OLAP client application.