Method and system for converting a schema-based hierarchical data structure into a flat data structure

• US 20060117251A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCormack, Michael J., Natarajan, Ramakrishnan, Rothschiller, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• 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 and system are provided for converting a hierarchical data structure into a flat data structure based on a schema. The format of the hierarchical data structure may be XML. A hierarchical data structure conforming to a schema is loaded into an application program. The data structure includes elements and attributes linked together in a parent-child relationship. The schema defines the hierarchical relationships between the elements and attributes in the hierarchical data structure. After the hierarchical data structure conforming to the schema has been loaded, a plurality of layout rules is applied to the hierarchical data based on the schema to create a flat data structure. The layout rules determine how the hierarchical data will be inserted in the flat data structure. The layout rules may be applied by identifying properties in the schema which identify occurrence requirements for elements defined in the schema. After the layout rules have been applied to the hierarchical data, the hierarchical data is rendered into a spreadsheet by inserting the data in rows and columns.

Claims

1. A method for converting a hierarchical data structure into a flat data structure comprising:

in an application program, loading hierarchical data conforming to a schema wherein the hierarchical data includes data fields and data content linked together in a hierarchical relationship, wherein the schema defines hierarchical relationships between the data fields;

applying a plurality of layout rules to the hierarchical data based on the schema to create the flat data structure; and

organizing the hierarchical data so that the hierarchical data is inserted in rows and columns in the flat data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying a plurality of layout rules to the hierarchical data based on the schema comprises:

identifying properties in the schema, wherein the properties identify occurrence requirements for the data fields and the data content defined in the schema; and

applying the plurality of layout rules based on the identified properties.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the properties include a first property specifying:

the order in which the elements occur in the hierarchical data; and

the minimum and maximum number of times that each data field may occur in the hierarchical data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the properties include a second property specifying the minimum and maximum number of times that chosen data fields may occur in the hierarchical data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the layout rules include inserting each data field on the same row within the flat data structure according to the first property.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the layout rules include inserting each data field on a separate row within the flat data structure according to the first property if the maximum number of occurrences of each data field is greater than one.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the layout rules include inserting each chosen data field on a separate row within the flat data structure according to the second property.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application program is a spreadsheet application program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the flat data structure is readily usable by

an electronic spreadsheet.

10. A computer system for converting a hierarchical data structure into a flat data structure comprising:

a memory for storing;

the hierarchical data structure,

a schema associated with the flat data structure, and

the flat data structure; and

a processing unit functionally coupled to the memory, for executing computer-executable instructions operable for;

loading the hierarchical data conforming to the schema, wherein the hierarchical data includes data fields and data content linked together in a hierarchical relationship, wherein the schema defines hierarchical relationships between the elements and attributes;

identifying properties in the schema, wherein the properties identify occurrence requirements for the data fields defined in the schema;

applying a plurality of layout rules based on the identified properties to create the flat data structure; and

rendering the hierarchical data so that the hierarchical data is inserted in rows and columns in the flat data structure.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the properties include a first property specifying:

the order in which the data fields occur in the hierarchical data; and

the minimum and maximum number of times that each data field may occur in the hierarchical data.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the properties include a second property specifying the minimum and maximum number of times that chosen data fields may occur in the hierarchical data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the layout rules include inserting each data field on the same row within the flat data structure according to the first property.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the layout rules include inserting each data field on a separate row within the flat data structure according to the first property if the maximum number of occurrences of each data field is greater than one.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the layout rules include inserting each chosen data field on a separate row within the flat data structure according to the second property.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the layout rules include inserting the data content within the flat data structure.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the application program is a spreadsheet application program.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the flat data structure is readily usable by an electronic spreadsheet.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for converting a hierarchical data structure into a flat data structure, the method comprising:

in an application program, loading hierarchical data conforming to a schema wherein the hierarchical data includes data fields and data content linked together in a hierarchical relationship, wherein the schema defines hierarchical relationships between the data fields;

applying a plurality of layout rules to the hierarchical data based on the schema to create the flat data structure; and

organizing the hierarchical data so that the hierarchical data is inserted in rows and columns in the flat data structure.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein applying a plurality of layout rules to the hierarchical data based on the schema comprises:

identifying properties in the schema, wherein the properties identify occurrence requirements for the data fields and the data content defined in the schema; and

applying the plurality of layout rules based on the identified properties.