Schema mapper

• US 20060161855A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Czerwinski, Mary P., Panditharadhya, Prasad Sripathi, Robertson, George G., Churchill, John E., Bhaskara, Udaya K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/88 Mark-up to mark-up conversion conversion for visualization in web browsing G06F16/9577
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/966 Computer process, e.g. operation of computer

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to effectively visualize the mapping between two schemas, referred to herein as a source schema (or first schema) and a destination schema (or second schema), regardless of the size or complexity of the schemas and mappings. According to one aspect of the present invention a method for visually representing a mapping between a first schema and a second schema is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of an object, emphasizing the selected object and identifying a plurality of objects that are relevant to the selected object. The objects that are identified as being relevant to the selected object are also emphasized.

Claims

1. A method for visually representing a mapping between a first schema and a second schema, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an object;

emphasizing the selected object;

identifying a plurality of objects that are relevant to the selected object; and

emphasizing each of the plurality of relevant objects.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of non-relevant objects that are not related to the selected object; and

de-emphasizing the plurality of non-relevant objects.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein de-emphasizing the plurality of non-relevant objects includes greying out the plurality of non-relevant objects.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein emphasizing the plurality of objects includes highlighting the plurality of objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a plurality of objects includes, identifying a path leading into the selected object, wherein the path includes at least one link and at least one element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the path further includes at least one functoid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a plurality of objects includes, identifying a path leading out of the selected object, wherein the path includes at least one link and at least one element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the path includes at least one functoid.

9. In a computer system having a computer-readable medium including a computer-executable program therein for performing the method of displaying a mapping between a first schema and a second schema, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an object;

identifying a plurality of objects relevant to the selected object, wherein at least one of the relevant objects and the selected object is a first schema element, at least one of the relevant objects and the selected object is a second schema element, and at least one of the relevant objects and the selected object is part of the mapping;

auto-scrolling the relevant objects to a center point with respect to the selected object; and

emphasizing each of the relevant objects and the selected object.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein auto-scrolling includes auto-scrolling the mapping, wherein the mapping includes at least one relevant object and wherein the mapping is auto-scrolled to position the at least one relevant object in a display.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein auto-scrolling includes auto-scrolling the first schema, wherein the first schema includes at least one relevant object and wherein the first schema is auto-scrolled to position the relevant object in a display.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein receiving a selection of an object includes receiving a selection of a schema element.

13. The computer system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the relevant objects is a functoid and at least one of the relevant objects is a link;

the system further comprising;

bending the link so that it does not pass through the functoid.

14. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

graphically representing the at least one source schema element with a marker.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the marker is interactive.

16. A method for displaying a mapping between a first schema and a second schema, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of relevant objects, wherein at least one of the plurality of relevant objects is a first schema element and at least one of the plurality of the relevant objects is a second schema element;

identifying a non-linked non-relevant element in the first schema;

determining if a descendent of the non-linked non-relevant element has a link;

if it is determined that the descendant of the non-linked non-relevant element does not have a link, coalescing the non-linked non-relevant element and the descendent of the non-linked non-relevant element; and

displaying the coalesced elements as a single graphical representation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein coalescing the non-linked non-relevant element and the descendent of the non-linked non-relevant element includes:

determining if the descendent of the non-linked non-relevant element is relevant and if it is determined that the descendent of the non-linked non-relevant element is not relevant, coalescing the non-linked non-relevant element and the descendant of the non-linked non-relevant element.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying a non-relevant non-coalesced element in the first schema;

determining if a descendent of the non-relevant non-coalesced element is relevant;

if it is determined that the descendant of the non-relevant non-coalesced element is not relevant, coalescing the non-relevant non-coalesced element and the descendent of the non-coalesced non-relevant element as a single graphical representation; and

displaying the coalesced elements as a second single graphical representation.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first schema includes a plurality-of relevant elements, the method further comprising:

determining if each of the plurality of relevant elements are positioned within a display; and

if it is determined that not all of the plurality of relevant elements are positioned within the display, repeating the method to determine if any additional elements of the first schema may be coalesced.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the display of the coalesced elements is selectable.