Expression templates and object classes for multidimensional analytics expressions

• US 20070078823A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nuthakki, Manoj, Ravindran, Karthik, Skrivan, Sam
• Application Number:
  US11/240,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078823A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

Abstract metadata representing a multidimensional database expression and parameters in the multidimensional database expression are generated. Using the metadata, a class is generated that can be used to obtain an abstract data structure for the multidimensional database expression. The obtained data structure can then be translated into a desired multidimensional query language expression string that can be executed to retrieve data from a multidimensional database.

Claims

1. A method for defining an analytics query, the method comprising:

inserting a metadata definition of a component of a multidimensional database structure into a metadata definition for the analytics query; and

inserting a metadata definition for an analytics expression into the metadata definition for the analytics query.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata definition for the analytics expression comprises at least one parameter used in the analytics expression.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising setting a value for a parameter in the analytics expression.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein setting a value for a parameter in the analytics expression comprises inserting a metadata definition for another analytics expression as the value for the parameter.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein setting a value for a parameter in the analytics expression comprises inserting a metadata definition for a component of a multidimensional database structure as the value for the parameter.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting a metadata definition for an analytics expression comprises selecting an analytics expression from a library of metadata definitions for analytics expressions.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting a metadata definition for an analytics expression comprises forming metadata for an analytics expression and inserting the formed metadata.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting a metadata definition for an analytics expression comprises:

generating a user interface element based on the metadata definition for the analytics expressions;

generating a user interface element for the analytics query;

receiving an indication that the user interface element for the analytics expression should be moved onto the user interface element for the analytics query; and

modifying the user interface element for the analytics query to show a representation of the analytics expression.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating metadata representing a multidimensional database expression and parameters in the multidimensional database expression; and

generating an expression class from the metadata.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating metadata comprises:

providing a user interface to accept a multidimensional database expression and parameters associated with the expression; and

using the multidimensional database expression and parameters to generate the metadata.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein generating metadata for parameters in the multidimensional database expression comprises providing a reference to a multidimensional database component data type.

12. The method claim 11 further comprising defining a multidimensional query by referencing the expression class.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a class comprises writing setter and getter functions for each parameter.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a class comprises providing a method in the class to return an abstract expression data structure that represents the database expression.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing a translator that is capable of translating an expression data structure into a desired analytics query language string.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

requesting an expression data structure representative of an analytics expression;

applying the expression data structure to a translator to obtain an analytics expression string; and

executing the analytics expression string to obtain data from a multidimensional database.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising applying the expression data structure to a second translator to obtain a second analytics expression string, the second analytics expression string having a different syntax than the analytics expression string.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein requesting an expression data structure comprises calling a method in a class defined for the analytics expression.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the expression data structure includes a reference to a different analytics expression.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the expression data structure is formed based on metadata that describes the analytics expression.