MANAGING METADATA FOR GRAPH-BASED COMPUTATIONS

• US 20110093433A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ab Initio Technology LLC (Ab Initio Software Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ab Initio Technology LLC (Ab Initio Software Corporation)
• Inventors: Stanfill, Craig W., Larson, Brond, Allin, Glenn John, Wholey, J. Skeffington
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24526 Internal representations for queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

Determining metadata associated with a graph-based computation includes functionally transforming metadata associated with a first portion of a graph to generate transformed metadata associated with a second portion of the graph; determining a third portion of the graph related to the second portion of the graph; and propagating the transformed metadata from the second portion of the graph to the third portion of the graph.

Claims

1. A method for determining metadata associated with a graph-based computation, the method including:

functionally transforming metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by a first portion of a graph to generate transformed metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by a second portion of the graph;

identifying a third portion of the graph related to the second portion of the graph by a link representing a data flow of data elements output from the second portion of the graph and received at the third portion of the graph;

propagating the transformed metadata that was generated for the second portion for the second portion of the graph to the third portion of the graph according to the link representing the data flow of data elements; and

generating a partial ordering of graph elements in the graph including a first graph element and the second graph element, the partial ordering determined at least in part by links representing data flows interconnecting the graph elements, and determining metadata of the graph elements according to the partial ordering.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data flow includes a data flow between a first port of the first graph element in the first portion of the graph and a second port of the second graph element in the second portion of the graph.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data flow includes an internal data flow between two ports of a graph element.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the functional transformation includes a metadata definition that includes at least one reference to the metadata associated with the first port.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the metadata definition defines metadata for the second port as a function of the referenced metadata.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the first port is an output port and the second port is an input port.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata being functionally transformed supplied by a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata being functionally transformed is propagated from a fourth portion of the graph.

12. The method of claim 1, further including propagating the transformed metadata in response to a change in connectivity of the graph.

13. The method of claim 1, further including propagating the transformed metadata in response to a user action.

14. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving a request from a user; and

displaying metadata associated with a graph element to the user in response to the request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the request from the user includes input from the user selecting a graph element for which metadata is to be displayed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the input from the user includes positioning an on-screen pointer near a graphical representation of the selected graph element for a predetermined amount of time.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the displayed metadata includes metadata propagated from another graph element.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the displayed metadata is displayed before the graph is run.

21. The method of claim 1, further including after propagating the transformed metadata, moving the second graph element to the end of the partial ordering.

2. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

19. Software stored on a computer-readable medium, for determining metadata associated with a graph-based computation, the software including instructions for causing a computer system to:

functionally transform metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by associated with a first portion of a graph to generate transformed metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by a second portion of the graph;

identify a third portion of the graph related to the second portion of the graph by a link representing a data flow of data elements output from the second portion of the graph and received at the third portion of the graph;

propagate the transformed metadata that was generated for the second portion for the second portion of the graph to the third portion of the graph according to the link representing the data flow of data elements; and

generate a partial ordering of graph elements in the graph including a first graph element and a second graph element, the partial ordering determined at least in part by links representing data flows interconnecting the graph elements, and determining metadata of the graph elements according to the partial ordering.

20. A system for determining metadata associated with a graph-based computation, the system including:

functionally transforming metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by a first portion of a graph to generate transformed metadata that specifies at least one characteristic of data processed by a second portion of the graph;

identifying a third portion of the graph related to the second portion of the graph by a link representing a data flow of data elements output from the second portion of the graph and received at the third portion of the graph;

means for propagating the transformed metadata that was generated for the second portion for the second portion of the graph to the third portion of the graph according to the link representing the data flow of data elements; and

means for generating a partial ordering of graph elements in the graph including a first graph element and a second graph element, the partial ordering determined at least in part by links representing data flows interconnecting the graph elements, and determining metadata of the graph elements according to the partial ordering.