Static drill-through modelling

• US 7,243,106 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognos Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Vierich, Ralf, Potter, Charles Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, SHEW FEN
• Application Number:
  US10/624,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/102, 709/225, 715/500, 715/854
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2264 Multidimensional index structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The invention, when incorporated in a drill-through modeling tool (DMT), allows all the elements affecting drill-through behavior to be aggregated in a single structure or set of structures, thereby allowing administration to be simplified, and also permitting easier integration with third-party tools. The invention also provides for graphical displays of drill-through paths for a DMT user. These displays show the parameters and dependencies of each drill-through path and allow tool users to obtain a quick overview of the drill-through network and further, they allow the tool user to confirm drill-through dependencies at a glance. Drill-through objects may thus be manipulated and maintained in a graphical manner.

Claims

1. A computer-based drill-through path administration method for use in a framework having a plurality of drill-through sources and drill-through targets, the method comprising steps of:

a) defining the drill-through sources and targets at least in part by a metadata, the metadata at a single point, describing drill-through objects and valid drill-through paths using data structures;

b) displaying the drill-through sources and targets;

c) accepting from a tool user an indication of the drill-through sources and targets for which a drill-through path is required; and

d) for each source for which a drill-through path is required;

i) importing the source;

ii) for each drill-through path, associating the drill-through source and target using the metadata;

iii) collecting the drill-through path in a data structure;

iv) accepting from a tool user an indication to select one or more drill-through paths in the data structure;

v) accepting from a tool user an indication to edit the selected drill-through paths to select appropriate parameters; and

vi) encapsulating the selected drill-through paths in a program library;

wherein the step of accepting from a tool user an indication of the drill-through sources and targets for which a drill-through path is required uses a graphical user interface whereon the tool user draws lines connecting nodes representing the drill-through source and target for the drill-through path.

2. The drill-through path administration method of claim 1, wherein the step of associating comprises the step of determining automatically the drill-through paths for the required sources and targets, the step of determining comprising the steps of:

a) comparing the source and target parameter names of the drill-through source and target;

b) if the source and target parameter names match, then establishing a mapping between the source and target parameters; and

c) if the source and target parameter names do not match then performing the steps of;

i) searching for other information regarding the parameters which match and establishing one or more preliminary mappings between the source and target;

ii) presenting a tool user with a list of the one or more preliminary mappings from which to make a selection;

iii) accepting from a tool user an indication to select from the list of the one or more preliminary mappings; and

iv) adding the selected preliminary mappings to the list of mappings established by matching parameter names.

3. The drill-through path administration method of claim 1, wherein the program library is an entity selected from the group consisting of dynamically shared library, and plug-in.

4. The drill-through path administration method of claim 1, wherein the source comprises one or more databases or applications provided by a third party.

9. The drill-through path administration method of claim 1, further including the step of:

accepting from a tool user an indication to edit the selected drill-through paths to add parameter mapping functions.

10. The drill-through path administration method of claim 9, wherein the step of encapsulating includes the step of encapsulating the selected and edited one or more drill-through paths in the program library.

5. A computer-based drill-through path administration system for use within a computer-based business modeling tool having a framework comprising drill-through sources and drill-through targets, the drill-through path administration system comprising:

a) means for defining the drill-through sources and targets at least in part by a metadata, the metadata at a single point, describing drill-through objects and valid drill-through paths using data structures;

b) means for displaying the drill-through path sources and targets;

c) means for accepting from a tool user an indication of the drill-through sources and targets for which a drill-through path is required;

d) means for importing the source for each source for which a drill-through path is required;

e) means for associating the drill-through source and target using the metadata, f) collecting the drill-through path in a data structure;

g) means for accepting from a tool user an indication to select one or more drill-through paths in the data structure;

h) means for editing the selected drill-through paths to allow a tool user to select appropriate parameters; and

i) means for encapsulating the selected drill-through paths in a program library;

wherein the means for accepting from a tool user an indication of the drill-through sources and targets for which a drill-through path is required uses a graphical user interface whereon the tool user draws lines connecting nodes representing the drill-through source and target for the drill-through path.

6. The drill-through path administration system of claim 5, wherein the means for associating includes means for determining automatically the drill-through paths for the required sources and targets, the means for determining comprising:

a) means for comparing the source and target parameter names of the drill-through source and target;

b) means for establishing a mapping between the matching source and target parameters;

c) means for searching for information for non-matching source and target parameter names regarding other parameters which match and establishing one or more preliminary mappings between the non-matching source and target;

d) means for presenting a tool user with a list of the one or more preliminary mappings between the non-matching source and target from which to make a selection;

e) means for accepting from a tool user an indication to select from the list of the one or more preliminary mappings; and

f) means for adding the selected preliminary mappings to the list of the one or more preliminary mappings established by matching parameter names.

7. The drill-through path administration system of claim 5, wherein the program library is an entity selected from the group consisting of dynamically shared library and plug-in.

8. The drill-through path administration system of claim 5, wherein the source comprises one or more databases or applications provided by a third party.

11. The drill-through path administration system of claim 5, further including:

means for accepting from a tool user an indication to edit the selected drill-through paths to add parameter mapping functions.

12. The drill-through path administration system of claim 11, wherein the means for encapsulating includes means for encapsulating the selected and edited drill-through paths in the program library.