System and method for run-time report resolution of reports that include prompt objects

• US 7,356,758 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Inventors: Hurwood, William, Warikoo, Abhimanyu, Bedell, Jeffrey A., Li, Benjamin Z., Ramachandran, Ramkumar, Trundle, Steven S., Sherwood, David B., Carranza, Eduardo, Everhart, L. Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): BASHORE, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/883,501
• Time in Patent Office: 2,485 Days
• Field of Search: 715/530, 715/500, 715/705, 715/200, 709/217, 709/219, 707/4, 707/104.1, 345/808, 345/809
• US Class Current: 715/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A report resolution system that includes prompt objects used to define every aspect of a report and specifically an object-prompt object. To resolve a report with prompt objects, a report instance is created and passed to a resolution server that collects the prompt objects contained therein to create a resolution object that includes the prompt questions from the prompt objects. A report server raises an event to prompt the user to respond to the questions in the resolution object.

Claims

1. A system for resolving reports that include prompt objects, wherein the prompt objects comprise a question to be asked of a user and at least one validation property, the system comprising:

a receiving memo for receiving a report instance from a client that has initiated report execution of the report that includes one or more prompt objects and transmits the report instance to a report server;

a resolution server that gathers the one or more prompt objects referenced in the report and generates a resolution object containing the one or more questions from the one or more prompt objects gathered;

report prompt interaction means for interacting with a user to receive answers to one or more questions in the resolution object; and

report execution means for executing the report upon receiving answers from a user to the one or more questions in the resolution object.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an object server that retrieves the prompt objects from a metadata repository.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the report prompt interaction means is part of a client system connected over a network to a server system, and the server system comprises the receiving means, the report server, the object server, and the report execution means.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the report prompt interaction means comprises a web server that interacts with a user.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the resolution server merges multiple instances of the same prompt object to generate a single question to be included in the resolution object.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the report prompt means asks the question once of the user and the report execution means applies the answer to each instance of the prompt object in the report.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the report server checks for cached reports prior to report execution.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein report instance comprises one or more origin application objects that include the prompt objects;

and wherein the resolution server uses the resolution object to generate filled in application objects with the answers from the resolution object in place of prompts objects in the origin application object.

9. A method for resolving reports that include prompt objects, wherein the prompt objects comprise a question to be asked of a user and at least one validation property, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a report instance at a server system from a client that has initiated report execution of the report that includes one or more prompt objects;

gathering at the server system the one or more prompt objects referenced in the report;

generating a resolution object containing the one or more questions from the one or more prompt objects gathered;

interacting with a user to receive answers to one or more questions in the resolution object; and

executing the report upon receiving answers from a user to the one or more questions in the resolution object.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of gathering prompt objects comprises using an object server to retrieve the prompt objects from a metadata repository.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of merging multiple instances of the same prompt object in a report to provide a single question for those prompt objects in the resolution object.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving an answer to the single question for multiple instances of the same prompt and applying the answer to each instance of the prompt object in the report.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of checking for cached reports prior to report execution.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein report instance comprises one or more origin application objects that include the prompt objects;

and wherein the resolution server uses the resolution object to generate filled in application objects with the answers from the resolution object in place of prompts objects in the origin application object.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of prompting the user to answer the questions from the prompt object over a web interface.

16. A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions for causing a processor to resolve reports that include prompt objects, wherein the prompt objects comprise a question to be asked of a user and at least one validation property, the medium comprising:

instructions for causing a processor to receive a report instance at a server system from a client that has initiated report execution of the report that includes one or more prompt objects;

instructions for causing a processor to gather at the server system the one or more prompt objects referenced in the report;

instructions for causing a processor to generate a resolution object containing the one or more questions from the one or more prompt objects gathered;

instructions for causing a interacting with a user to receive answers to one or more questions in the resolution object; and

executing the report upon receiving answers from a user to the one or more questions in the resolution object.

17. The medium of claim 16 further comprising code to cause a processor to gather prompt objects using an object server to retrieve the prompt objects from a metadata repository.

18. The medium of claim 16 further comprising code to cause a processor to merge multiple instances of the same prompt object in a report to provide a single question for those prompt objects in the resolution object;

and code to cause a processor to receive an answer to the single question for multiple instances of the same prompt and apply the answer to each instance of the prompt object in the report.

19. The medium of claim 16 further comprising:

code to cause a processor to provide one or more origin application objects;

code for causing a process to generated filled in application objects with the answers from the resolution object in place of prompt objects in the origin application object.

20. The medium of claim 16 further comprising code for causing a web server to interact with the user to obtain answers to one or more prompt questions.