Generating a relational view for a base model schema

• US 7,389,304 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Silberbauer, Amy Marie, Conn, Sharon T., Boyer, Philip L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stevens; Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/021,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/103.R, 715/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for generating a relational view. Initially, identification of a base model, a relational schema, and a ViewType are received. Then, a statement to create a relational view of the instance data for the base model using the ViewType is automatically generated.

Claims

1. A method for generating a relational view, comprising:

receiving a command identifying a base model, a relational schema, and a ViewType, wherein the base model represents a set of classes, attributes of the classes, and associations between classes, and wherein the ViewType references the set of classes, the attributes of the classes, and the associations between the classes of the base model as ViewType objects;

executing the command to automatically generate a statement to create a relational view of instance data for the base model using the ViewType by walking down the ViewType, wherein for each class, the attributes of the class are selected and the associations are recursively followed from the class to related classes where attributes are selected, and wherein the statement to create the relational view identifies columns corresponding to attributes defined in the ViewType; and

executing the statement to create the relational view.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a query against the relational view; and

returning results of executing the query, wherein the relational view is capable of being queried multiple times without recreating the relational view.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the statement to create the relational view comprises a CREATE VIEW statement that includes a SELECT statement with joins.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the statement to create the relational view further comprises:

generating a statement to select the instance data for the base model from a database defined by the relational schema.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command identifies an output file name, and wherein the statement is stored in an output file with the output file name.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command identifies a WHERE clause, and the generated statement includes the WHERE clause.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium including a program for generating a relational view, wherein the program is capable of causing operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

receiving a command identifying a base model, a relational schema, and a ViewType, wherein the base model represents a set of classes, attributes of the classes, and associations between classes, and wherein the ViewType references the set of classes, the attributes of the classes, and the associations between the classes of the base model as ViewType objects;

executing the command to automatically generate a statement to create a relational view of instance data for the base model using the ViewType by walking down the ViewType, wherein for each class, the attributes of the class are selected and the associations are recursively followed from the class to related classes where attributes are selected, and wherein the statement to create the relational view identifies columns corresponding to attributes defined in the ViewType; and

executing the statement to create the relational view.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

executing a query against the relational view; and

returning results of executing the query, wherein the relational view is capable of being queried multiple times without recreating the relational view.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the statement to create the relational view comprises a CREATE VIEW statement that includes a SELECT statement with joins.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein operations for generating the statement to create the relational view further comprise:

generating a statement to select the instance data for the base model from a database defined by the relational schema.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the command identifies an output file name, and wherein the statement is stored in an output file with the output file name.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the command identifies a WHERE clause, and the generated statement includes the WHERE clause.

13. A system for generating a relational view, comprising:

circuitry comprising hardware logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a command identifying in a base model, a relational schema, and a ViewType, wherein the base model represents a set of classes, attributes of the classes, and associations between classes, and wherein the ViewType references the set of classes, the attributes of the classes, and the associations between the classes of the base model as ViewType objects;

executing the command to automatically generate a statement to create a relational view of instance data for the base model using the ViewType by walking down the ViewType, wherein for each class, the attributes of the class are selected and the associations are recursively followed from the class to related classes where attributes are selected, and wherein the statement to create the relational view identifies columns corresponding to attributes defined in the ViewType; and

executing the statement to create the relational view.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

executing a query against the relational view; and

returning results of executing the query, wherein the relational view is capable of being queried multiple times without recreating the relational view.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the statement to create the relational view comprises a CREATE VIEW statement that includes a SELECT statement with joins.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein operations for generating the statement to create the relational view further comprise:

generating a statement to select the instance data for the base model from a database defined by the relational schema.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the command identifies an output file name, and wherein the statement is stored in an output file with the output file name.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the command identifies a WHERE clause, and the generated statement includes the WHERE clause.