User interface options of a data lineage tool

• US 7,493,570 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Totman, Steven John, Bobbin, Nathan Vernon, Youssef, Yasmin, Yaklin, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong; Truc T
• Application Number:
  US11/224,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 715/798, 715800-802, 715/815, 715/818, 715/820, 715/830, 715/859
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Provided are techniques for viewing data lineage of objects. A data lineage view that includes at least one data lineage path is displayed. The data lineage view is generated by a data lineage tool that tracks an original object through processes that touched that original object. The at least one data lineage path is generated from the original object to a selected object and indicates how the original object was affected by the processes. The data lineage view is displayed as a fish eye view.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to view data lineage of objects, comprising:

display a list of objects that are part of a history of an original object in a first pane of data lineage output;

receive selection of objects from the list of object;

display a data lineage view that includes at least one data lineage path in a path area of the data lineage output, wherein the data lineage view is generated by a data lineage tool that tracks the original object through processes that touched that original object, wherein the at least one data lineage path is generated from the original object to a selected object from the list of objects and indicates how the original object was affected by the processes, wherein the data lineage view includes intermediate objects selected from the list of objects, and wherein the data lineage view is displayed as a fish eye view;

display information about the objects in the data lineage view in a details area of the data lineage output;

in response to receiving selection of an object in a data lineage path, horizontally align the original object and the selected object in the data lineage path;

in response to receiving selection of an object in the data lineage view displayed as the fish eye view, enlarge a size of the selected object relative to unselected objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the unselected objects, wherein the unselected objects do not include the original object and wherein the size of the selected object is a same size as a size of the original object; and

in response to receiving selection of a second object in the data lineage view, wherein the previously selected object is a first object,

dynamically update the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the selection, wherein visual presentation of intermediate objects between the original object and the second object is compressed by reducing a size of the intermediate objects; and

provide details about the second object in the details area.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein updating the data lineage view comprises at least one of modifying a color of the selected object to distinguish the selected object from the unselected objects, highlighting the selected object, without highlighting the unselected objects, and represented the selected object with a graphic different from a graphic used to represent the unselected objects.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving rollover of an object in the data lineage view displayed in a data lineage view as the fish eye view;

dynamically update the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the rollover; and

provide details about the rolled over object in the details area.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein updating the data lineage view comprises at least one of enlarging a size of the rolled over object relative to other objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the other objects, modifying a color of the rolled over object to distinguish the rolled over object from the other objects, highlighting the rolled over object without highlighting the other objects, and represented the rolled over object with a graphic different from a graphic used to represent the rolled over objects.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

display details of the original object and one selected object in the details area.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a grab tool, update the data lineage view to show a portion of the data lineage view based on user input.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a snapshot tool, generate a snapshot of the data lineage view.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a generate report tool, generate a report of the data lineage view.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a graphical view, display a graphical view of the data lineage view.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a collapse tool and one or more objects on the at least one data lineage path, collapsing the selected one or more objects into a container;

in response to receiving rollover of the container, displaying a information about content of the container; and

in response to receiving selection of an uncollapse symbol, displaying the one or more objects in the container.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a hide connections option, display the data lineage with connections between objects hidden; and

in response to receiving selection of a view connections option, display connections between objects in the data lineage view.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the data lineage view is displayed as the fish eye view in response to receiving selection of a fit in window option.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a full size option, displaying all of the one or more objects in the at least one data lineage data lineage path at one hundred percent actual zoom, wherein one or more of the objects are not on a visible in a path area displayed on a computer screen; and

in response to receiving scroll bar input, updating the data lineage view to show a portion of the data lineage view based on the scroll bar input.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to receiving selection of a text view, displaying a text view of the data lineage view; and

in response to receiving scroll bar input, updating the data lineage view to show a portion of the data lineage view based on the scroll bar input.

15. A method for viewing data lineage of objects, comprising:

displaying a list of objects that are part of a history of an original object in a first pane of data lineage output;

receiving selection of objects from the list of object;

displaying a data lineage view that includes at least one data lineage path in a path area of the data lineage output, wherein the data lineage view is generated by a data lineage tool that tracks the original object through processes that touched that original object, wherein the at least one data lineage path is generated from the original object to a selected object from the list of objects and indicates how the original object was affected by the processes, wherein the data lineage view includes intermediate objects selected from the list of objects, and wherein the data lineage view is displayed as a fish eye view;

displaying information about the objects in the data lineage view in a details area of the data lineage output;

in response to receiving selection of an object in a data lineage path, horizontally aligning the original object and the selected object in the data lineage path;

in response to receiving selection of an object in the data lineage view displayed as the fish eye view, enlarging a size of the selected object relative to unselected objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the unselected objects, wherein the unselected objects do not include the original object and wherein the size of the selected object is a same size as a size of the original object; and

in response to receiving selection of a second object in the data lineage view, wherein the previously selected object is a first object,

dynamically updating the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the selection, wherein visual presentation of intermediate objects between the original object and the second object is compressed by reducing a size of the intermediate objects; and

providing details about the second object in the details area.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to receiving rollover of an object in the data lineage view displayed in a data lineage view as the fish eye view;

dynamically updating the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the rollover; and

providing details about the rolled over object in the details area.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein updating the data lineage view comprises at least one of enlarging a size of the rolled over object relative to other objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the other objects, modifying a color of the rolled over object to distinguish the rolled over object from the other objects, highlighting the rolled over object without highlighting the other objects, and represented the rolled over object with a graphic different from a graphic used to represent the rolled over objects.

18. A system for viewing data lineage of objects, comprising:

a computer screen; and

logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

displaying a list of objects that are part of a history of an original object in a first pane of data lineage output;

receiving selection of objects from the list of object;

displaying a data lineage view that includes at least one data lineage path in a path area of the data lineage output, wherein the data lineage view is generated by a data lineage tool that tracks the original object through processes that touched that original object, wherein the at least one data lineage path is generated from the original object to a selected object from the list of objects and indicates how the original object was affected by the processes, wherein the data lineage view includes intermediate objects selected from the list of objects, and wherein the data lineage view is displayed as a fish eye view;

displaying information about the objects in the data lineage view in a details area of the data lineage output;

in response to receiving selection of an object in a data lineage path, horizontally aligning the original object and the selected object in the data lineage path;

in response to receiving selection of an object in the data lineage view displayed as the fish eye view, enlarging a size of the selected object relative to unselected objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the unselected objects, wherein the unselected objects do not include the original object and wherein the size of the selected object is a same size as a size of the original object; and

in response to receiving selection of a second object in the data lineage view, wherein the previously selected object is a first object,

dynamically updating the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the selection, wherein visual presentation of intermediate objects between the original object and the second object is compressed by reducing a size of the intermediate objects; and

providing details about the second object in the details area.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to receiving rollover of an object in the data lineage view displayed in a data lineage view as the fish eye view;

dynamically updating the data lineage view to modify the objects in the at least one data lineage path based on the rollover; and

providing details about the rolled over object in the details area.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein updating the data lineage view comprises at least one of enlarging a size of the rolled over object relative to other objects, while decreasing a size of one or more of the other objects, modifying a color of the rolled over object to distinguish the rolled over object from the other objects, highlighting the rolled over object without highlighting the other objects, and represented the rolled over object with a graphic different from a graphic used to represent the rolled over objects.