Data source task pane

• US 7,546,291 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCormack, Michael J., McDowell, Richard Shawn, Bryant, Christopher W., Selca, Vitore, Woodall, Zachary P., Dickinson, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US11/317,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/101, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A user interface is provided that allows users to create queries interactively. The user interface operates by creating a source query (or, for example, SQL commands) for the user while they select fields from a data source. This provides users with an alternative to using conventional designers, wizards, or other tools to manually generate a query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for relating tables for a database, the method comprising:

providing a primary table comprising a first field;

providing a user interface to display the first field;

providing a secondary table comprising a second field;

displaying on the user interface the second field;

receiving commands from the user for creating a relationship between the first and second fields, wherein creating a relationship between the first and second fields comprises;

receiving a selection of the second field displayed in the user interface;

receiving a command to drag the selected second field to a first pane comprising the first field in the user interface; and

receiving a command to drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface to create the relationship between the first and second fields, wherein the relationship comprises a one-to-many relationship from the secondary table to the primary table; and

generating a query such that the generated query produces a results set from the primary and secondary tables in accordance with the relationship between the first and second fields, wherein the query is generated automatically upon receiving the commands to drag and drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface, and wherein other fields in the primary and secondary tables that are not in the query are distinguished from the first and second fields by at least one of a color and a font size of the first and second fields to distinguish the first and second fields from the other fields in the primary and secondary tables.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the relationship between the first and second fields on the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying fields from the primary database in a first pane of the user interface and displaying fields from the secondary database in a second pane of the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated query comprises commands for joining the primary and secondary tables.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a command from the user to modify the generated query.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated query comprises an SQL command.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the result set in a list on the user interface.

8. A computer-implemented system for editing schema for a database, the system comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative;

to receive commands, in a user interface, from the user for the for creating a relationship between a first field from a primary table and a second field from a secondary table, wherein the first and second fields are displayed in the user interface, and

to change a displayed image in response to the received commands, wherein creating a relationship between the first and second fields comprises;

receiving a selection of the second field displayed in the user interface;

receiving a command to drag the selected second field to a first pane comprising the first field in the user interface; and

receiving a command to drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface to create the relationship between the first and second fields; and

to generate a query, in a query generator, for producing a results set from the primary and secondary tables in accordance with the relationship between the first and second fields,

wherein the query is generated automatically upon receiving the commands to drag and drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface, and

wherein other fields in the primary and secondary tables that are not in the query are distinguished from the first and second fields by at least one of a color and a font size of the first and second fields to distinguish the first and second fields from the other fields in the primary and secondary tables.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the user interface is configured to receive commands from the user for entering data related to the second field.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operative to comprising display the relationship between the first and second fields.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the results set is displayed in a view as a database table.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operative to generate, in the query generator, SQL commands to perform logical operations.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operative to accept, in the user interface, commands from the user for modifying the generated query.

14. A computer-implemented system for generating queries for a database, the system comprising:

a memory storage means for storing executable program code; and

a processing means, functionally coupled to the memory storage means, the processing means being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code, the processing means being utilized by a computer;

means for providing a primary table comprising a first field and for providing a secondary table comprising a second field;

means for providing a user interface for displaying the first and second fields and for receiving commands from the user for creating a relationship between the first and second fields,

wherein creating a relationship between the first and second fields comprises;

receiving a selection of the second field displayed in the user interface;

receiving a command to drag the selected second field to a first pane comprising the first field in the user interface; and

receiving a command to drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface to create the relationship between the first and second fields; and

means for generating a query such that the generated query is configured to produce a results set from the primary and secondary tables in accordance with the relationship between the first and second fields,

wherein the query is generated automatically upon receiving the commands to drag and drop the selected second field onto the first field in the user interface, and

wherein other fields in the primary and secondary tables that are not in the query are distinguished from the first and second fields by at least one of a color and a font size of the first and second fields to distinguish the first and second fields from the other fields in the primary and secondary tables.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface is provided for entering data into the database.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface is provided for displaying data from the results set.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the displayed data is displayed as a report form.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface is an interactive user interface metaphor.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for providing a user interface is configured to display a list of template schema definitions.