System and method for database query with on demand database query reduction

• US 7,640,237 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bangel, Matthew J., Murray, Douglas G., Martin, James A. Jr., Chang, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raab; Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US11/034,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2445 Data retrieval commands; View definitions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A database is queried with on demand database query reduction A query document includes global variables selectively set off by first tags identifying a first global variable as a complete replacement variable and by second tags identifying a second global variable as a complete removal string. An agent is provided for building from the query document an expanded query by replacing any variables set off by first tags with runtime strings, setting off any unions in the query document, and selectively replacing any variables set off by second tags and removing the second tags without replacing variables set off by second tags.

Claims

1. A computer program product for managing query creation for querying a database with on demand database query reduction by selectively substituting, replacing, and removing specified variables within a sub-query before they are combined into an expanded query, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions responsive to a control document for executing a run-time agent in accordance with a first execution schedule to generate dynamic content by accessing control documents to find a control document ready for execution, with a control document including a user-adjustable second execution schedule controlling when final content is created, and, responsive to said second execution schedule, said run-time agent determining when to run a query document;

said query document including global variables selectively bracketed by first tags identifying a first global variable as a complete replacement variable and by second tags identifying a second global variable as a complete removal string, a global variable being a variable which represents a quantity that is available to be modified by a user prior to runtime, said global variables being code definitions of a sub-query that are applied to form a master query and are manipulated by a substitution and replacement strategy to eventually form new content to a coded subquery, said run-time agent being a segment of code separate from said control document;

second program instructions to build from said query document an expanded query by replacing any variables set off by said first tags with runtime strings, and setting off any unions in said query document;

third program instructions selectively, for each set of second tags, for replacing variables in said string set off by said second tags, or removing said second tags without replacing variables set off by said second tags to restore said string set off by said second tags to normal syntax; and

wherein

said first, second, and third program instructions are recorded on said medium.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, said second program instructions further comprising:

fourth program instructions to determine if a next given variable changes in each successive union and, if so, removing said second tags to leave this next given variable without replacement; and

, if not, replacing said next given variable based on changing selection criteria; and

wherein

said fourth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, said second program instructions further comprising:

fifth program instructions to determine if said next given variable can change position in an output set and, if so, inserting nulls with variable replacement selectively above and below to shift output data in order.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to build from said query document and user input a control document specifying execution schedule, queries, global variables and union definitions; and

wherein

said fourth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, further comprising:

fifth program instructions to execute a runtime agent to monitor said control documents for a query to be run, and upon identifying such a query building and executing said expanded query; and

wherein

said fifth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

6. A computer system for managing query creation for querying a database recorded on a physical storage medium with on demand database query reduction by selectively substituting, replacing, and removing specified variables within a sub-query before they are combined into an expanded query, comprising:

a query document recorded in computer storage with global variables selectively set off by first tags identifying a first global variable as a complete replacement variable and by second tags identifying a second global variable as a complete removal string, a global variable being a variable which represents a quantity that is available to be modified by a user prior to runtime;

a computer run-time agent being a segment of code, separate from a control document, executing in accordance with a first execution schedule, for accessing said control document to generate dynamic content, said control document including a user-adjustable second execution schedule and, responsive to said second execution schedule, said run-time agent determining when to run a query document; and

a computer agent for building from said query document an expanded query by replacing any variables set off by said first tags with runtime strings, setting off any unions in said query document;

selectively, for each set of second tags, replacing variables in a portion of said string set off by said second tags, or removing said second tags without replacing variables set off by said second tags to restore said portion of said string set off by said second tags to normal syntax, said variables being code definitions of a sub-query that are applied to form a master query and are manipulated by a substitution and replacement strategy to eventually form new content to a coded subquery.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising:

said computer agent further for determining if a next given variable changes in each successive union and, if so, removing said second tags to leave this next given variable without replacement; and

, if not, replacing said next given variable based on changing selection criteria.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising:

said computer agent further for determining if said next given variable can change position in an output set and, if so, inserting nulls with variable replacement selectively above and below to shift output data in order.

9. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising:

a computer agent for building from said query document and user input a control document specifying execution schedule, queries, global variables and union definitions.

10. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

a computer runtime agent for monitoring said control documents for a query to be run, and upon identifying such a query for building and executing said expanded query.