Method, system, and apparatus for exposing workbook ranges as data sources
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for exposing data objects of a workbook as a server data source, comprising:
- generating metadata for the data objects by automatically identifying the metadata in the workbook and setting properties for the identified metadata, wherein the metadata is utilized by a first server computer in responding to requests for the data objects stored in the workbook as a server data source, the server data source comprising a multidimensional database,wherein identifying the metadata comprises analyzing the data objects to identify the following;
data types, measures, hierarchy, and default aggregations, and wherein setting the properties comprises indicating a first default aggregation as a count for a string data field in the metadata and setting a second default aggregation as a sum for a numeric data field in the metadata;
publishing the workbook and the metadata to the first server computer, wherein publishing comprises programmatically generating a spreadsheet and sending the spreadsheet to the first server computer through a server application program interface, wherein the workbook is parsed for ranges including the data objects by a spreadsheet server application executing on the first server computer, and wherein user-specified data objects from among the data objects are exposed at the first server computer as server data sources; and
connecting to the data object exposed at the first server computer as server data sources in a manner identical to connecting to a dedicated OLAP data source provided by a second server computer.
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Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and utilizing workbook ranges as server data sources. The system includes a client computer capable of executing a spreadsheet application program for creating a workbook including a range that includes data objects. The workbook may be published to a server computer where the specified data objects are exposed as server data sources. The server computer allows client applications to discover and connect to the data objects contained within the workbook as server data sources.
68 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for exposing data objects of a workbook as a server data source, comprising:
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generating metadata for the data objects by automatically identifying the metadata in the workbook and setting properties for the identified metadata, wherein the metadata is utilized by a first server computer in responding to requests for the data objects stored in the workbook as a server data source, the server data source comprising a multidimensional database, wherein identifying the metadata comprises analyzing the data objects to identify the following;
data types, measures, hierarchy, and default aggregations, and wherein setting the properties comprises indicating a first default aggregation as a count for a string data field in the metadata and setting a second default aggregation as a sum for a numeric data field in the metadata;publishing the workbook and the metadata to the first server computer, wherein publishing comprises programmatically generating a spreadsheet and sending the spreadsheet to the first server computer through a server application program interface, wherein the workbook is parsed for ranges including the data objects by a spreadsheet server application executing on the first server computer, and wherein user-specified data objects from among the data objects are exposed at the first server computer as server data sources; and connecting to the data object exposed at the first server computer as server data sources in a manner identical to connecting to a dedicated OLAP data source provided by a second server computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for exposing and utilizing data objects within a workbook as a server data source, comprising:
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generating metadata for the data objects by automatically identifying the metadata in the workbook and setting properties for the identified metadata, wherein the metadata is utilized by a first server computer in responding to requests for the data objects stored in the workbook as a server data source, the server data source comprising a multidimensional database, wherein identifying the metadata comprises analyzing the data objects to identify the following;
data types, measures, hierarchy, and default aggregations, and wherein setting the properties comprises indicating a first default aggregation as a count for a string field in the metadata and setting a second default aggregation as a sum for a numeric data field in the metadata;publishing the workbook and the metadata to the first server computer, wherein the workbook is parsed for ranges including the data objects by a spreadsheet server application executing on the first server computer; exposing the data objects as server data sources; connecting to the data objects exposed at the first server computer as server data sources in a manner identical to connecting to a dedicated OLAP data source provided by a second server computer; receiving a data source query at the first server computer referencing data contained within one of the data objects; in response to receiving the data source query, loading the workbook and calculating the workbook, including calculating a value of the data objects; generating a temporary database representation of the data objects utilizing the metadata, wherein the temporary database representation comprises an OLAP cube; performing the data source query on the database representation of the data objects to create a query result; and responding to the query with the query result. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A system for exposing and utilizing data objects within a workbook as a server data source, the system comprising:
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a client computer configured to execute a spreadsheet application program for authoring a workbook having data objects, wherein the spreadsheet application program generates metadata utilized by a server application and publishes the workbook to a first server computer, wherein publishing comprises programmatically generating a spreadsheet, wherein the spreadsheet application program is further configured to generate metadata for the data objects by automatically identifying the metadata in the workbook and setting properties for the identified metadata, wherein the metadata is utilized by a server computer in responding to requests for the data objects stored in the workbook as a server data source, the server data source comprising a multidimensional database, wherein identifying the metadata comprising analyzing the data objects to identify the following;
data types, measures, hierarchy, and default aggregations, wherein setting the properties comprises indicating a first default aggregation as a count for the string data field in the metadata and setting a second default aggregation as a sum for a numeric data field in the metadata, wherein the spreadsheet application is further configured to connect to the data objects exposed at the first server computer as server data sources in a manner identical to connecting to a dedicated OLAP data source provided by a second server computer; andthe first server computer configured to receive the spreadsheet from the client computer through a server application program interface, to parse the workbook for ranges including the data objects, and to execute a server program for exposing user specified objects from among the data objects contained in the workbook as server data sources and for receiving and responding to query requests directed to the server data sources. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification