SQL query construction using durable query components

• US 7,752,197 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Tenner, Jeffrey W., Stevens, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPCZYK, MARCIN R
• Application Number:
  US10/264,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,833 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-102, 707/200, 707/201
• US Class Current: 707/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases

Abstract

The present invention generally is directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for generating a reusable query component. The reusable query component may include one or more query conditions and may be used to facilitate building a database query including the one or more query conditions. Reusable query components may also include reusable query subcomponents, each including one or more query conditions. The query subcomponents may be statically or dynamically linked to the reusable query component.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating a reusable query component, comprising:

for each of a plurality of reusable query components;

(1) specifying, via a graphical user interface (GUI), one or more query conditions to include in the reusable query component, wherein the reusable query component comprises at least the one or more query conditions, wherein each condition provides a portion of a database query in a query language, wherein the condition operates to filter results to be returned by the database query, wherein each query condition is an abstract query condition defined by one or more logical fields and wherein each condition includes;

a field name referencing a field in a database,

a comparison operator, and

a comparison value to which one or more database values for the field are compared, based on the comparison operator, to determine whether the condition is satisfied for a given database value corresponding to the field;

(ii) specifying, via the GUI, a name to identify the reusable query component;

(iii) specifying, via the GUI, an access level to assign to the reusable query component, wherein the access level indicates a privilege level required for a user in order for the reusable query component to be made available to the user for use in building in a database query;

(iv) associating the reusable query component with the specified name and the specified access level;

(v) storing the reusable query component, the specified access level, and the specified name;

wherein the storing comprises storing XML representations of the one or more query conditions, the specified access level, and the specified name in a database for later retrieval; and

receiving a request to include at least two of the plurality of reusable query components in an abstract query, wherein the request specifies the respective name of the at least two reusable query components; and

upon determining that the request satisfies the respective specified access level for the reusable query components, including all of the respective query conditions of the reusable query components in the abstract query, responsive to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a description for the reusable query component via the GUI and storing the description with the name.

3. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation for generating a reusable query component, the operation comprising:

for each of a plurality of reusable query components;

(i) receiving, from a user, one or more query conditions to associate with a reusable query component, wherein each condition provides a portion of a database query in a query language, wherein the condition operates to filter results to be returned by the database query, wherein each are condition is an abstract query condition defined by one or more logical fields and wherein each condition includes;

a field name referencing a field in a database,

a comparison operator, and

a comparison value to which one or more database values for the field are compared, based on the comparison operator, to determine whether the condition is satisfied for a given database value corresponding to the field;

(ii) receiving, from the user, a name for the reusable query component; and

(iii) receiving, from the user, an access level to assign to the reusable query component, wherein the access level indicates a privilege level required for a user in order for the reusable query component to be made available to the user for use in building in a database query, and wherein the access level is specific to the reusable query component;

(iv) associating the one or more query conditions with the specified name and the specified access level; and

(v) storing the one or more query conditions, the specified name, and the specified access level;

wherein the storing comprises storing XML representations of the one or more query conditions, the specified access level, and the specified name in a database for later retrieval;

receiving a request to include at least two of the plurality of reusable query component in abstract query, wherein the request specifies the respective name of the at least two reusable query components; and

upon determining that the request satisfies the respective specified access level for the reusable query components, including all of the respective query conditions of the reusable query components in the abstract query, responsive to the request.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise providing one or more graphical user interface (GUI) screens for receiving the one or more query conditions and the name from the user.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise providing a graphical user interface (GUI) screen displaying a list of the one or more reusable query components.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein providing a graphical user interface (GUI) screen displaying a list of the one or more reusable query components comprises displaying a description for each of the one or more reusable query components.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise mapping the one or more logical fields to physical entities of data in the database.

8. A database system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing a plurality of executable components, including at least;

a graphical user interface component configured to receive, from a user;

a plurality of reusable query components for use in building a database query, each reusable query component having one or more associated query conditions to associate with the reusable query component, wherein each condition provides a portion of a database query in a query language, wherein the condition operates to filter results to be returned by the database query, wherein each query condition is an abstract query condition defined by one or more logical fields and wherein each condition includes;

a field name referencing a field in a database,

a comparison operator, and

a comparison value to which one or more database values for the field are compared, based on the comparison operator, to determine whether the condition is satisfied for a given database value corresponding to the field;

wherein each of the reusable query components includes;

a name to identify the reusable query component; and

an access level to assign to the reusable query component, wherein the access level indicates a privilege level required for a user in order for the reusable query component to be made available to the user for use in building in a database query, and wherein the access level is specific to the reusable query component, and wherein XML representations of the one or more query conditions, the specified access level, and the specified name are stored a database for later retrieval; and

a query building component configured to, via operation of the one or more computer processors;

receive a request to include at least two of the plurality of reusable query component in an abstract query, wherein the request specifies the respective name of the at least two reusable query components; and

upon determining that the request satisfies the respective specified access level for the reusable query components, include all of the respective query conditions of the reusable query components in the abstract query, responsive to the request.

9. The database system of claim 8, wherein the executable components further comprise:

a data repository abstraction component comprising mapping rules which map the one or more logical fields to physical entities of data; and

a runtime component for transforming the abstract query into a query consistent with the physical entities of data according to the mapping rules.