Locating, viewing and interacting with information sources

• US 7,788,259 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tolle, Kristin Michele, Martynov, Alexander, Patterson, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINCEY, JERMAINE A
• Application Number:
  US11/490,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 707/205
• US Class Current: 707/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

A user interface is provided for allowing a user to quickly and easily connect to data and other informational sources. A user can use a user interface to interact with a collection of connection files to quickly and easily connect to various data sources and other informational sources. The user interface is configured to make data sources available at a glance, providing a user with a convenient and comprehensive display of the data sources. The user interface is designed to be a simplified experience for data import that is helpful to both novice and more experienced users in that the data is presented simply without a lot of extraneous information.

Claims

1. A computing system including a processor and a memory coupled with the processor, the computing system to provide information to a user comprising:

a computer-implemented locating component to locate connection files associated with data sources including a data connection library associated with the connection files, wherein the connection files include local connection files that identify local data source connections and server connection files that identify server data source connections, the connection files to delineate connections to the data sources based in part on access at some time by an associated user;

a computer-implemented collecting component to collect the located connection files;

a computer-implemented organizing component to organize the collection of connection files; and

a computer-implemented presenting component to present an at a glance user interface for data import including presenting the organized collection of connection files by simultaneously displaying connections including any local connections, server connections, and other existing connections based in part on the associated user'"'"'s historical use of various data sources corresponding to the connection files as part of providing the user interface which includes displaying distinct contextual information about each data source corresponding to each connection file for user interaction, the presenting component further configured to present the collection of connection files after organizing the collection of connection files according to a connection type that includes a local connection type, a server connection type, and a type that is based in part on a file extension, wherein the at a glance user interface can be used to select, modify, and add connection files for associated data sources.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented presenting component is further configured to present the collection of connection files after the computer-implemented organizing component organizes the collection of connection files according to the connection type selected from a group consisting of a local connection type, server connection type, workbook connection type, cube connection type, table connection type, and database connection type.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented presenting component is further configured to present the collection of connection files using descriptive text and identifiers after the computer-implemented organizing component organizes the collection of connection files according to the connection type.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented locating component is further configured to expose the connection files based in part on an examination of a registry of the computing system.

5. The computing system of claim 1, further comprising a programming interface to share the connection files.

6. The computing system of claim 5, wherein the programming interface is configured so a user can push one or more connection files associated with one or more data sources to one or more recipients.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented locating component is further configured to expose the connection files associated with the data sources by locating a data connection library and one or more registry keys associated with the data sources.

8. A computer readable storage medium including executable instructions which, when executed, present information to a user by:

exposing connections including a data connection library associated with one or more data sources, wherein the connections include local connections and server connections and delineate a connection to the one or more data sources based in part on access at some time by an associated user;

collecting the connections to create a collection of connections; and

presenting the collection of connections in a user interface for data import by simultaneously displaying the collection of connections including any local connections, server connections, and other existing connections based in part on the associated user'"'"'s historical use of various data sources corresponding to the connection files as part of providing the interface which includes displaying distinct contextual information about each data source corresponding to each connection of the collection of connections for user interaction, the presenting further including presenting the collection of connection files after organizing the collection of connection files according to a connection type that includes a local connection type, a server connection type, and a type that is based in part on a file extension, wherein the user interface can be used to select, modify, and add connections for associated data sources.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by exposing the connections associated with the one or more data sources by accessing at least one registry associated with the connections.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by organizing the connections according to the connection type selected from a workbook connection type, cube connection type, table connection type, and database connection type.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by exposing at least one database connection.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user as part of sharing one or more of the connections.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by using an application programming interface (API) to expose the connections associated with at least one networked server.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user using descriptive text and one or more icon identifiers after organizing the collection of connections according to the connection type.

15. A method of providing information comprising:

locating a connection file associated with a data source including a data connection library associated with the connection file, wherein the connection file includes information associated with a connection to the data source at some time by an associated user and to locate the data source, the locating further including exposing the connection file by accessing at least one registry associated with the connection file including locating a registry key associated with the data source, wherein the connection file corresponds with connections including a local connection and a server connection;

creating a collection of connection files including the located connection file and one or more other located connection files, the collection of connection files identifying local data source connections and server data source connections accessed at some time by the associated user;

organizing the collection of connection files; and

presenting the collection of connection files in a user-friendly interface used for data import by simultaneously displaying connections organized by type including any local connections, server connections, and other existing connections based in part on the associated user'"'"'s historical use of various data sources corresponding to the connection files as part of providing the interface which includes displaying distinct contextual information about each data source corresponding to each connection file for user interaction, the presenting further including presenting the collection of connection files after organizing the collection of connection files according to a connection type that includes a local connection type, a server connection type, and a type that is based in part on a file extension, wherein the user-friendly interface can be used to select, modify, and add connection files for associated data sources.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising locating one or more connection files associated with one or more available data sources as part of importing external data in an application based in part on a connection type selected from workbook connection type, cube connection type, table connection type, database connection type, and a text connection type.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising sharing the connection file.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising interacting with the collection of connection files using the interface as part of importing the external data into one of a spreadsheet application, a database application, a word processing application, and a drawing application.