Method for generating properly formed expressions
First Claim
1. A method for generating properly formed expressions for validating selected records of a computer system database, said method comprising:
- displaying in a metadata user interface a plurality of selected records of a computer system database;
displaying an expression-builder user interface coupled to said metadata user interface, said expression-builder user interface configured to construct at least one conditional validation expression, said expression-builder user interface comprising a token-based menu, said token-based menu automatically generated to comprise tokens representing and coupled to fields of said plurality of selected records;
obtaining at least one branch value selection for at least one of a plurality of expressions comprising at least one tokenized branch value from said token-based menu;
accepting user selections from said token based menu;
computing said plurality of expressions, each expression comprising a properly-formed expression for validating said plurality of selected records comprising said user selections from said token-based menu;
grouping said plurality of said expressions into a validation group;
performing said plurality of expressions in said validation group as a single operation against said plurality of selected records; and
displaying results of performing said plurality of expressions of said validation group, wherein displaying said results comprises displaying;
an indicator of validity of data in each of said plurality of selected records, said indicator of validity of data visually coupled to each of said plurality of selected records and further comprising a plurality of levels of execution for each of said plurality of selected records, said levels of execution selected from the group consisting of;
none, warning and error, wherein said indicator of validity comprises an error message indicating any invalid field of said selected records; and
a parse result indicating a parsing validity of said plurality of expressions.
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Abstract
A method for generating properly formed expressions used as validation expressions and search filters for computer system database applications. One or more embodiments of the invention for example comprise an interface that assists users through the use of automatic tokenizing and/or pick lists of field names and fields values, including a measurement builder for entering legal tokenized measurement values with applicable units of measure. Embodiments of the invention allow knowledgeable users to rapidly create expressions to ensure that the legal syntax and semantics of an expression are not violated while providing the user with pick lists and measurement values within legal ranges and with applicable units of measure. Validations rules are generated and performed on desired records in a computer system database without requiring programs, scripts or queries to be written. A validation expression returns a Boolean result that signifies a success or failure result and may be performed manually or automatically.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for generating properly formed expressions for validating selected records of a computer system database, said method comprising:
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displaying in a metadata user interface a plurality of selected records of a computer system database; displaying an expression-builder user interface coupled to said metadata user interface, said expression-builder user interface configured to construct at least one conditional validation expression, said expression-builder user interface comprising a token-based menu, said token-based menu automatically generated to comprise tokens representing and coupled to fields of said plurality of selected records; obtaining at least one branch value selection for at least one of a plurality of expressions comprising at least one tokenized branch value from said token-based menu;
accepting user selections from said token based menu;computing said plurality of expressions, each expression comprising a properly-formed expression for validating said plurality of selected records comprising said user selections from said token-based menu; grouping said plurality of said expressions into a validation group; performing said plurality of expressions in said validation group as a single operation against said plurality of selected records; and displaying results of performing said plurality of expressions of said validation group, wherein displaying said results comprises displaying; an indicator of validity of data in each of said plurality of selected records, said indicator of validity of data visually coupled to each of said plurality of selected records and further comprising a plurality of levels of execution for each of said plurality of selected records, said levels of execution selected from the group consisting of;
none, warning and error, wherein said indicator of validity comprises an error message indicating any invalid field of said selected records; anda parse result indicating a parsing validity of said plurality of expressions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for generating properly formed expressions for validating selected records of a computer system database, said method comprising:
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displaying in a metadata user interface a plurality of selected records of a computer system database; displaying an expression-builder user interface coupled to said metadata user interface, said expression-builder user interface configured to construct at least one conditional validation expression, said expression-builder user interface comprising a token-based menu, said token-based menu automatically generated to comprise tokens representing and coupled to fields of said plurality of selected records; obtaining at least one branch value selection for at least one of a plurality of expressions comprising at least one tokenized branch value from said token-based menu; accepting user selections from said token-based menu; computing said plurality of expressions, each expression comprising a properly-formed expression for validating said plurality of selected records comprising said user selections from said token-based menu; grouping said plurality of said expressions into a validation group; performing said plurality of expressions in said validation group as a single operation against said plurality of selected records; displaying results of performing said plurality of expressions of said validation group, wherein displaying said results comprises displaying; a name of said plurality of expressions; a list of tables associated with said plurality of expressions; at least one branch value for branching at least one of said plurality of expressions; a description of said plurality of expressions; an indicator of validity of each of said plurality of selected records, said indicator of validity visually coupled to each of said plurality of selected records and further comprising a plurality of levels of execution for each of said plurality of selected records, said levels of execution selected from the group consisting of;
none, warning and error, wherein said indicator of validity comprises an error message indicating any invalid field of said selected records;a callable flag; and a parse result indicating a parsing validity of said plurality of expressions; and applying said plurality of expressions as a search filter against said plurality of selected records. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification