Search-friendly templates

• US 8,135,697 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mital, Vijay, Poozhiyil, Suraj T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jensen
• Application Number:
  US12/393,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 707/779, 707/706
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2448 for particular applications; for extensibility, e.g. user defined types

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for searching for templates utilized for managing data in a computer application program. Multiple templates for managing data are indexed as individual documents to facilitate the searching of data contained therein. Each individual document includes multiple subdocuments and a model which describes the multiple subdocuments. A data query may be received in the computer application program for one or more templates to utilize in managing the data. In response to receiving the data query, the indexed templates are searched for one or more templates which satisfy the data query. One or more template suggestions may then be displayed as a search result for satisfying the data query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for searching for templates utilized for managing data in a computer application program, comprising:

receiving, by the computer, a data query in the computer application program for at least one template from among a plurality of templates to utilize in managing the data, wherein each of the plurality of templates is indexed as a document to facilitate searching, wherein the document comprises a model and a plurality of subdocuments, the model describing the plurality of subdocuments, the model comprising a data tracking application program including a data schema, the data schema comprising information types that the data tracking application program is utilized to keep track of;

in response to receiving the data query, searching the plurality of indexed templates for at least one template to satisfy the data query;

displaying at least one template suggestion as a search result, wherein the search result includes the at least one template for satisfying the data query; and

receiving another data query to extend functionality of the at least one selected template while the at least one selected template is being used, wherein receiving the another data query to extend functionality of the at least one selected template while the at least one selected template is being used comprises receiving a request to search for another template that is at least one of similar to the selected at least one template and extends the functionality of the selected at least one template.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion comprises receiving a selection of a group of templates, based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program comprises comprising displaying the at least one template suggestion while the selection of the at least one template is received.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising, in response to receiving the selection of the at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, extending functionality of a previously selected template, wherein extending the functionality comprises displaying an extended view of the previously selected template, the extended view comprising a view of a merged database table comprising the selected at least one template.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a data query in the computer application program for at least one template to utilize in managing the data comprises receiving a search string comprising key concepts occurring within the model and the plurality of subdocuments in at least one of the plurality of templates.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving the data query, searching the plurality of indexed templates for at least one template to satisfy the data query and for managing the data comprises searching the plurality of indexed templates using at least one of a Boolean, a co-occurrence, and a received template feedback data search pattern.

8. A computer system for searching for templates utilized for managing data in a computer application program, comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative;

receive a data query in the computer application program for at least one template from among a plurality of templates to utilize in managing the data, wherein each of the plurality of templates is indexed as a document to facilitate searching, wherein the document comprises a model and a plurality of subdocuments, the model describing the plurality of subdocuments, the model comprising a data tracking application program including a data schema, the data schema comprising information types that the data tracking application program is utilized to keep track of;

in response to receiving the data query, search the plurality of indexed templates for at least one template to satisfy the data query;

display at least one template suggestion as a search result, wherein the search result includes the at least one template for satisfying the data query; and

receive another data query to extend functionality of the at least one selected template while the at least one selected template is being used, wherein the another data query to extend functionality of the at least one selected template while the at least one selected template is being used comprises a request to search for a complementary template to the selected at least one template, the complementary template comprising at least one of the presence and the absence of at least one of a plurality of elements in the model, the plurality of elements comprising the plurality of subdocuments, the plurality of subdocuments comprising data structures, logic modules, and forms.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operative to receive a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, in receiving the selection of the at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, is operative to display the at least one template suggestion while the selection of the at least one template is received.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, in response to receiving the selection of the at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, is further operative to extend functionality of a previously selected template, wherein extending the functionality comprises displaying an extended view of the previously selected template, the extended view comprising a view of a merged database table comprising the selected at least one template.

12. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed on a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for searching for templates utilized for managing data in a computer application program, the method comprising:

receiving a search string in the computer application program, the search string comprising key concepts occurring within at least one template from among a plurality of templates to utilize in managing the data, wherein each of the plurality of templates is indexed as a document to facilitate searching using at least one of term occurrence weighting and vector space modeling, wherein the document comprises a model and a plurality of subdocuments, the model describing the plurality of subdocuments, the model comprising a data tracking application program including a data schema, the data schema comprising information types that the data tracking application program is utilized to keep track of;

in response to receiving the search string, searching the plurality of indexed templates for the at least one template using at least one of a Boolean, a co-occurrence, and a received template feedback data search pattern;

displaying at least one template suggestion as a search result, wherein the search result includes the at least one template for satisfying the search string;

receiving a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program;

in response to receiving the selection of the at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion, extending functionality of a previously selected template, wherein extending the functionality comprises displaying an extended view of the previously selected template, the extended view comprising a view of a merged database table comprising the selected at least one template; and

receiving a query to extend functionality of the at least one selected template while the at least one selected template is being used, wherein the query to extend functionality comprises at least one of a request to search for another template that is at least one of similar to the selected at least one template and extends the functionality of the selected at least one template and a request to search for a complementary template to the selected at least one template, the complementary template comprising at least one of the presence and the absence of at least one of a plurality of elements in the model, the plurality of elements comprising the plurality of subdocuments, the plurality of subdocuments comprising data structures, logic modules, and forms.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one template suggestion is displayed during the selection of the at least one template.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein receiving a selection of at least one template based on the at least one template suggestion comprises:

receiving a selection of a group of templates, based on the at least one template suggestion, for managing the data in the computer application program; and

displaying the at least one template suggestion while the selection of the at least one template is received.