Query-based diagrammatic presentation of data

• US 8,924,385 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McGlashan, Blair Stuart, Pocklington, J. Duncan C., Prieur, Jean-Marc, Kent, Stuart John Harding, Lantzman, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US13/084,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 707/754, 707736-737, 707/798
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for providing a query-based diagrammatic presentation of data includes generating a filter element that defines a set of groups and includes a set of declarative queries that define information to be included in the set of groups. The filter element is applied to a data source, which includes performing the set of declarative queries on the data source, thereby generating a set of query results for each of the groups. A diagram is generated that includes a set of shapes representing the set of groups, and a set of nodes nested within each of the shapes, wherein the nodes for each group are determined based on the query results for that group.

Claims

1. A method for providing a query-based diagrammatic presentation of data, the method comprising:

generating a filter element that defines a set of groups and includes a set of declarative queries that define information to be included in the set of groups;

applying the filter element to a data source, including performing the set of declarative queries on the data source, thereby generating a set of query results for each of the groups;

generating a diagram including a set of shapes representing the set of groups, and a set of nodes nested completely inside of each of the shapes, wherein the nodes for each respective group are determined based on the query results for the groups, respectively; and

wherein the applying the filter element and the generating a diagram are performed by at least one computer processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated diagram further includes a set of members within each of the nodes, and wherein the set of members for each node is determined based on the query results.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generated diagram further includes a set of links interconnecting related ones of the nodes, and wherein at least one of the nodes appears at least two times in the diagram.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises a set of computer code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the groups comprise namespaces identified in the computer code and the nodes comprise classes identified in the computer code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter element comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter element comprises computer code.

8. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

changing information in the data source, thereby generating a modified data source; and

applying the filter element to the modified data source, including performing the set of declarative queries on the modified data source, thereby generating a second set of query results for each of the groups.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising:

generating a second diagram including a set of shapes representing the set of groups, and a set of nodes nested within each of the shapes, wherein the nodes for each group in the second diagram are determined based on the second set of query results for that group, and wherein the second diagram reflects the change in information in the data source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of groups includes at least one group nested within at least one other group.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform a method for providing a query-based diagrammatic presentation of data, the method comprising:

generating a filter element that defines a set of groups and includes a set of declarative queries that define information to be included in the set of groups;

applying the filter element to a data source, including performing the set of declarative queries on the data source, thereby generating a set of query results for each of the groups; and

generating a diagram including a set of shapes representing the set of groups, and a set of nodes nested within each of the shapes, wherein the nodes for each respective group are determined based on the query results for the groups, respectively.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the generated diagram further includes a set of members within each of the nodes, and wherein the set of members for each node is determined based on the query results.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the generated diagram further includes a set of links interconnecting related ones of the nodes.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the data source comprises a set of computer code.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the groups comprise namespaces identified in the computer code and the nodes comprise classes identified in the computer code.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the filter element comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the filter element comprises computer code.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

changing information in the data source, thereby generating a modified data source; and

applying the filter element to the modified data source, including performing the set of declarative queries on the modified data source, thereby generating a second set of query results for each of the groups.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a second diagram including a set of shapes representing the set of groups, and a set of nodes nested within each of the shapes, wherein the nodes for each group in the second diagram are determined based on the second set of query results for that group, and wherein the second diagram reflects the change in information in the data source.

20. A system for providing a query-based diagrammatic presentation of data, the system comprising:

a filter element that defines a set of groups and includes a set of declarative queries that define information to be included in the set of groups;

an interpreter configured to apply the filter element to a data source, including performing the set of declarative queries on the data source to generate a set of query results for each of the groups; and

a graph generator configured to generate a diagram including a set of shapes representing the set of groups, a set of nodes nested within each of the shapes, a set of members within each of the nodes, and a set of links interconnecting related ones of the nodes, wherein the nodes and the members included in each respective group are determined based on the query results for the groups, respectively, and wherein the filter element, the interpreter, and the graph generator are implemented with at least one computer processor.