Database data type creation and reuse

• US 9,152,656 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: McCormack, Michael J., Gardner, Scott T., Bould, Jason A., Chauhan, Sumit, Conger, David J., Coggins, Robert E., Miller, Andrew R., McMinn, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): KINSAUL, DANIEL W
• Application Number:
  US12/417,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,378 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating and reusing custom data types in a database, comprising:

providing a user interface gallery displaying a plurality of rows of default data types, the displayed plurality of rows of the default data types comprising a plurality of disparate data types and a plurality of data type categories, the user interface gallery further displaying at least one of the plurality of data type categories as one of the default data types in another one of the plurality of data type categories, the default data types being associated with a displayed database, the default data types being utilized in creating the custom data types;

receiving, by the computer, a selection of a first field and a second field from a database table in the database, the first field and the second field comprising a set of field properties;

receiving, in the user interface gallery, an input to initiate saving the field properties associated with the selected first field and second field for creating a custom data type;

generating a dialog for receiving custom data type information, the custom data type information including any one of;

a name, an icon, a category, a preview image or a description;

saving the field properties and the custom data type information as the custom data type;

displaying the custom data type in the user interface gallery;

receiving a selection of the custom data type from the user interface gallery, the custom data type comprising a plurality of the default data types displayed in the user interface gallery; and

reusing the custom data type in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising reusing the custom data type in at least one other database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving at least one field specific event as the custom data type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a group of fields as the custom data type.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein saving the group of fields as the custom data type comprises saving at least one index, the at least one index referencing only fields in the group of fields.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising attaching a field group layout template to at least one field in the group of fields, the field group layout template comprising instructions for displaying the group of fields within at least one of a form and a report comprising the group of fields.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the group of fields in a stacked configuration based on the field group layout template.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the group of fields in a tabular configuration based on the field group layout template.

9. A computer system for creating and reusing custom data types in a database, 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 to;

provide a user interface gallery displaying a plurality of rows of default data types, the displayed plurality of rows of the default data types comprising a plurality of disparate data types and a plurality of data type categories, the user interface gallery further displaying at least one of the plurality of data type categories as one of the default data types in another one of the plurality of data type categories, the default data types being associated with a displayed database, the default data types being utilized in creating the custom data types;

receive a selection of a first field and a second field from a database table in the database, the first filed and the second field comprising a set of field properties;

receive, in the user interface gallery, an input to initiate saving the field properties associated with the selected first field and second field for creating a custom data type;

save the field properties and custom data type information as the custom data type, the custom data type information including any one of;

a name, an icon, a category, a preview image or a description;

display the custom data type in the user interface gallery;

receive a selection of the custom data type from the user interface gallery, the custom data type comprising a plurality of the default data types displayed in the user interface gallery; and

reuse the custom data type in the database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operative to reuse the custom data type in at least one other-database.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operative to save at least one field specific event as the custom data type.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operative to save a group of fields as the custom data type.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor in saving the group of fields as the custom data type is operative to save at least one index, the at least one index referencing only fields in the group of fields.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to attach a field group layout template to at least one field in the group of fields, the field group layout template comprising instructions for displaying the group of fields within at least one of a form and a report comprising the group of fields.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative to display the group of fields in a stacked configuration based on the field group layout template.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative to display the group of fields in a tabular configuration based on the field group layout template.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operative to generate a dialog for receiving the custom data type information.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, excluding signals, containing computer executable instructions which, when executed on a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for creating and reusing custom data types in a database, comprising:

providing a user interface gallery displaying a plurality of rows of default data types, the displayed plurality of rows of the default data types comprising a plurality of disparate data types and a plurality of data type categories, the user interface gallery further displaying at least one of the plurality of data type categories as one of the default data types in another one of the plurality of data type categories, the default data types being associated with a displayed database, the default data types being utilized in creating the custom data types;

receiving a selection of a first field and a second field from a database table in the database, the first field and the second field comprising a set of field properties;

receiving, in the user interface gallery, an input to initiate saving the field properties associated with the selected first field and second field for creating a custom data type;

generating a dialog for receiving custom data type information, the custom data type information including any one of;

a name, an icon, a category, a preview image or a description;

saving the field properties and the custom data type information as the custom data type;

displaying the custom data type in the user interface gallery, the custom data type comprising a plurality of the default data types displayed in the user interface gallery; and

reusing the custom data type in the database.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising reusing the custom data type in at least one database.