EXPLORING ATTACHED AND UNATTACHED CONTENT DATABASES

• US 20100281049A1
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McDowell, Jeffrey Lamar, Olson, Elisabeth Katarina, Sawaya, Samer Fouad, Simek, Patrick John, Starr, Troy Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for searching for and extracting data from databases of content management applications. User input is received to connect to a database or database snapshot of an application, and a connection is established. When the database is not part of a current live instance of the application, an emulation is performed such that the database is treated like it is attached to the current live instance of the application. The user is able to browse and/or search for content, including documents, in the database or database snapshot without having to explore individual site collection structure and user interfaces of individual sites. A site collection user interface (UI), a site selector UI, and/or a list selector UI, for example, provide data entry fields for entering search requirements. Unattached databases can be managed using commands, such as using an object model or command line.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for searching for data from a content database unattached to a content management application, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting the content management application and the unattached content database;

receiving an indication to perform a search for a site collection;

receiving a site collection selector user interface (UI) to perform a search for a site collection;

entering one or more search requirements for a site collection to search for;

receiving a list of one or more site collections matching the one or more search requirements;

selecting a first site collection from the list of one or more site collections matching the one or more search requirements; and

receiving information about the first site collection.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more search requirements for the site collection comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) entered into a data entry field on the site collection selector UI.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information about the first site collection comprises one or more from the group consisting of:

URL, title, primary administrator, e-mail address, and database name.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a site selector user interface (UI) to perform a search for a site;

entering one or more search requirements for a site to search for;

receiving a list of one or more sites matching the one or more search requirements;

selecting a first site from the list of one or more sites matching the one or more search requirements; and

receiving information about the first site.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more search requirements comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) entered into a data entry field of the site selector UI.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the information about the first site comprises one or more from the group consisting of:

URL, title, and description.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the list of one or more site collections matching the one or more search requirements is displayed in an order comprising one from the group consisting of:

ascending order and descending order.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a list selector user interface (UI) to perform a search for a list or document library;

entering one or more search requirements for a list to search for;

receiving a list of one or more lists matching the one or more search requirements;

selecting a first list from the list of one or more lists matching the one or more search requirements; and

receiving information about the first list.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the one or more search requirements comprises a title.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the information about the first list comprises one or more from the group consisting of:

URL, title, and description.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting a first document from the unattached content database.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a user performs an operation on the first site collection.

13. A computer system for enabling a user to search for content contained within a content database, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the at least one processor for;

receiving a request to search for a site collection in the content database;

receiving a request to search for a site in the content database; and

invoking one or more stored procedures, wherein the one or more stored procedures comprise one or more from the group consisting of;

proc_GetSiteCollectionBestMatch, proc_GetSiteCollectionSubset, proc_GetWebSubset, proc_GetWebBestMatch, proc_GetListSubset, and proc_GetListBestMatch.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein syntax for the procedure “

proc_GetListBestMatch”

comprises a “

BestMatchListId,”

wherein the “

BestMatchListID”

is a list identifier.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the procedure named “

proc_GetWebSubset”

is called to obtain a subset of sites, and wherein the subset of sites includes information comprising one or more from the group consisting of;

site identifiers, store-relative URLs of the sites, and paths of the sites.

16. One or more computer-readable media having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts for searching for data, the acts comprising:

establishing a connection from a content management application to an unattached content database;

receiving an indication to perform a search for a site collection;

receiving a site collection selector user interface (UI) to perform a search for a site collection;

entering one or more search requirements for searching for a site collection;

receiving a list of one or more site collections matching the one or more search requirements for the site collection;

selecting a first site collection from the list of one or more site collections matching the one or more search requirements;

receiving information about the first site collection;

receiving an indication to perform a search for a site with a context of the first site collection;

receiving a site selector user interface (UI) to perform a search for the site;

entering one or more search requirements for searching for the site;

receiving a list of one or more sites matching the one or more search requirements for the site;

selecting a first site from the list of one or more sites matching the one or more search requirements for the site;

receiving an indication to perform a search for a document library within the context of the first site;

receiving a list selector UI to perform a search for the document library; and

entering one or more search requirements for searching for the document library.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the one or more search requirements for the site collection comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) entered into a data entry field of the site collection selector UI.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the one or more search requirements for the document library comprises a title entered into a data entry field of the list selector UI.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a list of one or more document libraries matching the search requirements for the document library;

selecting a first document library from the list of one or more document libraries; and

requesting to export content related to the first document library.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a list of one or more document libraries matching the search requirements for the document library;

selecting a first document library from the list of one or more document libraries; and

requesting to perform an operation on content related to the first document library.