Displaying a tooltip associated with a concurrently displayed database object
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for automatically displaying a tooltip associated with a displayed database object, the method comprising:
- providing a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field;
displaying, in a layout or design form, a visual representation of the database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object corresponds to a field stored in the database, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database;
receiving an indication to select a first database object, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event;
automatically calculating a tooltip corresponding to the first database object, wherein the tooltip has been previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database, wherein the tooltip provides information that is related to the first database object;
automatically parsing an expression that is defined for displaying the tooltip, wherein the expression comprises one or more state-variables that are related to the first database object,wherein the one or more state-variables are stored in one or more records of the database;
automatically determining one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression;
dynamically evaluating the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables; and
automatically displaying the tooltip with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for displaying information associated with a database are disclosed. A database-informer displays information (or additional information) about various database objects displayed for a user. The database-informer may be presented to user as a tool-tip. However, the database-informer can be customized and dynamically constructed based on various variables that are dynamically determined at runtime. As such, the information can be dynamically determined based on variables stored in different tables and provided on-demand when the database-informer is invoked by the user. As a result, database users can be provided with customized and up-to-date information without having to view different tables.
49 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for automatically displaying a tooltip associated with a displayed database object, the method comprising:
- providing a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field;
displaying, in a layout or design form, a visual representation of the database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object corresponds to a field stored in the database, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database; receiving an indication to select a first database object, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event; automatically calculating a tooltip corresponding to the first database object, wherein the tooltip has been previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database, wherein the tooltip provides information that is related to the first database object; automatically parsing an expression that is defined for displaying the tooltip, wherein the expression comprises one or more state-variables that are related to the first database object, wherein the one or more state-variables are stored in one or more records of the database;
automatically determining one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression;dynamically evaluating the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables; and automatically displaying the tooltip with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- providing a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field;
-
10. A database system comprising:
-
a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field; a database engine communicatively coupled to the database; and a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to;
display, in a layout or design form, a visual representation of the database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object corresponds to a field stored in the database, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database;receive an indication to select a first database object, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event; automatically calculate a tooltip corresponding to the first database object, wherein the tooltip has been previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database, wherein the tooltip provides information that is related to the first database object; automatically parse an expression that is defined for displaying the tooltip, wherein the expression comprises one or more state-variables that are related to the first database object, wherein the one or more state-variables are stored in one or more records of the database; automatically determine one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression; dynamically evaluate the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables; and automatically display the tooltip with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying a set of computer instructions executable by a machine to perform a method for automatically displaying a tooltip associated with a displayed database object, the method comprising:
-
providing a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field; displaying, in a layout or design form, a visual representation of the database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object corresponds to a field stored in the database, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database; receiving an indication to select a first database object, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event; automatically calculating a tooltip corresponding to the first database object, wherein the tooltip has been previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database, wherein the tooltip provides information that is related to the first database object; automatically parsing an expression that is defined for displaying the tooltip, wherein the expression comprises one or more state-variables that are related to the first database object, wherein the one or more state-variables are stored in one or more records of the database; automatically determining one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression; dynamically evaluating the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables; and automatically displaying the tooltip with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification