Customizable, dynamic and on-demand database-informer for relational databases

• US 8,135,758 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bradateanu, Vladimir, Milan, Toufic, McIntyre, Lee, Vahey, Geraldine, Welshofer, John Lorin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital, Pierre
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obisesan, Augustine
• Application Number:
  US12/606,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/807
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

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.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface embodied in a non-transitory computer readable media, the graphical user interface being arranged to display:

a layout or design form including a visual representation of a database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database, wherein the graphical user interface is designed to receive an indication to select a first database object upon the satisfaction of a condition or triggering of an event; and

an automatically calculated tooltip corresponding to the first database object, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object, wherein the tooltip was previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database and provides information that is related to the first database object, wherein the tooltip is displayed by receiving an automatically parsed 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, wherein the parsing includes automatically determining one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression and dynamically evaluating the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the layout or design form includes, for each database object, a visual indication of whether or not the corresponding database object has an associated user-defined tooltip expression and, for each of the database objects that does not have an associated user-defined tooltip expression, at least one table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the indication includes a user positioning a cursor over the database object in a display, for a predetermined period of time.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the automatically determining one or more values identifies one or more database records that contain values for the state-variables.

5. An apparatus for automatically displaying a tooltip associated with a displayed database object, the apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores,

a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field;

a database layout layer 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;

an event handler configured to receive an indication to select a first database object, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event;

a calculation engine configured to 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;

a parser configured to 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; and

program code configured to 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.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the program code is further configured to define one or more user-defined tooltip expressions by:

for each of the plurality of displayed database objects, providing a visual indication of whether or not the corresponding database object has an associated user-defined tooltip expression, and for each of the plurality of displayed database objects that does not have an associated user-defined tooltip expression, displaying at least one table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one displayed table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression includes a table or field related to the field of the corresponding database object.

8. A computer-implemented method for automatically displaying a tooltip associated with a displayed database object, the method comprising:

displaying in a layout or design form, a visual representation of the database, the visual representation including over one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object corresponds to a field stored in a database, the database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field, 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; and

automatically displaying a tooltip proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object, wherein the tooltip was previously defined for the first database object by a user of the database and provides information that is related to the first database object, wherein the tooltip is displayed by receiving an automatically parsed 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, wherein the parsing includes automatically determining one or more values for the one or more state-variables of the expression and dynamically evaluating the expression based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the expression is a mathematical operation.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the expression is a logical operation.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the expression is a text processing operation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the expression is a database function.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the indication includes a user positioning a cursor over the database object in a display, for a predetermined period of time.

14. A computer-implemented method for operating a database program for a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field, the method comprising:

sending information to a graphical user interface allowing the graphical user interface 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;

receiving an indication that the first database object has been selected, 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

sending the tooltip to the graphical user interface for automatic display with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the automatically determining one or more values identifies one or more database records that contain values for the state-variables.

16. A database program embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for communicating with a graphical user interface, the database program configured to:

send information to a graphical user interface allowing the graphical user interface 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 that the first database object has been selected, 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

sending the tooltip to the graphical user interface for automatic display with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object.

17. A computer-implemented method for operating a database program for a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field, the method comprising:

sending information to a graphical user interface allowing the graphical user interface 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;

receiving an indication that the first database object has been selected, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event;

determining a group of database objects to which the first database object belongs;

automatically calculating a tooltip corresponding to the group of database objects, wherein the tooltip has been previously defined for the group of database objects by a user of the database, wherein the tooltip provides information that is related to the group of database objects;

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 group of database objects, 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

sending the tooltip to the graphical user interface for automatic display with a result of the evaluated expression, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the displayed first database object.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the layout or design form includes, for each database object, a visual indication of whether or not the corresponding database object has an associated user-defined tooltip expression and, for each of the database objects that does not have an associated user-defined tooltip expression, at least one table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the indication includes a user positioning a cursor over the database object in a display, for a predetermined period of time.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the automatically determining one or more values identifies one or more database records that contain values for the state-variables.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

defining one or more user-defined tooltip expressions by;

for each of the plurality of displayed database objects, providing a visual indication of whether or not the corresponding database object has an associated user-defined tooltip expression, and for each of the plurality of displayed database objects that does not have an associated user-defined tooltip expression, displaying at least one table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression.

22. A computer-implemented method for operating a database program for a database containing a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes at least one field, the method comprising:

sending information to a graphical user interface allowing the graphical user interface 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;

receiving an indication that the first database object has been selected, wherein the indication is determined by satisfying a condition or triggering an event;

receiving an expression intended to be evaluated with respect to the first database object, 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; and

associating the expression with the first database object such that the expression can be dynamically evaluated based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables upon selection of the first database object by a user, and such that the result of the evaluated expression can be automatically displayed in a tooltip, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the first database object.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising:

defining one or more user-defined tooltip expressions by;

for each of the database objects, sending information to the graphical user interface to provide a visual indication of whether or not the corresponding database object has an associated user-defined tooltip expression; and

for each of the database objects that does not have an associated user-defined tooltip expression, sending information to the graphical user interface to display at least one table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the at least one displayed table or field of a record of a database to aid a user in defining a user-defined tooltip expression includes a table or field related to the field of the corresponding database object.

25. A graphical user interface embodied in a non-transitory computer readable media, the graphical user interface comprising:

a layout or design form including code arranged to display a visual representation of a database, the visual representation including one or more selectable database objects, wherein each database object is associated with one or more state-variables defined in the database, wherein the graphical user interface is designed to receive an indication to select a first database object upon the satisfaction of a condition or triggering of an event;

wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive an expression intended to be evaluated with respect to the first database object 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; and

wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to send the expression to a database program so that it can be associated with the first database object such that the expression can be dynamically evaluated based on the one or more determined values of the one or more state-variables upon selection of the first database object by a user, and such that the result of the evaluated expression can be automatically displayed in a tooltip by the graphical user interface, wherein the tooltip is displayed proximate to and concurrently with the first database object.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 25, further comprising a calculation specification window having sample expressions available for the user to select.