Displaying hidden rows in a database after an expiration date

• US 8,392,374 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Konik, Rafal P., Theuer, Mark W., Venz, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US12/871,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 707/662, 707/663, 707/666, 707/689, 707/E17.044, 707/999.01, 707/769, 707/802, 707/E17.005, 707/E17.014
• US Class Current: 707/662
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries

Abstract

In an embodiment, a first row of data is stored in a database. The first row of data is hidden until a current date is later than a hidden expiration date. An indication is returned, to a requestor, that the first row does not exist in response to a query from the requestor that specifies a key that identifies the first row if the current date is before the hidden expiration date. The first row is returned, to the requestor, in response to the query if the current date is after the hidden expiration date.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing a first row of data in a database;

hiding the first row of data until a current date is later than a hidden expiration date, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises returning, to a requestor, an indication that the first row does not exist in response to a query from the requestor that specifies a key that identifies the first row if the current date is before the hidden expiration date and returning, to the requestor, the first row in response to the query from the requestor that specifies the key that identifies the first row if the current date is after the hidden expiration date and a second row with a second key has been added to the database, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and until the second row with the second key is added to the database, wherein the second key is specified in a non-hidden row condition in the database and wherein truth of the non-hidden row condition is evaluated;

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date if another row with another key is preexisting in the database prior to the storing the first row of data in the database; and

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and a number of a plurality of rows with a first key are added before a first date.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the storing the first row in response to a request that specifies the hidden expiration date.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises:

if the number of the plurality of rows are not added before the first date, then changing the first date to a second date that is later than the second date and hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and the number of a plurality of rows with the first key are added before the second date.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the hidden expiration date in the first row.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a view status in the first row that indicates whether the first row is hidden.

6. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

storing a first row of data in a database;

hiding the first row of data until a current date is later than a hidden expiration date, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises returning, to a requestor, an indication that the first row does not exist in response to a query from the requestor that specifies a key that identifies the first row if the current date is before the hidden expiration date and returning, to the requestor, the first row in response to the query from the requestor that specifies the key that identifies the first row if the current date is after the hidden expiration date and a second row with a second key has been added to the database, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and until the second row with the second key is added to the database, wherein the second key is specified in a non-hidden row condition in the database and wherein truth of the non-hidden row condition is evaluated;

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date if another row with another key is preexisting in the database prior to the storing the first row of data in the database; and

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and a number of a plurality of rows with a first key are added before a first date.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises:

if the number of the plurality of rows are not added before the first date, then changing the first date to a second date that is later than the second date and hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and the number of a plurality of rows with the first key are added before the second date.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising:

storing the hidden expiration date in the first row.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a view status in the first row that indicates whether the first row is hidden.

10. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions that when executed on the processor comprise;

storing a first row of data in a database,

hiding the first row of data until a current date is later than a hidden expiration date, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises returning, to a requestor, an indication that the first row does not exist in response to a query from the requestor that specifies a key that identifies the first row if the current date is before the hidden expiration date and returning, to the requestor, the first row in response to the query from the requestor that specifies the key that identifies the first row if the current date is after the hidden expiration date and a second row with a second key has been added to the database, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and until the second row with the second key is added to the database, wherein the second key is specified in a non-hidden row condition in the database and wherein truth of the non-hidden row condition is evaluated,

storing the hidden expiration date in the first row,

storing a view status in the first row that indicates whether the first row is hidden,

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row with a first key until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date if another row with another key is preexisting in the database prior to the storing the first row of data in the database; and

wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and a number of plurality of rows with a first key are added before a first date.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date further comprises:

if the number of the plurality of rows are not added before the first date, then changing the first date to a second date that is later than the second date and hiding the first row until the current date is later than the hidden expiration date and the number of a plurality of rows with the first key are added before the second date.