Detection and display of semantic errors in a reporting tool

• US 8,775,463 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wong, Ken C., Yahui, Lu, Mosimann, David, Poon, Madison, Tiu, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, CAM Y T
• Application Number:
  US12/953,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 707/758, 707/769, 707/756, 715/223
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems and methods for providing a semantic guidance in a report are described herein. A mismatch is identified between a report object positioned at a location on the report and the area with which the location is associated. The mismatch is identified based on the metadata of the report object and the attribute of the area with which the location is associated. In one embodiment, the identified mismatch is displayed to a user in a tooltip. In one embodiment, if an attribute of an area of the report is changed, the mismatch is identified between the report object present in the area and the changed attribute.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a semantic guidance in a report, the method comprising:

retrieving, by a processor of a computer, a report model of the report, wherein the report model includes an attribute related to an area of the report;

receiving contextual information associated with a report object, wherein the contextual information includes information of a location on the report where the report object is positioned, wherein the location on the report is associated with the area of the report;

retrieving, by the processor of the computer, a metadata of the report object positioned at the location of the report including a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including a detailed area and a report pair area, the report pair area including two areas of the report, the detailed area and the report pair area of the report having a corresponding attribute, wherein the two areas of the report pair area have the same corresponding attribute;

identifying, by the processor of the computer, the attribute related to the area of the report from the report model;

matching, by the processor of the computer, the metadata of the report object and the attribute of the area of the report that includes the location on which the report object is positioned, the attribute including one or more area properties that define conditions to determine semantic correctness of placement of the report object with respect to the area of the report, wherein matching includes;

matching the one or more area properties with the metadata of the report object; and

based on the matching, identifying, using a set of heuristics, a mismatch between the report object and the area of the report on which the report object is positioned.

2. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the mismatch between the report object and the area of the report with which the location is associated.

3. The computer implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the mismatch is displayed in a tooltip.

4. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to place the report object at the location where the report object is positioned;

marking the report object placed in the area, wherein the mark is indicative of the mismatch; and

displaying the mismatch when a cursor is positioned on the report object.

5. The computer implemented method according to claim 4, wherein the report object is positioned and placed at the location on the report by a drag-and-drop operation.

6. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input to change the attribute of the area; and

identifying the mismatch between the report object positioned in the area and the changed attribute of the area.

7. The computer implemented method according to claim 6, further comprising:

displaying the mismatch.

8. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the report pair area includes one or more paired areas selected from a group consisting of a report header and footer, a page header and footer, and a group header and footer.

9. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein using the set of heuristics includes identifying the mismatch when the report object having multiple values is positioned on one of:

a group header area and a group footer area.

10. An article of manufacture including a computer readable storage memory to tangibly store instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

retrieve a report model of a report, wherein the report model includes an attribute related to an area of the report;

receive contextual information associated with a report object, wherein the contextual information includes information of a location on the report where the report object is positioned, wherein the location on the report is associated with the area of the report;

retrieve a metadata of the report object positioned at the location of the report including a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including a detailed area and a report pair area, the report pair area including two areas of the report, the detailed area and the report pair area of the report having a corresponding attribute, wherein the two areas of the report pair area have the same corresponding attribute;

identify the attribute related to the area of the report from the report model;

match the metadata of the report object and the attribute of the area of the report that includes the location on which the report object is positioned, the attribute including one or more area properties that define conditions to determine semantic correctness of placement of the report object with respect to the area of the report, wherein matching includes;

match the one or more area properties with the metadata of the report object; and

based on the matching, identify, using a set of heuristics, a mismatch between the report object and the area of the report on which the report object is positioned.

11. The article of manufacture according to claim 10, further comprising instructions which when executed by the computer further causes the computer to:

display the mismatch between the report object and the area with which the location is associated.

12. The article of manufacture according to claim 11, wherein the mismatch is displayed in a tooltip.

13. The article of manufacture according to claim 10, further comprising instructions which when executed by the computer further causes the computer to:

receive a request to place the report object at the location where the report object is positioned;

mark the report object placed in the area, wherein the mark is indicative of the mismatch; and

display the mismatch when a cursor is positioned on the report object.

14. The article of manufacture according to claim 13, wherein the report object is positioned and placed at the location on the report by a drag-and-drop operation.

15. The article of manufacture according to claim 10, further comprising instructions which when executed by the computer further causes the computer to:

receive an input to change the attribute of the area; and

identify the mismatch between the report object positioned in the area of the report and the changed attribute of the area of the report.

16. The article of manufacture according to claim 15 further comprising instructions which when executed by the computer further causes the computer to:

display the mismatch.

17. A computer system for providing a semantic guidance in a report, the computer system comprising:

a memory to store a program code; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the program code to;

retrieve a report model of a report, wherein the report model includes an attribute related to an area of the report;

receive contextual information associated with a report object, wherein the contextual information includes information of a location on the report where the report object is positioned, wherein the location on the report is associated with the area of the report;

identify the attribute related to the area of the report from the report model;

retrieve a metadata of the report object positioned at the location of the report including a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including a detailed area and a report pair area, the report pair area including two areas of the report, the detailed area and the report pair area of the report having a corresponding attribute, wherein the two areas of the report pair area have the same corresponding attribute;

match the metadata of the report object and the attribute of the area of the report that includes the location on which the report object is positioned, the attribute including one or more area properties that define conditions to determine semantic correctness of placement of the report object with respect to the area of the report, wherein matching includes;

match the one or more area properties with the metadata of the report object; and

based on the matching, identify, using a set of heuristics, a mismatch between the report object and the area of the report on which the report object is positioned.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further executes the program code to:

display the mismatch between the report object and the area of the report with which the location is associated.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mismatch is displayed in a tooltip.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor further executes the program code to:

receive a request to place the report object at the location where the report object is positioned;

mark the report object placed in the area, wherein the mark is indicative of the mismatch; and

display the mismatch when a cursor is positioned on the report object.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the report object is positioned and placed at the location on the report by a drag-and-drop operation.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further executes the program code to:

receive an input to change the attribute of the area; and

identify the mismatch between the report object positioned in the area of the report and the changed attribute of the area of the report.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor further executes the program code to:

display the mismatch.