International Business Machines Corporation

Wendy Sue James

Shih-Gong Li

Kenneth Ray Banning

Anton Versteeg

A method, system and program for providing a graphical interface for a database are accomplished by the operation of a process in the memory of a processor. A selected entry in the database is dynamically used as input to a conditional definition dialog box. The definition of individual conditions, the definition of the relationship of conditions to the selected entries, the editing of conditions, and the editing of the relationship of conditions is simplified and rendered dynamic and interactive for the user thereby facilitating the completion of the task being performed. The user need not remember the related column information for a specified predicate because the system will provide that information simultaneously with the conditional definition in a form that supports the direct manipulation of the related information. The selected entries and their relationship are displayed simultaneously with the definition activities for both the initial definition and any subsequent editing activities. The user may select this information and drag it to the desired location to proceed on the desired activity.

Method and apparatus for displaying a dialog box enabling user

A method, system and program for providing a graphical interface for a database are accomplished by the operation of a process in the memory of a processor. The definition of individual predicates, the definition of the relationship of predicates, the editing of predicates, and the editing of the relationship of predicates is simplified and rendered dynamic and interactive for the user thereby facilitating the completion of the task being performed. The user need not remember the related column information for a specified predicate because the system will provide that information simultaneously with the predicate definition in a form that supports the direct manipulation of the related information. The predicates and their relationship are displayed simultaneously with the definition activities for both the initial definition and any subsequent editing activities. The user may select this information and drag it to the desired location to proceed on the desired activity.

Method and apparatus for graphically displaying query relationships

A system, program and method for graphically representing a WHERE or HAVING clause of an SQL query directed to a relational database. Logical operators are defined and linked to predicates using a tree structure format. The tree is not binary in character and consequently exhibits a 1:1 relation between the predicates and tree leaves. The tree structure representation provides intuitive feedback to the user defining the query. Preferably the SQL format and tree structure graphic format queries appear simultaneously on the video display of the computer system used to define the query.

Tree structure representation of an SQL clause

A method, system and program providing graphical queries and direct manipulation of a database is disclosed. In a preferred form, tables and lists are configured from a database to define a common data structure. Additional, dynamic data structures are employed based on information entered by a user to define various relationships between the dynamic data and the database information. The system employs a graphical query interface and a relational database to provide an ergonomic, natural interface for a database user.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Wendy Sue James