Unified Query Builder for Heterogeneous Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional query builders are inadequate for building unified queries across relational and XML data, requiring users to switch between multiple tools and understand different querying and publishing languages, making the process cumbersome and complex.
Innovation Solution
A unified query building system that generates a source structure from a data source, displays it in a logical view, and allows users to select nodes for a design query canvas, creating query objects and generating unified queries across heterogeneous environments, abstracting the query logic to simplify the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional query builders are used for relational databases, then relational querying is supported, but XML querying capability is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The query builder is designed to handle multiple data types (relational and XML) through a single unified interface. The system detects the data source type and automatically generates appropriate query syntax (SQL for relational, XQuery for XML) while maintaining the same user interaction model, thus providing universal querying capability without requiring separate tools.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary layer is introduced between the user interface and the underlying query execution engine. This intermediary automatically translates user-friendly query operations into the appropriate query language based on the detected data source type, shielding users from the complexity of learning multiple query languages while maintaining support for both relational and XML data.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple query builders are used for XML and relational data, then both data types can be queried, but the process becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functionality of separate XML and relational query builders into a single unified query builder interface. Users interact with one consistent interface regardless of whether they are querying XML or relational data, and the system automatically handles the translation to the appropriate query language, eliminating the need to switch between tools and manual integration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual integration of queries is performed, then combined queries can be created, but user effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service by automatically detecting the data source type and generating the appropriate query syntax without requiring manual intervention. The query builder monitors user actions and autonomously translates them into the correct query language (SQL or XQuery) based on the underlying data structure, eliminating the need for users to manually integrate queries from different builders.
4Adaptability or versatility
If data structure changes are made to support XML, then XML querying is enabled, but query language complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary translation layer is introduced that automatically converts user-friendly query operations into the appropriate complex query language (SQL or XQuery) based on the data source type. This intermediary handles the complexity of query language syntax and data structure mapping, allowing users to work with simplified operations while the system manages the underlying language complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A unified query building system generates a source structure comprising nodes from a data structure input of an identified data source, displays the generated source structure in a logical view, adds a selected node or element from the nodes to a design query canvas, generates a query object from the selected node based on a source type of the selected node, presents a logical view of a query function of a selected query object, and generates a unified query comprising the generated query objects. The logical view is displayed in a graphical user interface comprising a design query canvas comprising grids corresponding to functions in a query language such as SQL or XML. The generated unified query is displayed in an actual query view and is outlined in a query outline view.