Linked logical fields

Abstract

A method, system and article of manufacture for linking logical fields abstractly describing data in a database and, more particularly, for creating an abstract query using linked logical fields. One embodiment provides a method of linking logical fields abstractly describing data in a database. The method includes creating link information for a first logical field from the plurality of logical fields. The link information identifies at least one second logical field from the plurality of logical fields and an associated link type operation. The first and second logical fields are linked using the link information.

1 . A method of creating an abstract query, comprising: 
 receiving user input selecting, as result field for the abstract query, at least one logical field from a plurality of logical fields abstractly describing data in a database;    determining whether the at least one selected logical field includes link information defining one or more linked logical fields from the plurality of logical fields; and    if so, generating the abstract query on the basis of the at least one selected logical field, the one or more linked logical fields and the link information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the at least one selected logical field includes link information comprises: 
 accessing a logical field specification describing the at least one selected logical field, the logical field specification including the link information.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the link information defines link type operations associated with the linked logical fields.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is an insert operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 inserting the at least one linked logical field as result field into the abstract query.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing a result field corresponding to the at least one linked logical field from the abstract query.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress display operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing data obtained upon execution of the abstract query with a query result for a result field corresponding to the at least one linked logical field when displaying the query result.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress operation for the at least one selected logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing a result field corresponding to the at least one selected logical field from the abstract query.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (i) at least one linked logical field corresponds to the at least one selected logical field, the associated link type operation of the at least one linked logical field being a suppress display operation for the at least one selected logical field; and    (ii) the associated link type operation of at least one other linked logical field is an insert operation for the at least one other linked logical field; and    wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing data obtained upon execution of the abstract query with a query result for a result field corresponding to the at least one selected logical field when displaying the query result; and  
 inserting the at least one other linked logical field as result field into the abstract query.  
   
   
   
       9 . A method of linking logical fields abstractly describing data in a database, the method comprising: 
 creating link information for a first logical field from the plurality of logical fields, the link information identifying at least one second logical field from the plurality of logical fields and an associated link type operation; and    linking the first and second logical fields using the link information.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 determining one or more groups of linked logical fields from the plurality of logical fields, at least one group including the first logical field and the at least one second logical field.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each logical field of the plurality of logical fields is described by a corresponding logical field specification, the method further comprising: 
 including the link information with a logical field specification corresponding to the first logical field.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the link information defines an operation to be performed on the at least one second logical field in response to selection of the first logical field as result field for an abstract query.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the operation is one of an (i) insert, (ii) suppress, and (iii) suppress display operation.  
   
   
       14 . A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a process of creating an abstract query, the process comprising: 
 receiving user input selecting, as result field for the abstract query, at least one logical field from a plurality of logical fields abstractly describing data in a database;    determining whether the at least one selected logical field includes link information defining one or more linked logical fields from the plurality of logical fields and associated link type operations; and    if so, generating the abstract query on the basis of the at least one selected logical field, the one or more linked logical fields and the link information.    
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein determining whether the at least one selected logical field includes link information comprises: 
 accessing a logical field specification describing the at least one selected logical field, the logical field specification including the link information.    
   
   
       16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is an insert operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 inserting the at least one linked logical field as result field into the abstract query.    
   
   
       17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing a result field corresponding to the at least one linked logical field from the abstract query.    
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress display operation for the at least one linked logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing data obtained upon execution of the abstract query with a query result for a result field corresponding to the at least one linked logical field when displaying the query result.    
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress operation for the at least one selected logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing a result field corresponding to the at least one selected logical field from the abstract query.    
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress display operation for the at least one selected logical field and wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing data obtained upon execution of the abstract query with a query result for a result field corresponding to the at least one selected logical field when displaying the query result.    
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 (i) at least one linked logical field corresponds to the at least one selected logical field, the associated link type operation of the at least one linked logical field being a suppress display operation for the at least one selected logical field; and    (ii) the associated link type operation of at least one other linked logical field is an insert operation for the at least one other linked logical field; and    wherein generating the abstract query comprises: 
 suppressing data obtained upon execution of the abstract query with a query result for a result field corresponding to the at least one selected logical field when displaying the query result; and  
 inserting the at least one other linked logical field as result field into the abstract query.  
   
   
   
       22 . A system, comprising: 
 a plurality of logical fields abstractly describing data in a database;    a user interface configured to receive user input selecting, as result field for an abstract query, at least one logical field from the plurality of logical fields; and    a link field manager configured to: 
 determine whether the at least one selected logical field includes link information defining one or more linked logical fields from the plurality of logical fields; and  
 generate the abstract query on the basis of the at least one selected logical field, the one or more linked logical fields and the link information if the at least one selected logical field includes the link information.  
   
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising link information identifying the plurality of logical fields related to quality control as linked.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 the user input comprises specification of a single one of the plurality of logical fields related to quality control as a result field; and    the link field manager is configured to, based on the link information, generate an abstract query to return all of the plurality of logical fields identified therein as linked.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the link information defines link type operations associated with the linked logical fields.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is an insert operation for the at least one linked logical field; and    the link manager is configured to generate the abstract query by inserting the at least one linked logical field as result field into the abstract query.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the associated link type operation of at least one linked logical field is a suppress operation for the at least one linked logical field; and 
 the link manager is configured to generate the abstract query by suppressing a result field corresponding to the at least one linked logical field from the abstract query.  
   
   
   
       28 . A system, comprising: 
 a plurality of logical fields abstractly describing data in a database; and    a link field manager configured to:    create link information for a first logical field from the plurality of logical fields, the link information identifying at least one second logical field from the plurality of logical fields and an associated link type operation; and    link the first and second logical fields using the link information.