Library description of the user interface for federated search results

Abstract

Methods and computer-readable media are provided for performing a federated search using a library description file to locate multiple data sources. For a federated search, a library description can be used to describe a set of data sources searched, and may further be used to describe how search results should be presented to a user. The format of such a library description file can include multiple elements, some of which provide information on how to display the library and others that define which data sources are included in the library. The library description file can be created according to library description template.

1 . One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a data structure for storing data representing library description files associated with libraries, the data structures comprising:
 a first data field containing data representing multiple location elements, wherein each of the location elements indentify a data source associated with a library and information needed to connect to the data source, wherein the library is a group of data sources grouped together for simultaneous searching, and wherein the data sources are not physically contained within the library;   a second data field containing data representing a display format element for the one or more libraries, wherein the display format element defines formatting of a visual indicia used to represent the library in a user interface; and   a third data field derived from the first and second data fields representing a library description format of the group of data sources.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure further comprises a fourth data field containing data representing a scope element providing information related to scopes of locations associated with the library, wherein the scope element provides exclusions to searchers upon the library. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure further comprises a data field including link elements corresponding to the group of data sources. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure further comprises a data field representing a shell link element 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure further comprises a fifth data field containing data representing a properties element including information detailing a format and a syntax required of search queries that are issued to the library. 
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure further comprises a sixth data field containing data representing a shell link element, wherein the shell link element points to an icon representing the library description file. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the display format element includes information defining how search results are presented for search queries performed upon the library. 
     
     
         8 . A method of creating a library description file, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a computing device, a description of one or more locations, said description containing information describing a data source of each of the one or more locations;   automatically grouping, at the computing device, a subset of the one or more locations based on predefined criteria into a library, wherein the library is a group of data sources grouped together for simultaneous searching, and wherein the data sources are at different locations;   creating, at a computing device, a library description file for the library, wherein said library description file is comprised of information describing the library including a display format element for the library and at least one scope element for the library, wherein the display format element defines formatting of a visual indicia used to represent the library in a user interface and for how search results are presented for search queries performed upon the library, wherein the location element contains methods for communicating within the group of data sources, wherein the scope element provides information related to scopes of the one or more locations associated with the library and exclusions to searchers upon the library; and   storing the library description file on a computer-readable medium.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the information describing the data source of the location defines a content of the data source corresponding to the one or more locations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the criteria define that locations are grouped into libraries based on their content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the library description file includes link elements. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the library description file includes one or more shell link elements. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the library description file includes a properties element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the library description file is created using a library description template. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer storage media with computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of executing a federated search of one or more libraries and displaying the one or more libraries and search results according to one or more library description files, the method comprising:
 receiving one or more library description files from a different computing device;   receiving a search query;   receiving a selection of a library to perform the search query upon, wherein said library is described by the library description file, and wherein the library is a group of data sources grouped together for simultaneous searching;   generating a list of search results by accessing one or more locations defined by the one or more library description files; and   presenting a list of search results.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the library description file includes a link element. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the library description file includes one or more elements in a shell link format. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the library description file includes a properties element. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the library description file includes display element that defines how the search results and library are presented. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the library description file is generated using library description template.