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Abstract data linking and joining interfaceRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Database And File Management Or Data Structures, Database Or File Accessing, Query Processing (i.e., Searching)Abstract data linking and joining interface description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060224574, Abstract data linking and joining interface. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
REFERENCE TO PARENT APPLICATION [0001] This patent application is a divisional of co-pending patent application "ABSTRACT DATA LINKING AND JOINING INTERFACE", Ser. No. 10/618,409 filed by Dettinger et al. on Jul. 11, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] One approach for accessing a multiplicity of data sources is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,954,748, issued on Oct. 11, 2005, entitled "REMOTE DATA ACCESS AND INTEGRATION OF DISTRIBUTED DATA SOURCES THROUGH DATA SCHEMA AND QUERY ABSTRACTION" and assigned to International Business Machines, Inc. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention generally relates to data processing, and more particularly, to the accessing data through a logical framework. [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art [0006] Databases are computerized information storage and retrieval systems. The most prevalent type of database is the relational database, a tabular database in which data is defined so that it can be reorganized and accessed in a number of different ways. A relational database management system (DBMS) is a database management system that uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data. [0007] Regardless of the particular architecture, in a DBMS, a requesting entity (e.g., an application, the operating system or a user) demands access to a specified database by issuing a database access request. Such requests may include, for instance, simple catalog lookup requests or transactions and combinations of transactions that operate to read, change and add specified records in the database. These requests are made using high-level query languages such as the Structured Query Language (SQL). Illustratively, SQL is used to make interactive queries for getting information from and updating a database such as International Business Machines' (IBM.RTM.) DB2.RTM., Microsoft's.RTM. SQL Server, and database products from Oracle.RTM., Sybase.RTM., and Computer Associates.RTM.. The term "query" denominates a set of commands for retrieving data from a stored database. More generally, queries take the form of a command language that lets programmers and programs select, insert, update, find out the location of data, and so forth. [0008] Often, a query may need to be run against multiple tables to return the desired data. This is the case, for example, when data resides in more than one database (i.e., located on more than one database server). For example, a patient's records (diagnosis, treatment, etc.) may be stored in one database, while clinical trial information relating to a drug used to treat the patient may be stored in another database. Therefore, to access the data, a federated query may be generated that targets each of these distinct databases. As used herein, the term federated query generally refers to any query that requires combining results of queries run against distinct databases. The operation by which this is accomplished is referred to herein as a combinatorial statement. By way of example, combinatorial statements include such statements as the family of JOIN statements (including INNER, OUTER, LEFT and RIGHT), the family of UNION statements. The JOIN pairs up data from two different tables or from the same table. UNION can operate on two identical tables or be used to concatenate data from similar fields of interest. For example, a field named ADDRESS can be UNIONED with a field named LOCATION. These fields are not identical and may be or may not be from the same table, but they contain similar information. By way of illustration, Tables I and II shows an example of SQL statements in which tables are JOINed and UNIONed respectively. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I SELECT T1.ADDRESS, T1.CITY, T1.STATE, T1.ZIP, T2.LOCATION FROM ADDRESSES T1, NEIGHBORHOOD T2 WHERE T1.ADDRESSID = T2.ADDRESSID AND T1.ZIP=55901 [0009] TABLE-US-00002 TABLE II SELECT ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP FROM ADDRESSES WHERE ZIP=55901 UNION SELECT LOCATION, NULL, NULL, NULL FROM NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE ZIP=55901 [0010] The UNION example (Table II) appends location after ADDRESS, and the JOIN (Table I) example links the location with the address that it belongs to. [0011] It is noted that JOINS and UNIONS are but two examples of combinatorial statements. Another example of a combinatorial statement is the family of EXCEPT statements. Further, corresponding statements exist or may be yet be developed for query languages other than SQL (e.g., XQuery). [0012] Conventionally, users are required to create query statements with an understanding of the underlying physical data in order to apply the proper combinatorial statements in a manner that returns the desired results. However, this places a significant burden on the user and limits access to users having sufficient expertise. [0013] Therefore, what is needed is a query building interface providing flexibility, in particular, where data may need to be linked or combined to return the desired results. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The present invention provides a method, system and article of manufacture for accessing abstractly described physical data using combinatorial statements such as JOINs and UNIONs. In one embodiment, data is defined by an abstraction model which includes metadata describing and defining a plurality of logical fields. A user interface tool is provided for creating abstract queries. One aspect of the tool provides users a means of mapping those fields (columns) which must be combined by a first statement type (e.g., UNION) and those fields that must be combined by a second statement type (e.g., JOIN). [0015] In one embodiment a method provides a logical representation of physical fields of physical data entities to facilitate querying the physical fields. The method comprises providing a logical model to logically describe the physical fields, the logical model comprising logical fields corresponding to respective physical fields; and providing a runtime component configured to transform an abstract query into an executable query containing at least one combinatorial statement, the abstract query comprising a condition and at least two result fields selected from the logical fields of the logical model, each result field having executable counterparts in the at least one combinatorial statement of the executable query. [0016] Another method provides a logical representation of physical fields of physical data entities to facilitate querying the physical fields. The method comprises providing a logical model to logically describe the physical fields, the logical model comprising logical fields corresponding to respective physical fields; receiving an abstract query defined with respect to a logical model comprising logical fields corresponding to respective physical fields, the abstract query comprising a condition and at least two combined result fields selected from the logical fields of the logical model; and transforming the abstract query into an executable query containing at least one combinatorial statement, the abstract query comprising a condition and at least two combined result fields selected from the logical fields of the logical model, each result field having executable counterparts in the combinatorial statement of the executable query. [0017] In another embodiment, a method allows for query building. The method comprises providing a graphical user interface allowing user selection and arrangement of logical result fields selected from a logical model which logically defines data, wherein a predetermined relative geometric arrangement between user-selected logical result fields defines a combinatorial relationship between the user-selected logical result fields. [0018] In another embodiment, a method allowing for query building comprises providing a graphical user interface allowing user selection and arrangement of logical result fields selected from a logical model which logically defines data, wherein a first predetermined relative geometric arrangement between user-selected logical result fields defines a combinatorial relationship of a first type between the user-selected logical result fields and wherein a second predetermined relative geometric relationship between user-selected logical result fields defines a combinatorial relationship of a second type between the user-selected logical result fields. [0019] In another embodiment, a method allowing for query building comprises providing a graphical user interface allowing user selection and arrangement of logical result fields selected from a logical model which logically defines data, the graphical user interface comprising a table comprising a plurality of cells, wherein a predetermined relative geometric arrangement between user-selected logical result fields in adjacent cells defines a combinatorial relationship between the user-selected logical result fields. [0020] In another embodiment, a method for building queries comprises providing a logical model to logically describe the physical fields, the logical model comprising logical fields corresponding to respective physical fields; providing a graphical user interface allowing user selection and arrangement of logical result fields selected from the logical model; receiving user input specifying a selection and a location, in the graphical user interface, of a first logical result field; receiving user input specifying a selection and a location, in the graphical user interface, of a second logical result field, wherein the first and second logical result fields have a relative geometric relationship and define at least a portion of an abstract query; and transforming the abstract query into an executable query containing at least one combinatorial statement containing representations of the first and second logical result fields, and being generated as a result of the relative geometric relationship. 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