Abstract data linking and joining interface

Abstract

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture provide a user interface allowing user selection and arrangement of result fields selected, in one embodiment, from a logical model. In one embodiment, the user interface is a graphical user interface and comprises input cells for user-selected logical result fields. The cells are arranged to define a geometric relationship between logical result fields which dictates the combinatorial statement type by which the logical result fields in the cells are related in a query.

1 . A method for allowing query building, comprising: 
 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.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined relative geometric arrangement comprises a vertical arrangement of the user-selected logical result fields.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combinatorial relationship is expressed as a UNION statement in a query containing representations of the user-selected logical result fields.  
   
   
       4 . A method for allowing query building, comprising: 
 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 first type of combinatorial relationship between the user-selected logical result fields and wherein a second predetermined relative geometric relationship between user-selected logical result fields defines a second type of combinatorial relationship between the user-selected logical result fields.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first predetermined relative geometric arrangement comprises a vertical arrangement of the selected logical result fields and the second predetermined relative geometric arrangement comprises a horizontal arrangement of the selected logical result fields.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first type of combinatorial relationship is a JOIN and the second type of combinatorial relationship is a UNION.  
   
   
       7 . A method for allowing query building, comprising: 
 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, the combinatorial relationship being selected from at least two different type of combinatorial relationships.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined relative geometric arrangement comprises a vertical arrangement of the user-selected logical result fields.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the combinatorial relationship is a UNION.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the combinatorial relationships are selected from a UNION and a JOIN.