Discovering a reporting model from an existing reporting environment
View Patent ↗Computer software is disclosed for discovering and representing a reporting model of an existing reporting environment. For each report in a plurality of reports, the software searches metadata of the report for descriptive information and dependencies on other reports. The software depicts, in a graphical representation, each report and relationships between the reports.
1. A method comprising:
identifying a first report in a plurality of reports;
extracting, from the first report, a first set of dependencies;
extracting, from the first report, a first metadata, wherein the first metadata includes, at least:
a first set of attributes that describe the first report, and
a first set of filters that define a relationship between the first set of dependencies and the first set of attributes;
identifying a second report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a first dependency in the first set of dependencies;
extracting, from the second report, a second metadata, wherein the second metadata includes, at least, a second set of attributes;
importing, to the first metadata, a subset of the second set of attributes based, at least in part, on the first dependency and the first set of filters; and
generating a graphical representation of, at least, the first dependency, wherein:
the first report is represented as a first node annotated with the first metadata,
the second report is represented as a second node annotated with the second metadata, and
the first dependency is represented as a first edge between the first node and the second node;
wherein:
at least identifying the first report in the plurality of reports is performed by computer software running on computer hardware.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first dependency is a dynamic link;
at least one of the first report or the second report is unexecuted;
the first set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a bar graph; and
the second set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a line graph.
3. The method of claim 1 , further including:
extracting, from the second report, a second set of dependencies;
identifying a third report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a second dependency in the second set of dependencies;
extracting, from the third report, a third metadata, wherein the third metadata incudes, at least, a third set of attributes;
wherein:
the second metadata, further includes, at least a second set of filters that define a relationship between the second set of dependencies and the second set of attributes.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including:
extracting, from a third report, a third dependency, wherein the third dependency refers alternatively to any of a sub-plurality of reports in the plurality of reports.
5. The method of claim 1 , further including:
extracting, from the plurality of reports, a fourth set of dependencies;
wherein:
the graphical representation further includes the plurality of reports, represented as a plurality of nodes; and
the graphical representation further includes the fourth set of dependencies, represented as a set of edges among the plurality of nodes.
6. The method of claim 5 , further including:
displaying, from the graphical representation, only the first report, the second report, and the first dependency; and
receiving an input to display a different portion of the graphical representation.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
a fourth report in the plurality of reports does not have any dependencies; and
no report in the plurality of reports has a dependency on the fourth report.
8. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable tangible storage device having stored thereon:
first instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a first report in a plurality of reports;
second instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the first report, a first set of dependencies;
third instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the first report, a first metadata, wherein the first metadata includes, at least:
a first set of attributes that describe the first report, and
a first set of filters that define a relationship between the first set of dependencies and the first set of attributes;
fourth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a second report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a first dependency in the first set of dependencies;
fifth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the second report, a second metadata, wherein the second metadata includes, at least, a second set of attributes;
sixth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to import, to the first metadata, a subset of the second set of attributes based, at least in part, on the first dependency and the first set of filters; and
seventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to generate a graphical representation of, at least, the first dependency, wherein:
the first report is represented as a first node annotated with the first metadata,
the second report is represented as a second node annotated with the second metadata, and
the first dependency is represented as a first edge between the first node and the second node.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein:
the first dependency is a dynamic link;
at least one of the first report or the second report is unexecuted;
the first set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a bar graph; and
the second set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a line graph.
10. The computer program product of claim 8 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the second report, a second set of dependencies;
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a third report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a second dependency in the second set of dependencies;
tenth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the third report, a third metadata, wherein the third metadata incudes, at least, a third set of attributes;
wherein:
the second metadata, further includes, at least a second set of filters that define a relationship between the second set of dependencies and the second set of attributes.
11. The computer program product of claim 8 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from a third report, a third dependency, wherein the third dependency refers alternatively to any of a sub-plurality of reports in the plurality of reports.
12. The computer program product of claim 8 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the plurality of reports, a fourth set of dependencies;
wherein:
the graphical representation further includes the plurality of reports, represented as a plurality of nodes; and
the graphical representation further includes the fourth set of dependencies, represented as a set of edges among the plurality of nodes.
13. The computer program product of claim 12 , further including:
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to display, from the graphical representation, only the first report, the second report, and the first dependency; and
receiving an input to display a different portion of the graphical representation.
14. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein:
a fourth report in the plurality of reports does not have any dependencies; and
no report in the plurality of reports has a dependency on the fourth report.
15. A computer system comprising:
a processor set; and
a computer readable tangible storage device;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to execute instructions stored on the computer readable tangible storage device; and
the instructions include:
first instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a first report in a plurality of reports;
second instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the first report, a first set of dependencies;
third instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the first report, a first metadata, wherein the first metadata includes, at least:
a first set of attributes that describe the first report, and
a first set of filters that define a relationship between the first set of dependencies and the first set of attributes;
fourth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a second report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a first dependency in the first set of dependencies;
fifth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the second report, a second metadata, wherein the second metadata includes, at least, a second set of attributes;
sixth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to import, to the first metadata, a subset of the second set of attributes based, at least in part, on the first dependency and the first set of filters; and
seventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to generate a graphical representation of, at least, the first dependency, wherein:
the first report is represented as a first node annotated with the first metadata,
the second report is represented as a second node annotated with the second metadata, and
the first dependency is represented as a first edge between the first node and the second node.
16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein:
the first dependency is a dynamic link;
at least one of the first report or the second report is unexecuted;
the first set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a bar graph; and
the second set of attributes includes a chart type, which is a line graph.
17. The computer system of claim 15 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the second report, a second set of dependencies;
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a third report in the plurality of reports based, at least in part, on a second dependency in the second set of dependencies;
tenth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the third report, a third metadata, wherein the third metadata includes, at least, a third set of attributes;
wherein:
the second metadata, further includes, at least a second set of filters that define a relationship between the second set of dependencies and the second set of attributes.
18. The computer system of claim 15 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from a third report, a third dependency, wherein the third dependency refers alternatively to any of a sub-plurality of reports in the plurality of reports.
19. The computer system of claim 15 , further including:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to extract, from the plurality of reports, a fourth set of dependencies;
wherein:
the graphical representation further includes the plurality of reports, represented as a plurality of nodes; and
the graphical representation further includes the fourth set of dependencies, represented as a set of edges among the plurality of nodes.
20. The computer system of claim 19 , further including:
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to display, from the graphical representation, only the first report, the second report, and the first dependency; and
receiving an input to display a different portion of the graphical representation.