Automatic generation of structured data from semi-structured data

1. A method for generating structured data from semi-structured data, the method comprising:

reading a plurality of records from a data file comprising semi-structured data;

obtaining aligned delimiters in a list for every record that has been read;

selecting a most occurring delimiter from the list;

constructing a regular expression using the selected delimiter to split the records into different fields;

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and split into the different fields; and

displaying the records split into the different fields.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the obtaining comprises:

aligning read records using dynamic time warping.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the obtaining further comprises:

identifying matching non-alpha characters as initial delimiters list D1.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the obtaining further comprises iteratively performing:

picking a test record (test);

aligning the test record with aligned record (A);

obtaining common delimiters list D;

aligning the common delimiters list D with initial delimiters list D1 using dynamic time warping;

obtaining aligned records delimiters list D2;

adding D2 to a delimiter set S; and

repeating above steps till N number of test records are processed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the semi-structured data comprises at least one of:

end of line delimiter as a new line character;

column delimiter as alpha numeric;

column delimiter as multi-byte or multi-character;

different column delimiter for every column; and

any number of column delimiters in every row.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising:

identifying missing delimiters and missing values.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the reconstructing comprises:

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and subsequently filling in NULL for the missing values.

8. A method for generating structured data from semi-structured data, the method comprising:

reading a plurality of records from a data file comprising semi-structured data;

obtaining aligned delimiters in a list for every record that has been read;

selecting a most occurring delimiter from the list;

constructing a regular expression using the selected delimiter to split the records into different fields;

identifying missing delimiters and missing values;

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and split into the different fields, and subsequently filling in NULL for the missing values; and

displaying the records in a split tabulated form.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the obtaining comprises:

aligning read records using dynamic time warping.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the obtaining further comprises:

identifying matching non-alpha characters as initial delimiters list D1.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the obtaining further comprises iteratively performing:

picking a test record (test);

aligning the test record with aligned record (A);

obtaining common delimiters list D;

aligning the common delimiters list D with initial delimiters list D1 using dynamic time warping;

obtaining aligned records delimiters list D2;

adding D2 to a delimiter set S; and

repeating above steps till N number of test records are processed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the semi-structured data comprises at least one of:

end of line delimiter as a new line character;

column delimiter as alphanumeric;

column delimiter as multi-byte or multi-character;

different column delimiter for every column; and

any number of column delimiters in every row.

13. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform a method for providing information to at user, the method comprising

reading a plurality of records from a data file comprising semi-structured data;

obtaining aligned delimiters in a list for every record that has been read;

selecting a most occurring delimiter from the list;

constructing a regular expression using the selected delimiter to split the records into different fields;

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and split into the different fields; and

displaying the records split into the different fields.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the obtaining comprises:

aligning read records using dynamic time warping.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the obtaining further comprises:

identifying matching non-alpha characters as initial delimiters list D1.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the obtaining further comprises iteratively performing:

picking a test record (test);

aligning the test record with aligned record (A);

obtaining common delimiters list D;

aligning the common delimiters list D with initial delimiters list D1 using dynamic time warping;

obtaining aligned records delimiters list D2;

adding D2 to a delimiter set S; and

repeating above steps till N number of test records are processed.

17. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the semi-structured data comprises at least one of:

end of line delimiter as a new line character;

column delimiter as alpha numeric;

column delimiter as multi-byte or multi-character;

different column delimiter for every column; and

any number of column delimiters in every row.

18. The system as claimed in claim 13 and further comprising:

identifying missing delimiters and missing values.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the reconstructing comprises:

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and subsequently filling in NULL for the missing values.

20. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the reconstructing comprises: applying symmetric delimiters to split the records into the different fields.

21. A method for generating structured data from semi-structured data, the method comprising:

reading a plurality of records from a data file comprising semi-structured data;

aligning read records using dynamic time warping;

obtaining aligned delimiters in a list for every record that has been read;

selecting a most occurring delimiter from the list;

constructing a regular expression using the selected delimiter to split the records into different fields;

reconstructing the records for the regular expression to fit and split into the different fields; and

displaying the records split into the different fields.