Computer systems and methods for the query and visualization of multidimensional databases
In response to a user request, a computer generates a graphical user interface on a computer display. A schema information region of the graphical user interface includes multiple operand names, each operand name associated with one or more fields of a multi-dimensional database. A data visualization region of the graphical user interface includes multiple shelves. Upon detecting a user selection of the operand names and a user request to associate each user-selected operand name with a respective shelf in the data visualization region, the computer generates a visual table in the data visualization region in accordance with the associations between the operand names and the corresponding shelves. The visual table includes a plurality of panes, each pane having at least one axis defined based on data for the fields associated with a respective operand name.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
at a computer having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors:
receiving a visual specification, wherein the visual specification corresponds to a data visualization scheme of a multi-dimensional database;
determining one or more queries from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more queries includes at least two levels corresponding to a hierarchical structure of the database;
constructing one or more visual tables from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more visual tables includes a plurality of panes;
retrieving a plurality of tuples from the database, wherein each tuple satisfies at least one of the one or more queries; and
for a retrieved tuple, generating a respective visual mark within one of the plurality of panes of a respective visual table.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the visual specification comprises a plurality of expressions of operands of the database and each of the expressions defines a respective axis of a plurality of axes for the one or more visual tables.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of axes comprise at least x and y axes.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the operands comprise measures and dimensions, and wherein the dimension operands partition the visual table into rows and columns and the measure operands are spatially encoded as axes within the panes of the visual table.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
displaying a graphical user interface providing a plurality of shelves, each associated with a respective axis of the plurality of axes; and
enabling a user to input via graphical user interface the visual specification by associating each of the plurality of shelves with a respective one of the expressions of operands, thereby associating a corresponding axis of the plurality of axes with the respective one of the plurality of expressions.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a pane specification from the visual specification, wherein the pane specification defines the marks for the panes defined by a particular combination of terms for the plurality of the axes.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising constructing from the visual specification algebraic expressions that define how the visual table is partitioned into rows, columns and layers.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the algebraic expressions constructed from the visual specification further define spatial encodings within each pane of particular combinations of terms for the plurality of the axes.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the visual specification defines an organization of the one or more panes into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical structure is associated with time and comprises a plurality of fields corresponding to different time dimensions.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the different time dimensions comprise two or more of: day, week, month, quarter and year.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the visual specification comprises receiving the visual specification from a user.
13. A system for interpreting a visual specification, comprising:
a computer having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors, one or more of the programs being configured to:
receive a visual specification, wherein the visual specification corresponds to a data visualization scheme of a multi-dimensional database;
determine one or more queries from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more queries includes at least two levels corresponding to a hierarchical structure of the database;
construct one or more visual tables from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more visual tables includes a plurality of panes;
retrieve a plurality of tuples from the database, wherein each tuple satisfies at least one of the one or more queries; and
for a retrieved tuple, generate a respective visual mark within one of the plurality of panes of a respective visual table.
14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
receiving a visual specification, wherein the visual specification corresponds to a data visualization scheme of a multi-dimensional database;
determining one or more queries from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more queries includes at least two levels corresponding to a hierarchical structure of the database;
constructing one or more visual tables from the visual specification, wherein at least one of the one or more visual tables includes a plurality of panes;
retrieving a plurality of tuples from the database, wherein each tuple satisfies at least one of the one or more queries; and
for a retrieved tuple, generating a respective visual mark within one of the plurality of panes of a respective visual table.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the visual specification comprises a plurality of expressions of operands of the database and each of the expressions defines a respective axis of a plurality of axes for the one or more visual tables.
16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operands comprise measures and dimensions, and wherein the dimension operands partition the visual table into rows and columns and the measure operands are spatially encoded as axes within the panes of the visual table.
17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for: constructing from the visual specification algebraic expressions that define how the visual table is partitioned into rows, columns and layers.
18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the algebraic expressions constructed from the visual specification further define spatial encodings within each pane of particular combinations of terms for the plurality of the axes.
19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the visual specification defines an organization of the one or more panes into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the hierarchical structure is associated with time and comprises a plurality of fields corresponding to different time dimensions.