Method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data
The invention describes a method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data. According to the invention, given one or more sets of partitioning data, one may construct a set of families based on the values of fields and attributes of the records in a database system. The families are stored and managed in separate tables. The records in data tables are identified as belonging to one or more families. Furthermore, families may be represented in a hierarchical structure. Families may also inherit from each other based on a parent to child relationship also stored in the database. The invention provides means for fast and organized retrieval of sets data from a database. These and other features greatly facilitate automatic and consistent document generation.
1. In a database system, a method for structuring families of data items comprising:
obtaining a non-empty set of family items from a main table in a database wherein each family item selected from said non-empty set of family items represents at least one first field value found in a first field in at least one record of said main table in said database and wherein said family item is not accessed if said at least one first field value associated with said family item does not exist within said first field in any row of said main table in said database;
assigning a family identifier to each of said non-empty set of family items wherein said family identifier does not comprise a one to one correspondence to a category identifier found in a category field of said main table in said database;
building a hierarchy between said non-empty set of family items in a family table wherein said family table is separate from said main data table and wherein a child family is associated with an additional at least one second field having a second field value found in said main table and associated with said family identifier and wherein a parent family is not associated with said additional at least one second field value and wherein said family identifier and said at least one second field are stored in a family partition table;
providing an indirect partition of data records of said main table via said family table wherein a family identifier is not stored in any field in any record of said main table in said database; and
managing said set of family items and said hierarchy in said family table in response to a change in said data records in said main table by deleting any family items in said family table that no longer have associated field values in an associated field in any row of said main table of said database when a first record is deleted from said database and adding at least one new family item when a new record comprising a new field value is inserted into said main table of said database.
2. In a database system, a method for structuring families of data items comprising:
obtaining a non-empty set of family items from a main table in a database wherein each family item selected from said non-empty set of family items represents at least one first field value found in a first field in at least one record of said main table in said database and wherein said family item is not accessed if said at least one first field value associated with said family item does not exist within said first field in any row of said main table in said database;
assigning a family identifier to each of said non-empty set of family items wherein said family identifier does not comprise a one to one correspondence to a category identifier found in a category field of said main table in said database;
building a hierarchy between said non-empty set of family items in a family table wherein said family table is separate from said main data table and wherein a child family is associated with an additional at least one second field having a second field value found in said main table and associated with said family identifier and wherein a parent family is not associated with said additional at least one second field value and wherein said family identifier and said at least one second field are stored in a family partition table;
providing an indirect partition of data records of said main table via said family table wherein a family identifier is not stored in any field in any record of said main table in said database; and
managing said set of family items and said hierarchy in said family table in response to a change in said data records in said main table by deleting any family items in said family table that no longer have associated field values in an associated field in any row of said main table of said database when a first record is modified in said database and adding at least one new family item when a new record comprising a new field value is modified in said main table of said database.