JPH04273576A - Data base inquiry system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To minimize a handling time for input of the same item by retrieving a data base on the conditional expression for the retrieval and by displaying the retrieval result on the terminal screen. CONSTITUTION:When a retrieval item number is inputted from the keyboard, a condition input function 1 displays the input field for the retrieval item corresponding to the number on the back of same line and urges the input of the value. A condition preservation function 2 preserves the inputted value with the condition that it remains inputted in the working memory or the working file of the inquiry system. Furthermore, a conditional formula generation function 3 generates the conditional formula with the names and values of the items preserved in the working memory or the working file of the condition preservation function 2, while a data base retrieval function 4 retrieves the data base based on the conditional formula generated by the conditional formula generation function 3. And an answer screen display function 5 reads the data showing physical or logical storage position for the data for a case from the working file generated by the data base retrieval function and displays the data on the terminal screen.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a database search method in an online system that transmits data via a communication line, and more particularly to a database inquiry system that returns answers to inquiry requests from terminal devices.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional database search methods create and use data index files necessary for speeding up search processing, in addition to user data that is consciously used by the user. A data index file is composed of data indicating the physical or logical storage location of certain user data on a database, and data of a single item to be searched. The data index file is realized by a file organization called an index sequential organization file, and a single item of user data to be searched is the key.

A conventional search system reads a data index file using data to be searched as a key, and writes physical or logical storage location data of user data to a work file. This work file is called a subset file.

[0004] Search systems sometimes express search conditions using logical expressions called conditional expressions. A conditional expression is composed of a single condition or a composite condition of independent single conditions. If you want to search the database using a conditional expression and create a subset file using another conditional expression, read the contents of the subset file, find out the storage location of the user data to be searched, and read that data. There is a method of determining whether the condition is applicable or not, and a method of generating a new subset of the conditional expression and multiplying it with a previously generated subset to generate the subset. At this time, if the user wants to re-enter even one value of an item that was previously input, he or she has to re-enter all of the items that have been input so far.

[0005]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When the subset of a database generated by searching with an existing conditional expression is smaller than the subset desired as a query result, it is necessary to combine multiple single conditions forming the previously searched conditional expression. If you try to perform a search process using conditional expressions other than one, there is a drawback that you will have to re-enter all of the multiple single conditions that you have previously entered from the keyboard.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to re-enter a plurality of single conditions previously input from the keyboard by simply re-entering one single condition that is desired to be removed from a plurality of single conditions input from the keyboard. It's about doing.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The database inquiry system of the present invention has a condition input function for inputting search conditions, a condition storage function for saving the input conditions, and a condition for searching based on the saved conditions. Conditional expression generation function that generates expressions,
It has a database search function that searches the database based on conditional expressions, and an answer screen display function that displays the search results on the terminal screen.

Further, in the database inquiry system of the present invention, a newly input condition is reflected in the saved condition to generate a conditional expression and search is performed.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the database inquiry system is comprised of a condition input function 1, a condition storage function 2, a condition expression generation function 3, a database search function 4, and an answer screen display function 5.

When a search item number is input from the keyboard, the condition input function 1 displays an input field for the search item corresponding to that number at the end of the same line, prompting the user to input the value. Next, check whether the value is a valid value,
If the value is not valid, a message is displayed on the terminal screen to prompt the user to input the search item again, and if the value is valid, the process is transferred to the condition storage function 2.

Here, it is assumed that a1 is an item number, b1 is an item name, and c1 is an input value. For example, when a cursor is displayed on the terminal screen and the operator inputs a1 from the keyboard, b1 is displayed on the same line on the same screen, and the cursor is displayed in the subsequent field. At this time, the operator inputs c1 from the keyboard. If the value of c1 must be a certain code, the query system refers to the corresponding code table and checks whether the value is valid. If c1 is valid as the applicable code, the process of inputting the next item number is repeated. If item number 99 indicates the end of input, when 99 is input, condition input function 1 is ended and condition storage function 2 is performed.

The condition storage function 2 stores the input values in the working memory or working file of the inquiry system as they are input. However, if you want to perform a new search for all data rather than a narrowed search that further searches from the previous search results, initialize and save the work memory or work file of the inquiry system. The conditional expression generation function 3 creates a conditional expression using the item values and item names saved in the work memory or work file by the condition storage function 2. For example, if c1 is input, “b1=
c1'' is a conditional expression that searches for data in which the value of item b1 is c1.

The database search function 4 searches the database based on the conditional expression generated by the conditional expression generation function 3. For example, for the conditional expression "b1=c1", read the record whose record key is c1 in the data index file of b1. The record stores data indicating the physical or logical storage location of the corresponding data on the database, and the data is written to the work file for the corresponding number of items.

The answer screen display function 5 reads out data indicating the physical or logical storage location of one item of data from the work file created by the database search function 4 and displays it on the terminal screen. At this time, the operator is prompted to input from the terminal keyboard whether to display the next data or to terminate the answer screen display function 5.

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] The following effects can be achieved by the present invention. Unlike the conventional method of inheriting conditional expressions or inheriting subset files, conditions can be narrowed down or loosened freely, and the effort of inputting the same items can be kept to a minimum, improving the man-machine interface. Furthermore, since an optimized conditional expression is generated by constantly generating a new conditional expression from input items, search time can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Condition input function 2 Condition save function 3 Conditional expression generation function 4 Database search function 5 Answer screen display function

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A condition input function for inputting search conditions, a condition save function for saving input conditions, a condition expression generation function for generating a condition expression for a search based on the saved conditions, and a condition expression generation function for generating a condition expression for searching based on the saved conditions. A database inquiry system characterized by having a database search function for searching a database based on a database, and an answer screen display function for displaying search results on a terminal screen. 2. The database inquiry system according to claim 1, wherein a conditional expression is generated and searched by reflecting a newly input condition on a saved condition.