JPH10247202A - Search system and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Modifications) [Problem] A search system for notifying display data to a client is modularized by providing a definition body for providing an operating environment, a template for each screen, and a data access library. Various screens are constructed only with the definition of, and compatibility is ensured to simplify design, development, and testing. SOLUTION: A template file defining a position where search results are stored in display data on a search result display screen, a search target database for each search target item, and an environment definition body defining a display data format of the search results, Data access means for searching a database according to the specification of a search condition statement, and referring to the environment definition body when the search is specified,
Generate a search condition sentence to the search target database corresponding to the specified item, request the data access means to search,
The search result is converted according to the corresponding display data format, and output to the storage position in the template as display data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a search system and a storage medium for searching a database for items specified by a client, and notifying the client of display data based on the display format of the search result on the client side. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a WWW server system or the like, which is an information providing means on the Internet, a server name (URL: uniform resource locati) on a network specified by a browser incorporated in a personal computer on the client side.
Specifying (on) connects to the specified server and displays the information transferred from the server on the browser. HTML (Hyper Text Markup), which is information transferred from the server
Language) document, if a file name is specified from the client side, the corresponding file is displayed on the browser on the client. In addition, it is also possible to notify the server of information input from the browser and return a processing result corresponding to the input content to the browser for display. The external program that performs processing such as search called on the server side in this way is called a gateway, and the activated gateway receives the input contents from the client browser via the CGI (Common Gateway Interface) from the server and processes the result. Is returned to the server side (hereinafter, the external program of the gateway is referred to as a CGI application program). The server that performs the processing notifies the client of the processing result file notified from the gateway as an HTML document, and the browser on the client displays it on the screen. When a search condition is input from a browser and a search result is displayed, the configuration shown in FIG. 8 has been used. Hereinafter, the configuration of FIG. 8 will be briefly described.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art. In FIG. 8, a browser 31 is incorporated in a client such as a personal computer to designate a connection destination on a WWW server and access it to capture various information and display it on a screen. In this example, a search key input screen 32 for inputting a search key, which is accessed and transferred to a server performing a database search, is displayed, and a search result list screen 33 for displaying a list of search results by the input search key is displayed. ing.

[0004] The WWW server 41 comprises a CGI application program 42 for performing various processes in response to access from the browser 31. C
Here, the GI application program 42 includes a screen generation unit 43, an input / output data processing and branch processing unit 4
4 and an output unit 45 for external data.

The screen generation unit 43 generates an HTML document which is a screen for inputting search conditions or displaying search results in response to access from the browser 31.

[0006] Input / output data processing and branch processing unit 44
Is used to process input / output data, control branching between a plurality of screens displayed on the browser, and the like.
The extraction unit 45 for external data searches data from an external database in accordance with conditions specified by the browser and displays the data on the browser.

[0007]

[0008] Under the configuration of FIG. 8 described above, the browser 31 accesses the WWW server 41, takes in the search key input screen generated by the screen generation unit 43, and inputs a search key. The data processed by the input data processing and branching processing unit 44 is displayed on the search result list screen, and the external data (database) is searched by the external data output unit 45 and the list is searched. When displayed on the search result list screen, there were the following problems.

(1) According to the specifications of the CGI interface, the CGI application program 42 includes a screen generation unit 43 for displaying a screen on the browser 31
Input / output data processing and branch processing unit 4 for controlling GI
4 and the three procedures of the extraction unit 45 for external data had to be developed as one program for each screen displayed on the browser 31.

(2) When developing the system shown in FIG. 8 by each vendor, tools that are easy to develop are provided in consideration of productivity, but between the tools,
There is a problem that they are not compatible and are performed using vendor-specific development procedures.

(3) There is a problem in that the configuration of the WWW server and the product of the target external data (such as a database) is limited because it is a development resource unique to the vendor. In order to solve these problems, the present invention provides a definition body that provides an operating environment, a template for each screen, and a data access library to make a module, and constructs various screens only by defining the definition body and the template. The goal is to simplify design, development, testing, and so on.

[0011]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a WWW server 11 displays a screen in response to access from the browser 1 to display search results and the like, and includes a CGI application program 12, a definition body 13, a template 14, It comprises a data access library 15 and the like.

CGI application program 12
Is used to change the screen based on a screen ID which is an identifier for each screen type and a button indicating a process specified from the screen. The button displays processing contents (cancellation, confirmation, etc.) that can be selected on the input screen, and executes the processing by selecting the button.

The definition body 13 is an internal table for defining screen transition information and a corresponding template name.
The template 14 is a format of an HTML document to be notified to the browser, and includes a fixed portion such as a title and a variable portion such as a search result. For the items to be searched in the external database, the data access library is requested to perform a search process, the search results are embedded in the template, and the browser is notified.

The data access library 15 accesses external data according to instructions from the browser and the description in the template and returns the result. In the process of accessing the external database, a search sentence is automatically generated and executed in accordance with the instruction from the browser and the description in the template. Therefore, the specification of the document DB and items can be variably specified instead of being fixed in the program.

Next, the operation will be described. In response to the access from the browser 1, the CGI application program 12 of the WWW server 11 extracts the template name based on the screen transition information according to the selected button with reference to the definition body 13, and obtains the extracted template name. The screen and external data are extracted from the template 14 as necessary, and the data access library 1 is retrieved in response to the search instruction.
5 accesses the external data 16, returns the result, and displays the result on the screen embedded in the template.

Therefore, by providing a definition body 13 for providing an operating environment, a template 14 for each screen, and a data access library 15 and modularizing them, various screens can be constructed only by the definition of the definition body 13 and the template 14 and compatible. It is possible to simplify the design, development, test, etc., while ensuring the performance, and even if the screen is changed, there is no need to correct it from the source program.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment and operation of the present invention will be described in detail sequentially with reference to FIGS. Here, a program read from a recording medium or a hard disk device as an external storage device, or a program transferred from a center via a line is loaded into the main storage and activated, and various processes described below are performed. Like that.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a browser 1 accesses a WWW server 11, which is a server, via a line via the Internet or the like to capture a screen and input data, display a search result on a screen, and the like. , An HTML document described in the HTML language.

The HTML document 2 is a document described in the HTML language, and here, is composed of a search item input area 3, a search result display area 4, and information on layout between screens 5 and the like.

The search item input area 3 is an area for inputting an item to be searched. The search result display area 4 is an area for displaying search results. The routing information 5 between screens is
This is information for identifying from which browser the processing request is issued.

In the WWW server system, the exchange between the browser on the client and the WWW server is independent for each session. Therefore, for example, even if the client notifies the server of the search condition and then notifies the additional search condition, the server cannot identify the additional condition. Therefore, DISPLA which is identification information for collectively managing a plurality of screens to be displayed on the client.
A related screen is managed by embedding a Y ID or the like between HTML documents.

The WWW server 11 displays a screen in response to access from the browser 1 to input search items, display search results, and the like.
CGI application program 12, definition body 13,
Template 14 and data access library 1
5 and the like.

CGI application program 12
Is to change the screen based on the screen ID and the button identification. The definition body 13 defines a template name or the like corresponding to screen transition information, and includes a button DEC, a screen transition DEC, a display item DEC, a search item DEC, and the like, as shown in FIG. Things.

The template 14 defines a screen and, if necessary, a search for external data in association with the template name. The data access library 15 accesses the external data 16 and returns the result.

The external data 16 is external data such as a database. A program for realizing the functions of the present application is provided on a medium, installed in a server device as shown in FIG. 1, and operates on a memory.

Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described in detail according to the order shown in the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, S1 decodes a CGI variable group. This corresponds to the U described in S41 of FIG.
Decode RL http://test.co.jp/cgi-bin/search.

In step S2, the value of the DISPLAYID of the CGI variable is obtained. In step S3, a button ID list corresponding to DISPLYID is acquired from the button DEC. S4 is the acquired button I
The D list is compared with the button ID in the CGI variable, and processing of the corresponding button ID from S5 is performed.

In this description, the search to the DB is described as an example, and the processing that can be designated on the screen includes “search”, “next screen display”, “previous screen display”, “(by canceling the processing) Screen initialization "and the like. Therefore, when these processes are designated from the browser by the selection button, the WW
The processing flow on the W server side is shown below.

At S5, if the button ID is "BNO1" (search), the process directly proceeds to S16. S6, button ID = “B
In the case of "NO2" (display the next screen with only the screen branch), the record corresponding to the DISPLYID and the button ID obtained in S10 is read from the button DEC, and the branch item name is obtained.
Matches the CGI variable with the branch item name, obtains the value corresponding to the branch item name, and obtains the DISPLYID obtained from the screen transition DEC and the lower DISP corresponding to the branch item name and value in S12.
Get LYID. Then, the process proceeds to S16.

In step S7, when the button ID is "BNO2" (display of the next screen of the result display), in step S13, the upper rank of the screen transition DEC is displayed.
DISPLYID of lower order that DISPLYID and acquired DISPLYID match
To get. Then, the process proceeds to S16.

S8: Button ID = “BNO4” (previous screen display)
In the case of, the upper DISPLYID in which the lower DISPLYID of the screen transition DEC matches the obtained DISPLYID is acquired in S14. Then, the process proceeds to S16.

In step S9, if the button ID is "other" (screen initialization), in step S15, the top screen DISPLYID is acquired from the screen transition DEC. Then, the process proceeds to S16. S1
Step 6 acquires a template name that matches the finally acquired DISPLYID from the screen transition DEC, and sequentially reads the template name.

In step S17, a description character string in the template is determined. In S18, if the description character string in the template in S17 is <INPUT TYPE = HIDDEN ...>, the CGI variable is output as the value of the non-display item in S21. The data is set in the data returned to the client, such as the display ID described above, but is not required to be displayed on the screen.

In S19, the description character string in the template in S17 is <! .... SELECT ... character string>, the data access library is called in S22. The character string after SELECT indicates a search item to the database.

In S20, the description character string <other character string> in the template of S17 appears. If this occurs, the contents of the template are output as they are in S23.

As described above, the WWW server 11 which has received the URL from the browser decodes and decodes the value of DISPLYID.
(For example, INDEX), obtain a list of button IDs corresponding to DISPLYID from the button DEC, search by the obtained button ID, display the next screen only for screen branching, display the next screen of the result display, display the previous screen, or Initialize the screen. Next, DISPLYID finally obtained from screen transition DEC
It is possible to acquire a template that matches with, to output as a value of a non-display item, call a data access library, or output the contents of the template as it is, according to the description in the template.

FIG. 3 shows a processing flowchart of the data library of the present invention. This corresponds to S22 in FIG.
It is a detailed process flowchart of. In FIG. 3, S3
1 is passed the CGI application program. ... SELECT ... character string> is divided into multiple character strings from the "character string" of "character string" using white space as a delimiter, and the group ID (character string starting with GRP =) and display item ID
(Other character strings).

In step S32, the currently acquired DISPLYID is acquired. In step S33, a record in which DISPLYID matches the group ID is read from the display item DEC, and the display item ID is read.
To acquire the attribute value of the data to be extracted corresponding to. When writing the database search result to the HTML document, add necessary data before and after the result data according to the attribute value,
Assemble HTML display sentences.

In step S34, a record in which the DISPLYID matches the group ID is read from the search item DEC, the items corresponding to the CGI variables are analyzed, and a conditional statement for extracting data is assembled.

In step S35, an instruction for data input / output is assembled from the conditional statement and the display statement. Then, the contents are returned to the CGI application by outputting the extraction result. As described above, when the data access library 15 is called in S22 of FIG. 2, it is possible to automatically assemble and retrieve a conditional sentence, and automatically generate and return an HTML document as an extraction result. .

FIG. 4 shows an example of an operation image according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4A, a URL is specified from a browser. This starts the product search CGI application program from the browser 1 as described on the right side. The browser 1 transmits, for example, URL htt: //test.co.jp/cgi-bin/search to the WWW server 11, and the WWW server 11
Call "search" (CGI application program 12) and start it (see S41 and S42 in FIG. 7).

FIG. 4B shows an example of a product search screen. In this case, the CGI application program (search) 12 activated by the URL in FIG. 4A displays the product search screen shown in S43, S44, and S45 in FIG. Here, on the product search screen, as described on the right side, after selecting a product category (here, “home appliances” is selected) as a search key, the user clicks the OK button (S46 in FIG. 7).

FIG. 4C shows an example of a search result screen. This corresponds to the selection of “household appliances” in FIG. 4B and the pressing of the confirm button, and accordingly corresponds to S47 to S47 in FIG.
With 51, the search result screen shown in the figure is displayed. Here, as described on the right side, a search result screen is displayed in response to a search condition of a product category, for example, a list of product names and prices is displayed as a list of home electric products as illustrated.

As described above, the product search screen is automatically transmitted from the WWW server 11 and displayed on the browser 1 only by transmitting the URL from the browser 1, and the product classification (for example, "home appliances") is displayed on the product search screen. Is selected and the confirm button is pressed, the WWW server can automatically search and display the search result on the search result screen.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a definition field according to the present invention. FIG. 5A shows the used button DEC. This table manages the IDs of the processing buttons that can be selected in each screen indicated by the DISPLAY ID. This button DE
C is defined as shown below by associating DISPLYID and button ID as shown.

DISPLYID Button ID Branch Item Name INDEX BN01 FIG. 5B shows the screen transition DEC used. This screen transition DEC defines a lower-order DISPLYID, a template name, a value of a branch item, etc., which is a screen transition destination, in association with a higher-order DISPLYID as shown below.

Upper DISPLYID Lower DISPLYID Template Name Branch Item Value INDEX SO1 INDEX.HTM FIG. 5C shows the display item DEC used. This table is a table that defines a display format for displaying search results. This display item DEC is DISPLYID
, A display item ID, data to be added at the front at the time of extraction, data to be added at the back at the time of extraction, the file name of the entity, the item name of the entity, and the group ID are defined as shown in the figure.

FIG. 5D shows the used search item DE.
C is shown. This table is a table that is referred to when a specified search condition is set. This search item DEC is DISP
Input item ID, file name of entity,
The entity item name, group ID, and operator at the time of search are defined as shown in the figure.

As described above, the button DEC and the screen transition DE
C, a display item DEC, and a search item DEC are defined. FIG.
Shows a template example of the present invention. This is an HTML document indicating a format for each screen.

FIG. 6E shows an example of the template used. This is the template of the template name "INDEX.HTM" in FIG. 5B described above. FIG. 6F shows an example of the template used. This corresponds to the template name "SO1.HTM" in FIG.
This is a template.

FIG. 7 shows an operation example of the present invention. this is,
With the definition body and template described in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 prepared, the specification of the URL in FIG. 4A and the display and selection of the product search screen in FIG. (C) shows a detailed procedure for displaying the search result screen.

In FIG. 7, in S41, the browser 1 designates http://test.co.jp/cgi-bin/search as a URL and transmits it.

In S42, the WWW server 11 calls the CGI application program 12 (search). S
43, since the CGI application program 12 has (1) DISPLYID = "" AND button ID = "", the topmost DISPLYID (= INDE
X).

(2) Screen transition DEC DISPLYID = INDEX
Get the template name (INDEX.HTM) from the record, and read the template. (3) The HTML data output from the contents of the template is passed to the WWW server.

In S44, the WWW server 11 passes (1) the HTML data passed from the CGI application program 12 to the browser 1.

(2) Button ID (= BN) in template
O2) and DISPLYID (= INDEX) are also embedded in the HTML data. In step S45, the browser 1 displays a product search screen in accordance with the HTML data passed from the server.

In step S46, "home appliances" (KEY001 = 001%) is selected in the product classification on the product search screen, and the confirm button (button ID = BN02) is clicked. S47 is the WWW server 1
1 calls the CGI application (search) and CG
DISPLAY ID = INDEX, BNO2, KEY001, 001% are passed as I variables.

In S48, the CG application program 12 displays (1) a button list with DISPLYID = "INDEX" as a button DE.
Obtained from C (BN01 and BN02).

(2) A button ID list is mapped to a CGI variable, and a corresponding button ID is obtained (BN02) Q (3) DISPLYID at the top of screen transition DEC and obtained DISPL
The lower order DISPLYID whose YID matches is acquired (SO1).

(4) Screen transition The template name (SO1.HTM) with DISPLYID = SO1 is acquired from DEC and read. (5) <! -SELECT-GRP = 01 MARK NAME YEN> appears in the template, so call the data access library.

In S49, the data access library 15 called in (5) performs the following processing. (1) <! -SELECT-GRP = 01 MARK YEN> to group ID (= 0
1) and display item ID (MARK, NAME, YEN) are acquired.

(2) Obtain the current DISPLYID (SO1). (3) A record whose DISPLYID and group ID match from the display item DEC is read, and a display sentence corresponding to the display item ID is assembled. MARK extracts the product code of the product master, and adds specified data before and after each extracted data. NAME and YEN are interpreted similarly.

(4) A record in which the DISPLYID and the group ID match from the search item DEC is read, and the input item ID and the CGI
Perform variable matching and construct conditional statements. Since 001 indicating the home appliance is notified as the value of the KEY001 which is the input item ID, a condition is established in which the product code of the product master matches the front of the home appliance.

(5) The result searched by the conditional sentence is put into the assembled display sentence and output as an HTML document. FIG.
As shown in (c), an image showing the selection button, a product name (OO product), and a unit price (OO yen) are displayed.

(6) <INPUT TYPE = HIDDEN NAME = HIDEKE
Since Y VALUE = ""> appears in the template, store the CGI variable in the variable name. In S50, the WWW server passes (1) the data passed from the CGI application program to the browser 1.

(2) Button ID and DISP in Template
LYID (= S01) is also passed. In step S51, a search result screen is displayed (DISPLYID: SO
1).

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Prepare a definition body that defines the operating environment of each screen, a template that defines the display format of each screen and search conditions for the database, and a data access library that performs only access processing to the database. Request a database search process from the data access library based on the contents, and prepare a processing program that generates display result data according to the search result and template, and display the same search designation and processing result as in the past on the browser. Data can be generated. Therefore, conventionally, a search specified by a processing program prepared for each screen is performed and an HTML document as a search result is created. Therefore, if there is a change in screen contents or search processing, it is necessary to correct the processing program. However, according to the present invention, it is possible to respond by changing only the data of the definition body and the template instead of the program,
Efficient correction is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a processing flowchart of a data library of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of an operation image according to a specific example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a definition body of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an example of a template according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operation example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Browser 2: HTML document 3: Search item input area 4: Search result display area 5: Information on screen layout 11: WWW server 12: CGI application program 13: Definition body 14: Template 15: Data access library 16: External data

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A search system for searching a database for an item designated by a client and notifying the client of the search result based on a display format on the client side, wherein the search result is included in the display data on a search result display screen. A template file that defines the location where is stored, a search target database for each search target item, an environment definition body that defines the display data format of the search results, and a data access unit that searches the database according to the specification of the search condition statement. When a search is specified, the environment definition body is referred to, a search condition statement to the search target database corresponding to the specified item is generated, a search is requested to the data access unit, and the search result is displayed according to the corresponding display data format. Search to convert and output as display data to storage location in the template A search system comprising: a processing unit. 2. A means for registering a template file defining a position where a search result is stored in display data of a search result display screen, a search target database for each search target item, and a display data format of the search result. Means for registering an environment definition body, data access means for searching a database in accordance with the specification of a search condition statement, and, when a search is specified, reference to the environment definition body and search conditions for a search target database corresponding to the specified item A computer which records a program for generating a sentence, requesting the data access unit to perform a search, converting a search result according to a corresponding display data format, and outputting the data as display data to a storage position in the template as display data. A readable recording medium.