Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for extracting information from a database, which comprises a plurality of data records, each data record comprising at least two data elements, each data element being defined by a data element type and a data element value. First, the data records are read into the primary memory of a computer, so that all processing of the data may be done off-line. Then, the data element values are binary-coded and stored in one or more tables. When the selection of at least one data element value is detected, all binary-coded data element values are examined to obtain all data records implied by selection. Due to the binary-coding, these data records are found very quickly. Finally the data element values implied by the selection is kept track of in a status set.

Abstract: A method of displaying a large number of interdependent data elements in a computer screen area that is small compared with the number of data elements to be displayed is disclosed. Each data element is defined by a data element type and a data element value and has an associated status value. The method comprises the steps of displaying the data element types of the data elements as a scrollable list in the computer screen area, and, for each data element type which defines more than one different data element which has a predetermined status value, displaying a predetermined indication thereof in association with the data element type in the scrollable list; and sorting, in response to a change of the status value of at least one of the data elements, the data element types in the scrollable list according to the status values of the data elements defined by the data element types.