Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.

Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).

Abstract: Computer software applications may be separated into components and distilled into functional and identifying attributes, which may then be used to regenerate the computer software application on a different system. A component of a computer software program is received. From the component, one or more functional attributes describing the operation of the component on a first operating platform are distilled from which the component can be generated to operate on one or more operating platforms. Attributes identifying the component are identified. The functional attributes and the identifying attributes of the component are stored in a distillation store. From the distillation store, using information about a selected operating platform on which the computer software program is to be executed, components of the computer software program may be generated to execute on the selected operating platform.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to define relationships for merging template or database part tables with one or more database tables in a computer system. A database application may utilize a schema to receive metadata associated with a target database part table in one or more markup language elements. The database application may then receive metadata associated with a source database table to be joined with the target table in the schema elements. The database application may then receive join type metadata in the schema elements. The join type metadata may specify whether fields from the source table are to be merged into the target table or whether fields from the target table are to be merged into the source table. In response to receiving the target table metadata and the source table metadata, the database application may then merge the target and source tables utilizing the join type metadata.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to merge, manage, create, and reuse database parts in a computer system. Database parts may include database tables, datatypes, field combinations or entire databases. A selection of a database part is received by a database software application executing on a computer system. The application may be configured to check for metadata associated with the database part to identify an action property. If, after checking for the metadata, a merge action property is identified, then the application may check for a metadata property associated with a database table. If a merge action associated with the database table is identified, then the application may merge the database part with the database table in the database. The application may also be configured to generate a user interface for creating database parts using database tables and for creating a database part by saving a database.

Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).

Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).

Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).

Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.

Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.

Abstract: Computer software applications may be separated into components and distilled into functional and identifying attributes, which may then be used to regenerate the computer software application on a different system. A component of a computer software program is received. From the component, one or more functional attributes describing the operation of the component on a first operating platform are distilled from which the component can be generated to operate on one or more operating platforms. Attributes identifying the component are identified. The functional attributes and the identifying attributes of the component are stored in a distillation store. From the distillation store, using information about a selected operating platform on which the computer software program is to be executed, components of the computer software program may be generated to execute on the selected operating platform.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing database forms and reports. A selection of an object may be received from a database by a database software application executing on a computer system. The object may include a form or a report. The application may further receive an input to initiate saving the selected object as a new form template or a new report template. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving the selected object and save the selected object as a new form template or a new report template. Any controls, sub-forms, sub-reports, properties, macros, code, and object model references which may be included in the selected object are persisted in the newly created templates for reuse.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to define relationships for merging template or database part tables with one or more database tables in a computer system. A database application may utilize a schema to receive metadata associated with a target database part table in one or more markup language elements. The database application may then receive metadata associated with a source database table to be joined with the target table in the schema elements. The database application may then receive join type metadata in the schema elements. The join type metadata may specify whether fields from the source table are to be merged into the target table or whether fields from the target table are to be merged into the source table. In response to receiving the target table metadata and the source table metadata, the database application may then merge the target and source tables utilizing the join type metadata.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to merge, manage, create, and reuse database parts in a computer system. Database parts may include database tables, datatypes, field combinations or entire databases. A selection of a database part is received by a database software application executing on a computer system. The application may be configured to check for metadata associated with the database part to identify an action property. If, after checking for the metadata, a merge action property is identified, then the application may check for a metadata property associated with a database table. If a merge action associated with the database table is identified, then the application may merge the database part with the database table in the database. The application may also be configured to generate a user interface for creating database parts using database tables and for creating a database part by saving a database.

Abstract: A method and system for the graphical formulation of filter queries is disclosed which enables data queries to be easily chosen via selection from a menu. A signal is received to filter, or query, a data table. Next, the context of a selection of data is analyzed, and a menu of filters based on that context is formulated and displayed. A filter selection is received, and the corresponding filter is executed. The results of the filter are displayed on the screen.

Abstract: A one-screen entry point to a document management program (“program”) is provided to allow a user to browse templates associated with the program. The templates can be local templates and/or online templates provided by one or more Web services. The one-screen entry point allows a user to search, browse, or download online templates, and/or create documents using the templates. Each template is identified with a template category and displayed together with templates identified with the same template category. Local templates are presented along with online templates if the local templates and the online templates are identified with the same online template category. A user or an administrator of the program can create and/or customize local templates and local template categories. A blank template is provided so a user can create custom documents for the program.