Ask a Question can build queries for any items contained in the Filopto database and accessible by the user. Ask a Question allows end users to build their own queries without needing to understand the database design or table relationships. Users describe their queries by selecting plain English (or any other language) terms.
All the "Ask a Question" needs to know is what database dictionary to use. A Data Dictionary (Data Model Editor) contains the list of available tables for one database and list of fields for one table in a database. It also contains the links between tables so you may query on several items at a time. Filopto has several Data dictionaries pre-defined for easy use by you. However, if for some reason you do not find a data dictionary suitable to your needs, we also provide you with the ability to create your own custom dictionaries.
During query building Ask a Question shows long field descriptions instead of actual field names, operators spelled out (e.g. "is equal to") rather than mathematical symbols and field value descriptions (e.g. "MasterCard") rather than actual values ("MC").
Ask a Question does not require users to know which fields are in what table. That is, when building a query, the user browses through a field list that can contain fields from multiple tables. The term "Field" in the Ask a Question is not the same as the field in the database table. Each field corresponds with the database table field, but it has also additional parameters like Display Name (Caption), list of available conditional operators and the editor type.
The list of fields is the global list for the database. Each field corresponds to some entity of the real world so you don't need to include the auxiliary table fields like primary keys into the field list .
What you get
Ask a Question generates an SQL SELECT statement designed to capture the information you specified.
Ask a Question automatically builds multiple table queries based on table join information stored in the Data Dictionary selected. A smart table join method automatically builds a join condition to link the tables whose fields were selected by your user.
You can save queries into the Filopto database for further use. Saved queries can be loaded later and additionally edited by the end user. Once the query is executed, the Query Result tab displays the information and permits users to print the result.
