Analyzing data using data fields from multiple objects in an object model

#The disclosed implementations relate generally to analyzing data from data sources, and more specifically to analyzing data using data visualizations constructed according to data fields from multiple objects in an object model.

#Data visualization applications enable a user to understand information in a database visually, including distribution, trends, outliers, and other factors that are important to making business decisions. In some cases, it is necessary for a user to access information from different data sources or tables to build a data visualization or create a custom calculation. For example, a large database may include hundreds or thousands of distinct tables or views, and it is frequently necessary to combine many of the tables in order to get a desired result. In some cases, a user's analysis requires access to more than one database (e.g., one or more tables in an SQL database and also data stored in a spreadsheet or CSV file). When there are many objects, it can be difficult for a user to find or access the right data.

#Some data visualization applications provide a user interface that enables users to build data visualizations and perform calculations. However, when using data from more than one object or table in the database, information regarding relationships between the objects may be required, or the tables may need to be joined in order to generate a new data set that includes data from multiple tables needed for a data visualization.

#For a better understanding of the aforementioned implementations of the invention as well as additional implementations, reference should be made to the Description of Implementations below, in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.

#FIG. 1A illustrates example of an object model representation of a multi-object data source in accordance with some implementations.

#FIG. 1B illustrates an example of a data visualization interface in an object-based display mode in accordance with some implementations.

#Reference will now be made in detail to implementations, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

#Some implementations of an interactive data visualization application use an object model 102 to show relationships 106 between data objects 104, as shown in FIG. 1A. The data objects 104 that are part of the object model may be stored locally (e.g., on the same device that is displaying the user interface) or may be stored externally (e.g., on a database server or in the cloud). In this example, each relationship 106 is a many-to-one relationship between two data objects 104 in the object model. (The arrows point from the “one” side of each relationship to the “many” side of the relationship.) The hierarchical structure of the object model allows the relationships between the data objects 104 in the object model to be visualized. The object model 102 may also show characteristics or data fields that are present in each of the data objects 104 and link them to other data fields or characteristics in related data objects. The many-to-one relationships between the data objects 104 shows the organizational structure of the object model 102. In some instances, each data object corresponds to a database table or a distinct physical file.

#Some implementations of an interactive data visualization application use an object model 102 to represent a multi-object data source. In some instances, an object model 102 applies to one database (e.g., one SQL database or one spreadsheet file), but an object model may encompass two or more databases. Typically, unrelated databases have distinct object models. In some instances, the object model 102 closely mimics the data model of the physical database (e.g., classes in the object model correspond to data sets or tables in a database). However, in some cases the object model 102 is more normalized (or less normalized) than the physical data sources. An object model 102 groups together attributes (e.g., data fields) that have a one-to-one relationship with each other to form classes (data objects 104), and identifies many-to-one relationships 106 among the classes. In the illustrations below, the many-to-one relationships are illustrated with arrows, with the arrows originating from the “one” side of the relationship and pointing towards the “many” side of each relationship. When an object model is constructed, it can facilitate analyzing data from the data source using data fields that are specified or selected by a user. In some implementations, the data fields correspond to columns in the data set (e.g., in a data table).