Search-on-the-fly/sort-on-the-fly search engine for searching databases

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon machine instructions executable by a processor for accessing data from a data source, wherein executing the machine instructions causes the processor to:

• using search-on-the-fly, display an initial view of the data source, the initial view comprising as a first data field result list, a dynamically-determined set of first available data fields upon which a data query may be run;
• and
• execute data queries, comprising:
• execute a search-on-the-fly operation, wherein the processor:
• receives a first selection of one of the first available data fields and
• displays as a first data element result list, a first set of available data elements of the selected first available data field,
• execute a sort-on-the-fly operation, wherein the processor:
• receives a sort-on-the-fly command;
• and
• displays a second view of the data source, the second view comprising as a second data field result list, all data fields from the initial view except the selected first available data field, and
• repeats search-on-the-fly and sort-on-the-fly operations until a desired data query result is achieved.

A computer-implemented method for searching a data source, comprising:

• displaying, by a computer, a first list of available first iconic values, each of the first iconic values representing one or more data elements of the data source;
• executing a dynamic search operation of the data source, comprising:
• receiving a selection of a first iconic value from the first list of first iconic values,
• based on the received selection, retrieving a set of second iconic values, each second iconic value in the second set of iconic values bearing a relationship to the selected first iconic value, each of the second iconic values representing one or more of the data elements, and
• displaying the set of second iconic values;
• executing a dynamic sort operation, comprising:
• displaying a decimated version of the first list of iconic values,
• receiving, from the decimated version, a selection of a second one of the first iconic values,
• filtering the second set of iconic values according to the selected second one of the first iconic values, and
• displaying the filtered second set as a third set of iconic values;
• and
• repeating the dynamic search and sort operations until a desired result is achieved.

A computer-implemented method for searching data, comprising:

• displaying, by the computer, a first plurality of available views of the data, each view identified by a data descriptor, each data descriptor identifying general contents of its associated view;
• receiving a first query comprising a selection of a first view of the data from the first plurality of available views;
• returning a first result comprising one or more first icons representing data elements of the first view;
• receiving a second query comprising at least one of a selection from a second view of the data, a keyword, and a selection from the first result;
• and
• returning a second result corresponding to the second query and including one or more second icons, the second icons representing every data element satisfying both the first query and the second query.