Method, system, program, and data structure for cleaning a database table

A computer implemented system for performing a clean operation on an input table having an input data table name, comprising;

• means for receiving at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein each rule definition is associated with one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value, and wherein a rule table column parameter for each rule definition indicates the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definition;
• means for searching, for each rule definition, the input data column for any fields that match the find criteria;
• means for determining whether the rule definition specifies an output table;
• and
• means for, in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, directly inserting, for each rule definition, the replacement value in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions.

An article of manufacture for use performing a clean operation on an input table in a database having an input data table name, the article of manufacture comprising computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

• receiving at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein each rule definition is associated with one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value, and wherein a rule table column parameter for each rule definition indicates the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definition;
• searching, for each rule definition, the input data column for any fields that match the find criteria;
• determining whether the rule definition specifies an output table;
• and
• in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, directly inserting, for each rule definition, the replacement value in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions.

A memory device including a command data structure, comprising:

• an input data table name parameter indicating the input table subject to the clean operation;
• and
• at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition includes a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein, for each rule definition, the input data column is searched for any fields that match the find criteria, wherein, for each rule definition, it is determined whether the rule definition specifies an output table, and in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, the replacement value is directly inserted in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions, and wherein at least one rule definition further includes:
• an indication of one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the at least two rule definitions, such that the one rule table includes the find criteria and replacement value for the at least two rule definitions and a rule table column parameter for the at least two rule definitions indicating the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definitions.