Automatic layout derivation and implementation

A computer program product for implementing a method for determining a data insertion point in a data layout based on defined hierarchies between data objects, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:

• an act of receiving a user input indicating that an additional portion of information is to be added to an existing data layout, wherein the data layout comprises a plurality of different data objects;
• an act of accessing the plurality of data objects to determine one or more defined hierarchies and one or more relative cardinalities between the data objects in the data layout and the additional portion of information;
• an act of determining an optimal data insertion point for inserting the additional portion of information into the data layout based on the defined hierarchies and the determined relative cardinalities between the data objects;
• wherein the act of determining an optimal point includes an act of determining the insertion point that results in fewest blank cells;
• an act of inserting the additional portion of information in the existing data layout at the determined optimal data insertion point.

A computer system comprising the following:

• one or more processors;
• system memory;
• one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform a method for determining a data insertion point in a data layout based on relative cardinalities between data objects, the method comprising the following:
• an act of receiving a user input indicating that an additional portion of information is to be added to an existing data layout, wherein the data layout comprises a plurality of different data objects and wherein the user input adds a portion of metadata associated with the layout indicating that various data objects are or are not to be grouped on;
• an act of accessing the plurality of data objects to determine relative cardinalities between the data objects in the data layout;
• an act of accessing the portion of metadata to determine on which data objects data is to be grouped;
• an act of determining an optimal data insertion point for inserting the additional portion of information into the data layout based on both the determined relative cardinalities between the data objects and the metadata indicating which data objects are to be grouped on;
• wherein the act of determining an optimal point includes an act of determining the insertion point that results in fewest blank cells;
• and
• an act of inserting the additional portion of information in the existing data layout at the determined optimal data insertion point.