Browsing large online data tables using generalized query previews

Abstract

Companies, government agencies, and other organizations are making their data available to the world over the Internet. They often use large online relational tables for this purpose. Users query such tables with front-ends that typically use menus or form fillin interfaces, but these interfaces rarely give users information about the contents and distribution of the data. Such a situation leads users to waste time and network/server resources posing queries that have zero- or mega-hit results. Generalized query previews enable efficient browsing of large online data tables by supplying data distribution information to users. The data distribution information provides continuous feedback abo..