English Query
Expanding an English Query Model
After creating a basic English Query Model with the project wizards, you can refine and expand it by:
- Adding database objects, entities, relationships, and even other databases.
- Creating a mixed SQL/OLAP model.
- Utilizing the full-text search feature of Microsoft Search service.
To refine your model, choose among the following methods:
- Graphical authoring in the Model Editor, which is a diagramming tool that displays the entities and relationships in the English Query model. You can also drag entities onto one another to automatically create relationships between them.
- Manual authoring, which is done by starting with an empty project and adding entities and relationships individually. It is supported by commands on the English Query Model menu.
- Authoring by example, which provides the ability to start with questions that a user may ask. The Suggestion Wizard returns suggested entities and phrasings that need to be defined to answer the questions. The Suggestion Wizard is particularly useful in the testing phase, when you want to see what entities and relationships are missing from the model.
- Programmatic authoring, which is supported by Semantic Modeling Format (SMF) and the Authoring object model. SMF is an XML-based language that is used for persisting English Query model information (entities and relationships and their ties to the database).
Note English Query is English-only, and the user interface for the authoring tool does not support double-byte character keyboard input. However, Unicode data in the database is supported.
See Also
Adding Question Builder to an English Query Application
Authoring with Semantic Modeling Format
Creating a Mixed English Query Model
Creating an English Query Model
Defining Entities in an English Query Model
Enabling Analysis Services for an English Query Model
Enabling SQL for an English Query Model