As a developer or Webmaster, you can use Microsoft English Query objects to deploy English Query applications on the Internet. You use the objects, methods, properties, and parameters to edit sample VBScript or create your own script that makes the compiled application available from Active Server Pages (ASP). For an overview of this run-time system, see Overview of Deploying an Application.
English Query is a multithreaded, OLE Automation server. In addition to VBScript (including the ActiveX Server Framework), it can be called from Microsoft® Visual Basic® version 4.0 or later, or any other programming language that supports Microsoft ActiveX® controls.
The English Query object model does not presuppose any particular language, although the English Query server currently supports the English language only.
English Query translates English questions or requests about data in a Microsoft® SQL Server™ database into SQL statements. For example, it converts the question, "How many products did we ship in 1996?" into a SQL statement. Likewise, it converts a request, such as "Show me the Academy Award winners this year," into SQL statements. In addition, it provides other responses to English questions, such as requests for clarification and error checking and handling. Thus, the end user can easily retrieve information stored in the database without having to know the physical structure of the database or SQL.
However, there are several other possible responses from the English Query server when it parses an English question or request. The English Query server can respond with:
After the English Query server parses an English question or request into one of these responses, the client acts on it. For example, for a SQL command response type, the client executes the SQL. The client is also responsible for all interaction with the end user, including getting the initial English Query request from the user and displaying the data resulting from executing a query to the end user. In summary, the English Query server provides the parsing service, while the client is responsible for the user interface and for executing user questions and requests.
Using the SQL generated by the English Query server depends on the availability of a compatible database interface, such as ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), that supports access to SQL Server. You need both to provide the end user with complete English Query functionality.
Some English Query object types have a corresponding collection. A collection includes all the existing objects of that type. For example, the Commands collection contains all open Command objects. Each collection is "owned" by another object at the next higher level in the hierarchy. For example, the Commands collection is owned by the CommandResponse object.
English Query objects and collections are organized into five categories:
| Object category | Object/Collection name |
|---|---|
| Domain Management | DomainInfo object
QuestionBuilder object |
| End-User sessions | EndCommands collection Session object |
| Command responses | AnswerCmd object Command object CommandResponse object Commands collection DomainCmd object QueryCmd object Response object |
| Parsing error responses | ErrorResponse object Response object |
| Clarification responses | Listlnput object Response object StaticInput object TextInput object UserInput object UserClarifyResponse object UserInputs collection |