Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2001-09-11
Chaki, Kakali (Department: 2122)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289501
ABSTRACT:
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of object-oriented programming; and, in particular to a method and system for enabling easy interchange of metadata among repositories and modeling tools implementing instances of meta-models expressible in a meta object framework.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Repositories provide a central place for recording metadata and enable one to store, manage, share and reuse information about data (i.e., metadata) that an enterprise uses. A repository can store definitional, management and operational information. Tools can be integrated with the repository to support information sharing and metadata reuse, and tool and technology models may be developed to manipulate the tool information in the repository. However, the transferring of data within models from tool to tool or from a tool to the repository has been a cumbersome and unyielding task for a long time.
Repository models typically contain classes, datatypes and messages. As more and more complex models are being built, the need arises for a method and system to transfer data in a model from place to place, e.g., to a tool that understands the UML (“Unified Modeling Language”). The present invention solves this problem by generating a data-transfer syntax in which a tool using a meta-model can transport data from place to place. It is pointed out that the present invention is not limited to UML, but is applicable to a wide variety of languages.
The prefix “meta” as used herein shall describe a relationship. For example, “meta-data” describes data. In a similar fashion, a meta-object is an object that represents “meta-data”; and, “meta-model” means a model that defines an abstract language for expressing other models. A “meta-metamodel” means a model that defines an abstract language for expressing meta-models. The relationship between a meta-metamodel and a meta-model is analogous to the relationship between a meta-model and a model.
It is a tedious and time consuming task to generate a format description for enabling the interchange of metadata among repositories and each different type of modeling tool available. Accordingly, there is a need for automatically generating format descriptions to expedite interchange of metadata among repositories and modeling tools. As will be described hereinbelow, this invention solves this problem by automating the production of an XML DTD for meta-models stored in a MOF-compliant repository by implementing instances of the meta-models expressible in a meta object framework.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for generating a data transfer syntax that enables ease of interchanging metadata between modeling tools and metadata repositories in distributed heterogeneous environments.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that allows developers of distributed systems the ability to share object models and other metadata over a network, including the Internet.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that allows data or metadata to be interchanged as streams or files with a standard format based on XML.
A feature of the present invention is the parsing of a metamodel to obtain the elements necessary to generate document type definitions for data interchange among software tools.
Another feature of the present invention is the grouping of common functionalities of different elements of the methods used to generate the document type definitions into auxiliary functions.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the handling of multiple inheritances of objects in the metamodel through recursive routines that use a list of previously visited objects.
An advantage of the present invention is the software language independence of the algorithm used to implement the method, making it flexible and portable.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the method and the algorithm used to generate document type definitions for meta-models is independent of the meta-model type thereby making it more adaptable and interoperable.
A method is disclosed for use in a software development framework that has a repository and at least two software systems. The repository contains a meta-model and the software systems store instances of the meta-model. The method enables exchange of the instances of the meta-model among the software systems using a generalized data transfer language. The method comprises the steps of extracting a fixed component and a variable component of the meta-model; parsing the variable component into constituent components; and, transforming each of the constituent components into corresponding components of a generalized software language. The previous two steps are repeated for each instance of the variable component. Next, each instance of the variable component is transformed into corresponding components of the generalized software language. The fixed components are then transformed into corresponding components of the generalized software language. After this, the corresponding components are distributed among the software systems, where they are used as the format specification for the generalized data transfer language transport of the instances of the meta-model among the software systems.
Still other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein is shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and what is intended to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. The present invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and attached drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts, and which drawings form a part of this application.
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Klely, “XML offers standard way of extending HTML”, InformationWeek, Oct. 1997, pp. 8-12.*
Levin, “Component modeling tools encourage reuse”, InformationWeek, Mar. 1997, pp 6-11.
Chaki Kakali
Kozak Alfred W.
Rode Lise A.
Starr Mark T.
Unisys Corp.
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