Automated backward-compatible function updates

• US 10,620,937 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appian Corporation
• Original Assignee: Appian Corporation
• Inventors: Bross, Edward, Hillard, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US15/995,552
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/443 Optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3001 Arithmetic instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

Systems and techniques are described to allow an ADP to be dynamically updated to provide backward compatibility with existing functions in a manner that both intuitive to user experience and provides advantages to the way in which computing systems implement updates to ensure that users with limited technical expertise can update applications. In some implementations, data indicating a first version of a function to be executed by applications developed on a post-update application development platform is obtained. A second version of the function that is associated with a pre-update application development platform is identified. An association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function is generated. A determination that an application developed using the pre-update application development platform is associated with the second version of the function is made. Data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development platform is then adjusted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a server system, data indicating a first version of a function to be executed by applications developed on a post-update application development platform, the post-update application development platform having been updated using an update and enabling user interfaces that permit a user to build an application by specifying relationships between visual development tools;

identifying, by the server system and based on the update, a second version of the function that is associated with a pre-update application development platform, the pre-update application development platform being a version of the application development platform prior to the update;

generating, by the server system, an association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function;

determining, by the server system, that an application developed using the pre-update application development platform is associated with the second version of the function; and

generating, by the server system and in response to obtaining the data indicating the first version of the function, a data structure for the first version of the function, the data structure comprising execution parameters for the first version of the function; and

adjusting, by the server system and based on the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function, data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development platform and the execution parameters for the first version of the function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the association indicates, for each version of the function, a display format, a storage format, and one or more execution parameters;

the display format represents a text string displayed on a user interface for configuring the application that is provided for output on a computing device of a user; and

the storage format represents source code associated with instructions executed by the server system in performing the function in association with running the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

generating the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function comprises generating an association between a display format of the first version of the function and a display format of the second version of the function; and

adjusting the data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development comprises adjusting the user interface such that text strings associated with the second version of the function that are displayed on the user interface are associated with a notification.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification comprises a link that, when selected by the user, directs the user to a webpage associated with the first version of the function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises a selectable option that, upon selection by the user, causes the server system to adjust the application such that instances of the storage format of the second version of the function in the application are replaced with the storage format of the first version of the function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual development tools comprise at least one of drag-and-drop modelers or point-and-click interface creation tools.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interfaces enabled by the post-update application development platform permit the user to build the application without writing source code for the application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the interfaces that permit the user to build the application comprises a designer interface that permits a user to specify relationships between visual data objects associated with the application;

the designer interface displays a visual data object that references the second version of the function; and

adjusting the data associated with the application comprises adjusting the visual data object such that the visual data object references the first version of the function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the data structure further comprises a display format for the first version of the function and a storage format for the first version of the function; and

the method further comprises;

accessing, by the server system, a function repository of the application development platform, the function repository comprising a respective data structure for each function to be executed by applications developed on the post-update application development platform, wherein each data structure comprises a display format for a particular function, a storage format for the particular function, and execution parameters for the particular function, and

updating, by the server system, the function repository to include the data structure generated for the first version of the function.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updated function repository comprises a first data structure for the first version of the function and a second data structure for the second version of the function.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

obtaining, by a server system, data indicating a first version of a function to be executed by applications developed on a post-update application development platform, the post-update application development platform having been updated using an update and enabling user interfaces that permit a user to build an application by specifying relationships between visual development tools;

identifying, by the server system and based on the update, a second version of the function that is associated with a pre-update application development platform, the pre-update application development platform being a version of the application development platform prior to the update;

generating, by the server system, an association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function;

determining, by the server system, that an application developed using the pre-update application development platform is associated with the second version of the function; and

generating, by the server system and in response to obtaining the data indicating the first version of the function, a data structure for the first version of the function, the data structure comprising execution parameters for the first version of the function; and

adjusting, by the server system and based on the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function, data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development platform and the execution parameters for the first version of the function.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the association indicates, for each version of the function, a display format, a storage format, and one or more execution parameters;

the display format represents a text string displayed on a user interface for configuring the application that is provided for output on a computing device of a user; and

the storage format represents source code associated with instructions executed by the server system in performing the function in association with running the application.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

generating the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function comprises generating an association between a display format of the first version of the function and a display format of the second version of the function; and

adjusting the data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development comprises adjusting the user interface such that text strings associated with the second version of the function that are displayed on the user interface are associated with a notification.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises a link that, when selected by the user, directs the user to a webpage associated with the first version of the function.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the notification comprises a selectable option that, upon selection by the user, causes the server system to adjust the application such that instances of the storage format of the second version of the function in the application are replaced with the storage format of the first version of the function.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with computer program instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a server system, data indicating a first version of a function to be executed by applications developed on a post-update application development platform, the post-update application development platform having been updated using an update and enabling user interfaces that permit a user to build an application by specifying relationships between visual development tools;

identifying, by the server system and based on the update, a second version of the function that is associated with a pre-update application development platform, the pre-update application development platform being a version of the application development platform prior to the update;

generating, by the server system, an association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function;

determining, by the server system, that an application developed using the pre-update application development platform is associated with the second version of the function; and

generating, by the server system and in response to obtaining the data indicating the first version of the function, a data structure for the first version of the function, the data structure comprising execution parameters for the first version of the function; and

adjusting, by the server system and based on the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function, data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development platform and the execution parameters for the first version of the function.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the association indicates, for each version of the function, a display format, a storage format, and one or more execution parameters;

the display format represents a text string displayed on a user interface for configuring the application that is provided for output on a computing device of a user; and

the storage format represents source code associated with instructions executed by the server system in performing the function in association with running the application.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein:

generating the association between the first version of the function and the second version of the function comprises generating an association between a display format of the first version of the function and a display format of the second version of the function; and

adjusting the data associated with the application developed using the pre-update application development comprises adjusting the user interface such that text strings associated with the second version of the function that are displayed on the user interface are associated with a notification.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the notification comprises a link that, when selected by the user, directs the user to a webpage associated with the first version of the function.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the notification comprises a selectable option that, upon selection by the user, causes the server system to adjust the application such that instances of the storage format of the second version of the function in the application are replaced with the storage format of the first version of the function.