Method and system for constructing a system, drawing a system configuration drawing, and generating a system configuration file

• US 20020016955A1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Matsuo, Shoichi
• Application Number:
  US09/886,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to improve working efficiency in system construction works. This is accomplished when a customer 1 makes a request for system construction to a provider of the infrastructure construction service 2, and the service provider 2 conducts a consultation. The service provider 2 uses the e-editor to create a configuration drawing, then sends data that has been input to the e-editor to a server of the configuration file generation service 3. The server automatically generates a configuration file with macro expansion of a template, and then after customization as needed, sending the configuration file back to the service provider. The service provider installs the configuration file in the customer'"'"'s system.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a system, comprising the steps of:

in response to a specification of a component provided by a system configuration editor, generating said component in a drawing screen of said system configuration editor, wherein said component comprises said system;

associating a plurality of said components by having said component be included in any other component or superposing said component on any other component, or by responding to an operation that generates a connecting line that associates said components;

recording attribute data that is input as a property of said component; and

automatically generating a configuration file of said system from said attribute data and a configuration file template;

wherein the step of automatically generating a configuration file comprises one of the steps of;

replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property specific to said system; and

expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating said component further comprising the step of:

inputting default data to a part of attribute data of said component, wherein said default data includes an influence area of said component and a reference point of said component.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in the step of generating a component or in the step of associating said components, if all or part of said component is included within an influence area of any other component that is generated or associated, then a part of attribute data of said component inherits the attribute data of said other component.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of automatically generating said configuration file further comprising the step of:

referring to information about a product version used in said system, and selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version.

5. A system for constructing a system, comprising:

means for providing components of said system;

means for displaying said components and relations between said components and editing an arrangement of said components;

means for generating or inputting and displaying properties of said components; and

means for receiving said properties that are generated or input as attribute data of said components and automatically generating a configuration file of said system;

wherein the means of automatically generating a configuration file comprises one of following means;

replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property specific to said system; and

expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising means for generating said configuration drawing, comprising:

means for generating default data as a part of attribute data of said component, wherein said default data includes an influence area of said component and a reference point of said component; and

means for associating a plurality of said components by generating, moving or changing said component, such that said component is included in any other component or said component is superposed on any other component, or by generating a connecting line that associates said components.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the means for generating said component or the means of associating a plurality of said components further comprising, if all or part of said component that is generated or associated, is included within an influence area of any other component, then a part of attribute data of said component inherits the attribute data of said other component.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the means for automatically generating said configuration file further comprising:

means for referring to information about a product version used in said system, and selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version.

9. A method for drawing a system configuration drawing, comprising the steps of:

in response to a specification of a component of said system, generating said component in a drawing screen;

associating a plurality of components by having said component be included in any other component or superposing said component on any other component, or by responding to an operation that generates a connecting line that associates said components; and

recording attribute data that is input as a property of said component.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of generating said component further comprising the step of:

inputting default data to a part of attribute data of said component, wherein said default data includes an influence area of said component and a reference point of said component.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein in the step of generating said component or in the step of associating components, if all or part of said component that is generated or associated, is included within an influence area of any other component, then a part of attribute data of said component inherits the attribute data of said other component.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of inputting said property, wherein properties that can be input are restricted to a part of properties that can be associated with said component.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for, in response to the generation of said component, generating default data as a part of attribute data of said component, wherein said default data includes an influence area of said component and a reference point of said component; and

means for associating a plurality of said components by generating, moving or changing said component, such that said component is included in any other component or said component is superposed on any other component, or by generating a connecting line that associates said components.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the means for generating said component or the means of associating a plurality of said components further comprising, if all or part of said component that is generated or associated, is included within an influence area of any other component, then a part of attribute data of said component inherits the attribute data of said other component.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the means for inputting and displaying properties further comprising means for restricting properties that can be input to a part of properties that can be associated with said component.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of expanding said configuration file template comprises one of the steps of:

replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property that is specific to said system; and

expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the step of expanding said configuration file comprises one of the steps of:

replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property that is specific to said system; and

expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.

13. A system for drawing a system configuration drawing, comprising:

means for providing components of said system;

means for displaying said components and relations between said components and editing an arrangement of said components; and

means for inputting and displaying properties of said components.

17. A method for generating a configuration file of a system, comprising the steps of:

receiving attribute data of components that comprise said system;

referring to information about a product version used in said system, and selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version; and

expanding said configuration file template with macro expansion.

19. A system for generating a configuration file of a system, comprising:

means for receiving attribute data of components that comprise said system;

means for referring to information about a product version used in said system, and selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version; and

means for expanding said configuration file template with macro expansion.

21. A computer-readable recording media recording a program for causing a computer to draw a system configuration drawing, the program comprising:

a function for, in response to a specification of a component of said system, generating said component in a drawing screen;

a function for associating a plurality of components by having said component be included in any other component or superposing said component on any other component, or by responding to an operation that generates a connecting line that associates said components; and

a function for, in response to an input of properties of said component, recording said input values as attribute data of said component.

22. A computer-readable recording media recording a program for causing a computer to generate a configuration file, the program comprising:

a function for receiving attribute data of components that comprise said system;

a function for referring to information about a product version used in said system;

a function for selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version; and

a function for expanding said configuration file template with macro expansion;

wherein the function for expanding said configuration file template comprises one of the following means;

means for replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

means for expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property specific to said system; and

means for expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.

23. A computer-readable recording media, comprising:

a function for, in response to a specification of a component of said system, generating said component in a drawing screen;

a function for associating a plurality of said components by having said component be included in any other component or superposing said component on any other component, or by responding to an operation that generates a connecting line that associates said components;

a function for, in response to a input of properties of said component, recording said input values as property data of said component;

a function for receiving attribute data of components that comprise said system;

a function for referring to information about a product version used in said system;

a function for selecting a configuration file template that matches said product version; and

a function for expanding said configuration file template with macro expansion;

wherein the function for expanding said configuration file template comprises one of the following means;

means for replacing a shadow property included in said configuration file template with a property specific to said system included in said attribute data;

means for expanding a macro function included in said configuration file template recursively, and replacing a property specified in said macro function with a property specific to said system; and

means for expanding recursively according to a macro control statement included in said configuration file template, and replacing said shadow property or the property specified in said macro function with a plurality of properties specific to said system.