Method, system, and product for storage of attribute data in an object oriented environment

• US 20030131341A1
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Perks, Michael Albert, Sundberg, Sean Michael, Ekperigin, Beju, Akella, Raji Lakshmi
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4492 Inheritance

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product are described for storing attribute data in an object oriented environment. A base class and a subclass are defined within an object. The object is defined within the object oriented environment. An attribute is defined within the subclass. The attribute data defined for the subclass is stored within the base class. The attribute data is not stored within the subclass.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

defining a base class and a subclass within an object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

defining an attribute within said subclass; and

storing, within said base class, attribute data defined for said attribute, wherein said attribute data is not stored within said subclass.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing only within said base class said attribute data for said attribute.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

storing within storage attribute said attribute data.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

storing within said base class second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

storing within storage attribute said attribute data and said second attribute data.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

defining a first index for and associating it with said attribute;

defining a second index for and associating it with said second attribute;

storing within said storage attribute said attribute data with said first index; and

storing within said storage attribute said second attribute data with said second index.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining an index for and associating it with said attribute; and

storing within said base class said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

defining a write object method to write all object attribute data; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of defining said base class within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.

12. A data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said object oriented environment comprising:

a base class and a subclass defined within an object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

an attribute defined within said subclass; and

said base class for storing attribute data defined for said attribute, wherein said attribute data is not stored within said subclass.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising said attribute data being stored only within said base class.

14. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a storage attribute within said base class; and

storage attribute for storing said attribute data.

15. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

a second attribute within said second subclass; and

said base class for storing second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a storage attribute within said base class; and

storage attribute for storing said attribute data and said second attribute data.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first index defined for and associated with said attribute;

a second index defined for and associated with said second attribute;

said storage attribute for storing said attribute data with said first index; and

said storage attribute for storing said second attribute data with said second index.

18. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

an index defined for and associated with said attribute; and

said base class for storing said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a method being defined that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a write object method being defined to write all object attribute data; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

21. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a method being defined that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

22. The system according to claim 12, further comprising said base class being defined within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.

23. A computer program product in a data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said product comprising:

instruction means for defining a base class and a subclass within an object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

instruction means for defining an attribute within said subclass; and

instruction means for storing, within said base class, attribute data defined for said attribute, wherein said attribute data is not stored within said subclass.

24. The product according to claim 23, further comprising instruction means for storing only within said base class said attribute data for said attribute.

25. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

instruction means for storing within storage attribute said attribute data.

26. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

instruction means for defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

instruction means for storing within said base class second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

27. The product according to claim 26, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

instruction means for storing within storage attribute said attribute data and said second attribute data.

28. The product according to claim 27, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a first index for and associating it with said attribute;

instruction means for defining a second index for and associating it with said second attribute;

instruction means for storing within said storage attribute said attribute data with said first index; and

instruction means for storing within said storage attribute said second attribute data with said second index.

29. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining an index for and associating it with said attribute; and

instruction means for storing within said base class said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

30. The product according to claim 29, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

31. The product according to claim 29, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a write object method to write all object attribute data; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

32. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

33. The product according to claim 23, further comprising instruction means for defining said base class within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.