Conversion of an object model to a source file generation model

• US 20030225774A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Blaukopf, Daniel, Linder, Natan, Toledano, Eyal, Pomerantz, Omer, Davidov, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]

Abstract

An infrastructure is provided for creating applications for mobile information devices, using a tag-based markup language. Developers can use the markup language to define applications and content based on easily manipulated textual tags, rather than having to write specific source code. A compiler, processes the tags in several phases. In one phase, a hierarchical object model of the application is populated with objects. Then, in another phase, a generator traverses the object model hierarchy in a top-down manner, producing source code files corresponding to objects in the object model. The code files may include various elements, for example screens, forms, and servlets. For each element required to be generated, an appropriately configured generator class is invoked. The output code can be Java source code.

Claims

1. A method for generating a computing application for a mobile information device, comprising the steps of:

preparing a descriptor object model of said application from a specification thereof, said descriptor object model being organized as a hierarchical tree;

performing an incremental traversal of said descriptor object model and at each of a plurality of increments of said traversal performing the steps of;

identifying a descriptor object of said descriptor object model that requires an output code file that includes an application element to be generated;

calling a generator class corresponding to said descriptor object;

generating said output code file using said generator class; and

arranging said output code file in a hierarchical file collection of output code files produced in other increments of said traversal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said traversal is a top-down traversal of said tree.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a subsequent increment of said traversal is performed only following a successful performance of an immediately preceding increment thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said descriptor object is an application descriptor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application element is a screen.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said generator class comprises a program for loading said screen.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said generator class comprises a program for unloading said screen.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating code for a command that is displayed on said screen.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said descriptor object is a user defined object.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application element is a servlet.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said generator class comprises a program for establishing a connection to said servlet.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application element is a timer.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said generator class comprises a program for handling an event that is triggered by expiration of a delay interval.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application element is a ticker.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating a program for identifying a state event of an item.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a start event.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a pause event.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a destroy event.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating a screen linking program that enables navigation from a first screen to a second screen.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein said specification comprises tags of a markup language that correspond to functions of said application, and said markup language comprises a plurality of schemas and a root element.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said tags comprise a directory tag that specifies a location of source code.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said source code is Java source code.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said tags comprise a user-defined tag that extends said markup language.

24. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for generating a computing application for a mobile information device, comprising the steps of:

preparing a descriptor object model of said application from a specification thereof, said descriptor object model being organized as a hierarchical tree;

performing an incremental traversal of said descriptor object model and at each of a plurality of increments of said traversal performing the steps of;

identifying a descriptor object of said descriptor object model that requires an output code file that includes an application element to be generated;

calling a generator class corresponding to said descriptor object;

generating said output code file using said generator class; and

arranging said output code file in a hierarchical file collection of output code files produced in other increments of said traversal.

25. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said traversal is a top-down traversal of said tree.

26. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein a subsequent increment of said traversal is performed only following a successful performance of an immediately preceding increment thereof.

27. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said descriptor object is an application descriptor.

28. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said application element is a screen.

29. The computer software product according to claim 28, wherein said generator class comprises a program for loading said screen.

30. The computer software product according to claim 28, wherein said generator class comprises a program for unloading said screen.

31. The computer software product according to claim 28, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating code for a command that is displayed on said screen.

32. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said descriptor object is a user defined object.

33. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said application element is a servlet.

34. The computer software product according to claim 33, wherein said generator class comprises a program for establishing a connection to said servlet.

35. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said application element is a timer.

36. The computer software product according to claim 35, wherein said generator class comprises a program for handling an event that is triggered by expiration of a delay interval.

37. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said application element is a ticker.

38. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating a program for identifying a state event of an item.

39. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a start event.

40. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a pause event.

41. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating an event handler for a destroy event.

42. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said step of generating said output code file comprises generating a screen linking program that enables navigation from a first screen to a second screen.

43. The computer software product according to claim 24, wherein said specification comprising tags of a markup language that correspond to functions of said application, and said markup language comprises a plurality of schemas and a root element.

44. The computer software product according to claim 43, wherein said tags comprise a user-defined tag that extends said markup language.

45. A data processing system for generating a mobile information device computing application, comprising:

a computer readable memory having a data structure stored therein, said data structure including;

a descriptor object model that is derived from a specification of said application, said descriptor object model being organized as a hierarchical tree;

a generator that is linked to said descriptor object model for generating generator classes and output code;

a generator object model produced by said generator, having generator objects that correspond to descriptor objects of said descriptor object model, wherein said output code is generated by said generator according to directives in said generator object model, and said descriptor objects are adapted to induce generation of different application elements.

46. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said output code comprises Java source code.

47. The data processing system according to claim 45, further comprising a link between said generator and a build tool, said generator having a program for accessing said build tool to obtain an identification of a project directory.

48. The data processing system according to claim 47, wherein said generator has a program for structuring said project directory.

49. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said generator performs is a top-down traversal of said tree.

50. The data processing system according to claim 49, wherein a subsequent increment of said traversal is performed only following a successful performance of an immediately preceding increment thereof.

51. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein a descriptor object of said descriptor object model is an application descriptor.

52. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said application elements comprise a screen.

53. The data processing system according to claim 52, wherein one of said generator classes comprises a program for loading said screen.

54. The data processing system according to claim 52, wherein one of said generator classes comprises a program for unloading said screen.

55. The data processing system according to claim 52, wherein said output code comprises for a command that is displayed on said screen.

56. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said descriptor object is a user defined object.

57. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said application elements comprise a servlet.

58. The data processing system according to claim 57, wherein one of said generator classes comprises a program for establishing a connection to said servlet.

59. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said application elements comprise a timer.

60. The data processing system according to claim 59, wherein one of said generator classes comprises a program for handling an event that is triggered by expiration of a delay interval.

61. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said application elements comprise a ticker.

62. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said output code comprises a program for identifying a state event of an item.

63. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said output code comprises a screen linking program that enables navigation from a first screen to a second screen.

64. The data processing system according to claim 45, wherein said specification comprising tags of a markup language that correspond to functions of said application, said markup language comprising a plurality of schemas and a root element.

65. The data processing system according to claim 64, wherein said generator comprises a generation object factory, and said generator objects are registered in said generation object factory.

66. The data processing system according to claim 65, wherein said generator object model comprises a class structure that is created by said generation object factory.

67. The data processing system according to claim 65, wherein at least a portion of said generator objects are reused by said generator when generating said output code.

68. The data processing system according to claim 65, wherein said generation object factory is adapted to register a user-defined generator object that corresponds to an extension of said markup language.