Method, computer program product, and system for automatic class generation with simultaneous customization and interchange capability

• US 20030233373A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holtz, Christopher M., Love, Robert Daniel, Hembry, Douglas Michael Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A database definition, logical database view, extended field definition and control statement information are accessed to build an in-memory representation of selective information contained therein. Utilizing this in-memory representation, a class in one form is automatically generated and customized wherein this class is used to access a hierarchical database responsive to a hierarchical database access request from an application.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automatically generating and customizing a class to facilitate access to a hierarchical database from an application comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a database definition;

(b) accessing a logical database view;

(c) accessing an extended field definition;

(d) accessing control statement information;

(e) building an in-memory representation of selective information obtained from steps (a) through (d); and

(f) automatically generating and customizing said class in a first form utilizing said in-memory representation wherein said class is used to access said hierarchical database responsive to a hierarchical database access request from a first application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said automatic class generation and customization further comprises automatic interchange, and wherein the method of claim 1 further comprises utilizing said in-memory representation to generate an XMI stream of metadata defining said class wherein said XMI stream may be used to regenerate said class in a second form appropriate to a second application accessing said hierarchical database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said class, said database definition, said logical database view and said extended field definition comprise one or more classes, database definitions, logical database views and extended field definitions, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said hierarchical database is an IMS database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first application is a Java application.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said database definition is a DBD.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said logical database view is a PSB.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a PCB name.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a segment.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a field within a segment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said extended field definition comprises a COBOL copy book.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said COBOL copy book is in the form of an XMI metadata stream.

13. A computer system for automatically generating and customizing a class to facilitate access to a hierarchical database from an application, said computer system comprising:

(a) a computer;

(b) means for accessing a database definition;

(c) means for accessing a logical database view;

(d) means for accessing an extended field definition;

(e) means for accessing control statement information;

(f) means for building an in-memory representation of selective information utilizing (b) through (e); and

(g) means for automatically generating and customizing said class in a first form utilizing said in-memory representation wherein said class is used to access said hierarchical database responsive to a hierarchical database access request from a first application.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said automatic class generation and customization further comprises automatic interchange, and wherein the computer system of claim 13 further comprises means for generating an XMI stream of metadata defining said class utilizing said in-memory representation wherein said XMI stream may be used to regenerate said class in a second form appropriate to a second application accessing said hierarchical database.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said class, said database definition, said logical database view and said extended field definition comprise one or more classes, database definitions, logical database views and extended field definitions, respectively.

16. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said hierarchical database is an IMS database.

17. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said first application is a Java application.

18. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said database definition is a DBD.

19. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said logical database view is a PSB.

20. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a PCB name.

21. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a segment.

22. The computer system of claim 16 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a field within a segment.

23. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said extended field definition comprises a COBOL copy book.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein said COBOL copy book is in the form of an XMI metadata stream.

25. An article of manufacture for use in a computer system tangibly embodying computer instructions executable by said computer system to perform process steps for automatically generating and customizing a class to facilitate access to a hierarchical database from an application comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a database definition;

(b) accessing a logical database view;

(c) accessing an extended field definition;

(d) accessing control statement information;

(e) building an in-memory representation of selective information obtained from steps (a) through (d); and

(f) automatically generating and customizing said class in a first form utilizing said in-memory representation wherein said class is used to access said hierarchical database responsive to a hierarchical database access request from a first application.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said automatic class generation and customization further comprises automatic interchange, and wherein the method of claim 25 further comprises utilizing said in-memory representation to generate an XMI stream of metadata defining said class wherein said XMI stream may be used to regenerate said class in a second form appropriate to a second application accessing said hierarchical database.

27. The article of manufacture claim 25 wherein said class, said database definition, said logical database view and said extended field definition comprise one or more classes, database definitions, logical database views and extended field definitions, respectively.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said hierarchical database is an IMS database.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said first application is a Java application.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said database definition is a DBD.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said logical database view is a PSB.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a PCB name.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a segment.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said customizing comprises establishing an alias name for a field within a segment.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said extended field definition comprises a COBOL copy book.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein said COBOL copy book is in the form of an XMI metadata stream.

37. A method for accessing on a computer system a hierarchical database from a Java application, comprising the steps of:

invoking a class integrator utility program to automatically generate and customize one or more classes wherein said one or more classes encapsulate information from at least one database definition, at least one logical database view, at least one extended field definition and at least one control statement; and

invoking from said Java application an API to access said hierarchical database, wherein, responsive to said API invocation, said one or more classes are utilized to access said hierarchical database.