Translating objects between software applications which employ different data formats

• US 20050131938A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Hutchinson, John, Sabadell, Stewart
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A mechanism for translating objects between applications that use different formats is described. As described, a source object is generated using a source application. The source object is then translated to a target object in a target application. The target application having a format that is not supported by the source application. A first modification, which is not supported by the source application, is then performed to the target object. A second modification is also performed to the source object in the source application. Based on the modifications, the target object in the target application is revised to reflect the second modification to the source object without removing the first modification to the target object.

Claims

1. A method for translating objects between applications that use different formats, the method comprising:

generating a source object in a source application;

translating the source object to a target object in a target application, wherein the target application has a format that is not supported by the source application;

performing a first modification to the target object, wherein said first modification is not supported by said source application;

performing a second modification to said source object in said source application; and

revising said target object in said target application to reflect said second modification to said source object without removing said first modification to said target object.

2-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for dynamically generating a hierarchical tree structure for translating objects from a source application to a target application, wherein the format of the target application is not supported by the format of the source application, the method comprising:

reading a source object from a source file, wherein the source object is developed using the source application;

generating a compare key object based on a filter object, wherein the filter object is associated with a source object property, and the compare key object has a key value equal to a value of the source object property; and

determining whether to create an additional collection object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object includes determining whether a first collection object having a key is linked to a current collection object and, if so, whether the key of the first collection object has been compared to the compare key object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of passing the compare key object to the first collection object, if the first collection object is linked to the first collection object and the key of the first collection object has not been compared to the compare key object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of comparing the key of the first collection object to the compare key object to determine whether a value of the key of the first collection object matches the key value of the compare key object.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of creating a leaf object, wherein the leaf object is linked to the first collection object, if the value of the key of the first collection object matches the key value of the compare key object.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of translating a geometry of the source object into a geometry of a target object, wherein the geometry of the target object corresponds to the format of the target application, and storing the geometry of the target object in the leaf object.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of determining if a second collection object having a key is linked to the current collection object and, if so, determining whether the key of the second collection object has been compared to the compare key object, if the value of the key of the first collection object does not match the key value of the compare key object.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of creating the additional collection object, if the first collection object is not linked to the current collection object or if the first collection object is linked to the current collection object and the key of the first collection object has been compared to the compare key object.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of generating a modifier stack for storing a modification that may be applied to a geometry of an object.

23. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for dynamically generating a hierarchical tree structure for translating objects from a source application to a target application, wherein the format of the target application is not supported by the format of the source application, by performing the steps of:

reading a source object from a source file, wherein the source object is developed using the source application;

generating a compare key object based on a filter object, wherein the filter object is associated with a source object property, and the compare key object has a key value equal to a value of the source object property; and

determining whether to create an additional collection object.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object includes determining whether a first collection object having a key is linked to a current collection object and, if so, whether the key of the first collection object has been compared to the compare key object.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of passing the compare key object to the first collection object, if the first collection object is linked to the first collection object and the key of the first collection object has not been compared to the compare key object.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of comparing the key of the first collection object to the compare key object to determine whether a value of the key of the first collection object matches the key value of the compare key object.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising the step of creating a leaf object, wherein the leaf object is linked to the first collection object, if the value of the key of the first collection object matches the key value of the compare key object.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising the steps of translating a geometry of the source object into a geometry of a target object, wherein the geometry of the target object corresponds to the format of the target application, and storing the geometry of the target object in the leaf object.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the step of determining whether to create an additional collection object further includes the step of determining if a second collection object having a key is linked to the current collection object and, if so, determining whether the key of the second collection object has been compared to the compare key object, if the value of the key of the first collection object does not match the key value of the compare key object.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of creating the additional collection object, if the first collection object is not linked to the current collection object or if the first collection object is linked to the current collection object and the key of the first collection object has been compared to the compare key object.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising the step of generating a modifier stack for storing a modification that may be applied to a geometry of an object.