Context attribute determination

• US 20060044318A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Cherdron, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for developing and executing applications include using an extended version of the model-view-controller (MVC) paradigm. The techniques include a model for an application, the model including multiple model elements, at least one view for presenting data from the model, the view including multiple user interface (UI) elements, and at least one controller for manipulating the model and the view. The techniques also include a structure for storing application data for at least one storage area relating to the controller, the structure defined by multiple elements and directed relationships coupling the elements, at least one of the elements associated with a routine for retrieving and manipulating application data. A binding exists between one of the UI elements and one of the structure elements.

Claims

1. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

establish a model for an application, the model including multiple model elements;

establish at least one view for presenting application data, the view including multiple user interface (UI) elements;

establish at least one controller for manipulating the model and the view;

establish a structure for storing application data for at least one storage area relating to the controller, the structure defined by multiple elements and directed relationships coupling the elements, at least one of the elements associated with a routine for retrieving and manipulating application data; and

establish at least one binding between one of the UI elements and one of the structure elements.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the structure elements comprise nodes and attributes.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the routine is associated with at least one attribute.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the routine is operable to receive a request for view data associated with an attribute, retrieve application data associated with the attribute, and calculate a value for the attribute based on the application data.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the routine is operable to manipulate application data in the storage area.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions are operable to invoke the routine on a controlled basis.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the instructions invoke the routine to fill a displayed portion of the view.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the routine is operable to receive user-provided data and manipulate the data into an application data format.

9. A system comprising:

a model for an application, the model including multiple model elements;

at least one view for presenting application data, the view including multiple user interface (UI) elements;

at least one controller for manipulating the model and the view;

a structure for storing application data for at least one storage area relating to the controller, the structure defined according to multiple elements and directed relationships coupling the elements, at least one of the elements associated with a routine for retrieving and manipulating application data; and

at least one binding between one of the UI elements and one of the structure elements.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the structure elements comprise nodes and attributes.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the routine is associated with at least one attribute.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the routine is operable to receive a request for view data associated with an attribute, retrieve application data associated with the attribute, and calculate a value for the attribute based on the application data.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the routine is operable manipulate application data in the storage area.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller invokes the routine on a controlled basis.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the routine is operable to set storage area data.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the routine is operable to receive user-provided data and manipulate the data into an application data format.

17. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product comprising instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

access a predetermined structure for a storage area, the storage area relating to a controller, the controller being operable to manipulate an application model and a view, the view including multiple user interface (UI) elements for presenting application data, wherein the predetermined structure includes multiple design-time elements and directed relationships between the design-time elements, at least one of the elements associated with a routine for retrieving and manipulating application data, and at least one of the UI elements bound to one of the design-time elements; and

create an instance of the storage area according to the predetermined structure, the instance of the storage area including multiple runtime elements, each runtime element corresponding to one of the design-time elements.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the routine is operable to receive a request for view data associated with an attribute, retrieve application data associated with the attribute, and calculate a value for the attribute based on the application data.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions are operable to invoke the routine on a controlled basis.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the routine is operable to receive user-provided data and manipulate the data into an application data format.