User interface based modeling of web services and batch input templates

• US 20060173892A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Beck, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating a data input template. A system captures data objects and event objects communicated between a client and an application program, stores a copy of the captured objects, and generates a template based on the stored objects. The client interface has a hierarchical structure. Each data object includes an address identifier specifying a location within this hierarchical structure with which it is associated, and metadata is generated based on this address identifier. Each event object includes a record of one or more actions performed by a user, and metadata is generated based on this record. The metadata is used in structuring the template, enabling the template to correspond to the hierarchical structure of the client interface. The template can be used to generate a web services description language document, which can be provided to third party users over a network.

Claims

1. A method for generating a data input template, comprising:

capturing data objects that are communicated from a client interface to an application program;

storing a copy of the captured data objects; and

generating a template for data input based on the stored data objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated;

the method further comprising;

generating metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

storing the data objects with their associated metadata; and

structuring the template using the metadata so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing event objects that are communicated to the application program;

storing a copy of the captured event objects; and

generating the template for data input based on the stored data objects and the stored event objects.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein capturing data objects comprises:

monitoring data objects that are communicated from the client interface to the application program to determine which data objects are accepted by the application program and capturing only the accepted data objects;

and wherein capturing event objects comprises;

monitoring the event objects that are communicated to the application program to determine which event objects are accepted by the application program and capturing only the accepted event objects.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each event object stores a record of one or more actions performed by a user, the method further comprising:

generating metadata for each event object based on the record of the one or more actions performed by the user; and

storing the event objects with their associated metadata.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated, the method further comprising:

generating metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

storing the data objects with their associated metadata; and

structuring the template based at least in part on the metadata for the data objects and the metadata for the event objects so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a web services description language document from the template; and

providing the web services description language document to third party users over a network.

8. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a machine-readable medium, for generating a data input template, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

capture data objects that are communicated from a client interface to an application program;

store a copy of the captured data objects; and

generate a template for data input based on the stored data objects.

9. The product of claim 8, wherein:

the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated;

the product further comprising instructions to;

generate metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

store the data objects with their associated metadata; and

structure the template using the metadata so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

10. The product of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:

capture event objects that are communicated to the application program;

store the captured event objects; and

generate a template for data input based on the stored data objects and the stored event objects.

11. The product of claim 10, wherein the instructions to capture data objects comprise instructions to:

monitor data objects that are communicated from the client interface to the application program to determine which data objects are accepted by the application program; and

capture only the accepted data objects;

and wherein the instructions to capture event objects comprise instructions to;

monitor the event objects that are communicated to the application program to determine which event objects are accepted by the application program; and

capture only the accepted event objects.

12. The product of claim 10, wherein each event object stores a record of one or more actions performed by a user, further comprising instructions to:

generate metadata for each event object based on the record of the one or more actions performed by the user; and

store the event objects with their associated metadata.

13. The product of claim 12, wherein the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated, the product further comprising instructions to:

generate metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

store the data objects with their associated metadata; and

structure the template based at least in part on the metadata for the data objects and the metadata for the event objects so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

14. The product of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:

generate a web services description language document from the template; and

provide the web services description language document to third party users over a network.

15. A data processing system, comprising:

means for capturing data objects that are communicated from a client interface to an application program;

means for storing a copy of the captured data objects; and

means for generating a template for data input based on the stored data objects.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated;

the system further comprising;

means for generating metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

means for storing the data objects with their associated metadata; and

means for structuring the template using the metadata so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for capturing event objects that are communicated to the application program;

means for storing the captured event objects; and

means for generating the template for data input based on the stored data objects and the stored event objects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for capturing data objects comprises:

means for monitoring data objects that are communicated from the client interface to the application program to determine which data objects are accepted by the application program; and

means for capturing only the accepted data objects;

and wherein the means for capturing event objects comprises;

means for monitoring the event objects that are communicated to the application program to determine which event objects are accepted by the application program; and

means for capturing only the accepted event objects.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein each event object stores a record of one or more actions performed by a user, further comprising:

means for generating metadata for each event object based on the record of the one or more actions performed by the user; and

means for storing the event objects with their associated metadata.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the client interface has a hierarchical structure, and each data object includes an address identifier that identifies a location within the hierarchical structure with which the data object is associated, the system further comprising:

means for generating metadata for each data object based on the address identifier;

means for storing the data objects with their associated metadata; and

means for structuring the template based at least in part on the metadata for the data objects and the metadata for the event objects so that the structure of the template corresponds to the hierarchical structure of the client interface.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for generating a web services description language document from the template; and

means for providing the web services description language document to third party users over a network.