System and method for providing data manipulation using web services

• US 20060200747A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Rishi, Srinivas, Davanum, Tomaszewski, John M., Kittredge, Robert B., Schulze, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,032,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for transforming data includes receiving information defining a transformation of a source file to a target file, wherein the information identifies a web service and generating, based on the received information, a script operable when executed to implement the defined transformation. The script is then stored. The method further includes receiving a request to perform the transformation on a first file and initiating execution of the script. Additionally, as part of executing the script, the method includes transmitting a service request to the web service that includes input data obtained from the first file. Also as part of executing the script, the method includes receiving a service response from the web service, wherein the service response includes output data and writing the output data to a second file.

Claims

1. A method for transforming data, comprising:

receiving information defining a transformation of a source file to a target file, wherein the information identifies a web service;

generating, based on the received information, a script operable when executed to implement the defined transformation;

storing the script;

receiving a request to execute the script on a first file;

initiating execution of the script; and

as part of executing the script;

transmitting a service request to the web service, wherein the service request includes input data obtained from the first file;

receiving a service response from the web service, wherein the service response includes output data; and

writing the output data to a second file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving information defining a transformation comprises receiving a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the web service; and

generating the script comprise generating a script that includes the received URI.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving information defining a transformation comprises receiving a source object definition and a target object definition; and

generating a script comprises generating a script operable when executed to read input data from a source file structured in accordance with the source object definition and to write output data to a target file structured in accordance with the target output definition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the service request comprises transmitting a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message to a web server offering the web service, wherein the transmitted SOAP message includes the input data; and

receiving the service response comprises receiving a SOAP message from the web server, wherein the received SOAP message includes the output data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving information defining the transformation comprises receiving a web service definition associated with the web service; and

generating the script comprises generating the script based on the web service definition.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the web service definition comprises a Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) file; and

generating the script comprises parsing the WSDL file and generating the script based on information parsed from the WSDL file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information defining the transformation comprises receiving information identifying a proxy server to use in communicating with the web service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving information defining the transformation further comprises identifying at least one of a password and a user identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information defining a transformation of a source file to a target file comprises

receiving, from a user, through a graphical user interface (GUI) information identifying a source object definition;

receiving, from the user, through the GUI information identifying a target object definition;

receiving, from the user, through the GUI information identifying a web service definition associated with a web service to be invoked;

receiving, from the user, through the GUI information identifying a mapping of components in the source object definition to inputs in the web service definition; and

receiving, from the user, through the GUI information identifying a mapping of outputs in the web service definition to components in the target object definition.