Optimized computer diagramming method and system

• US 20070011189A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hanner, Michael, Shaw, Steven, Elaasar, Maged
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/36 Creation of semantic tools, e.g. ontology or thesauri
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A computer method and system of diagramming provide a diagram of a subject model. In response to a primary edit to the subject model, the invention method and system generate a non-persistent view for secondary edits. The diagram is formed of notational elements corresponding to model elements of the subject model. The invention method and system provide a notation meta-model for persisting the notational elements with references to corresponding model elements. The notation meta-model allows notational elements to be recreated and changed dynamically in a manner free of replacing original notational elements.

Claims

1. A computer method of diagramming comprising computer implemented steps of:

providing a diagram of a subject model; and

in response to a primary edit to the subject model, generating a non-persistent view for secondary edits.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the non-persistent view is ignored when the diagram is subsequently saved.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

in response to a user directly modifying the non-persistent view, transforming the non-persistent view into a persistent view that persists with the diagram.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diagram is formed of notational elements corresponding to model elements of the subject model;

and

the method further comprising the step of providing a notation meta-model for persisting the notational elements with references to corresponding model elements, wherein the notation meta-model allows notational elements to be recreated and changed dynamically in a manner free of replacing original notational elements.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the notation meta-model provides extension of a notational element by aggregation or composition instead of by inheritance.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein for each notational element, the notation meta-model (i) models only properties that are fundamental to characteristics of the notational element, and (ii) provides generic slots for abstracting other properties of the notational element.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the notation meta-model enables properties of the notational elements to be dynamically added and removed.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the notation meta-model avoids modeling non-team properties in favor of holding those properties in a preference store.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the notation meta-model models properties substantially used by a team, said modeling being in a manner that reduces amount of compare and merge deltas which arise from changes to said properties.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diagram is a state diagram of a state machine with the subject model and the primary edit is addition of a new state;

and

the step of generating generates the non-persistent view instead of automatically adding a state view corresponding to the new state.

11. A computer system for diagramming comprising:

a computer generated diagram graphically representing a subject model; and

a view generator responsive to primary edits to the subject model, the view generator generating a non-persistent view for secondary edits.

12. A computer system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the non-persistent view is ignored when the diagram is subsequently saved.

13. A computer system as claimed in claim 11 wherein in response to a user directly modifying the non-persistent view, the view generator transforming the non-persistent view into a persistent view that persists with the diagram.

14. A computer system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the diagram is formed of notational elements corresponding to model elements of the subject model;

and

the system further comprises a notation meta-model for persisting the notational elements with references to corresponding model elements, wherein the notation meta-model allows notational elements to be recreated and changed dynamically in a manner free of replacing original notational elements.

15. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the notation meta-model provides extension of a notational element by aggregation or composition instead of by inheritance.

16. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein for each notational element, the notation meta-model (i) models only properties that are fundamental to characteristics of the notational element, and (ii) provides generic slots for abstracting other properties of the notational element.

17. A computer system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the notation meta-model enables properties of the notational elements to be dynamically added and removed.

18. A computer system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the notation meta-model avoids modeling non-team properties in favor of holding those properties in a preference store.

19. A computer system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the notation meta-model models properties substantially used by a team, said modeling being in a manner that reduces amount of compare and merge deltas which arise from changes to said properties.

20. A computer system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the diagram is a state diagram of a state machine with the subject model and the primary edit is addition of a new state;

and

the view generator generates the non-persistent view instead of automatically adding a state view corresponding to the new state.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for diagramming, including instructions which when executed on a computer, cause the computer to:

provide a diagram of a subject model; and

in response to a primary edit to the subject model, generate a non-persistent view for secondary edits.

22. In a computer system, computer apparatus for optimized diagramming comprising:

diagram means for graphically representing a subject model; and

view generation means responsive to primary edits to the subject model, the view generation means generating a non-persistent view for secondary edits.