Declarative specification of model visualizations

• US 20070013697A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gilboa, Yuval
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Techniques for generating a visual representation for a model representation in a manner whereby the model representation is not coupled to the visual representation. An abstract representation is generated based upon the model representation. Mapping rules are configured and used for generating the abstract representation from the model representation. A visual representation is then generated based upon the abstract representation.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computer of generating a visual representation for a model representation, the method comprising:

identifying a set of one or more model elements in the model representation;

generating an abstract representation for the model representation using a set of mapping rules, each mapping rule in the set of mapping rules providing a mapping of a model element type to a visual element type, the abstract representation comprising a set of one or more visual elements and associated one or more properties, the set of visual elements determined based upon the set of model elements and the set of mapping rules; and

generating a first visual representation based upon the abstract representation, the first visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements determined based upon the set of visual elements and their associated properties.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the abstract representation comprises:

identifying a first model element of a first type from the set of model elements;

determining a first mapping rule from the set of mapping rules that maps the first type to a first visual element type; and

creating a visual element of the first visual element type identified by the first mapping rule for the first model element.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving user input indicating a change to the first visual representation; and

making a change to the abstract representation to reflect the change to the first visual representation.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

making a change to the model representation based upon the change made to the abstract representation to reflect the change made to the first visual representation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first visual representation is generated for a first graphics engine, the method further comprising:

generating a second visual representation for a second graphics engine based upon the abstract representation, the second visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic primitives determined based upon the set of visual elements and their associated properties, wherein the second graphics engine is distinct from the first graphics engine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of mapping rules that is used to generate the abstract representation depends upon a type of the model representation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the first visual representation comprises:

determining one or more graphic elements for a first visual element from the set of visual elements based upon a type of the first visual element and one or more properties associated with the first visual element.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the first visual representation comprises:

determining a graphics engine for outputting the first visual representation; and

generating the first visual representation based upon the graphics engine.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the graphics engine is at least one of a scalable vector graphics engine, a vector graphics rendering engine, a Graphic Editing Framework engine, a Java2D graphics engine, a Flash graphics engine, or an OpenGL graphics engine.

10. A method performed by a tool executing on a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving input identifying a model representation;

processing the model representation to identify a set of one or more model elements;

determining a set of mapping rules to be used for the model representation, each mapping rule in the set of mapping rules providing a mapping of a model element type to a pictogram type,

mapping each model element in the set of model elements to a pictogram using the set of mapping rules to generate a set of one or more pictograms;

setting one or more properties associated with the one or more pictograms in the set of pictograms; and

generating a visual representation based upon the set of pictograms and their associated properties, the visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein generating the visual representation comprises:

determining a graphics engine for outputting the visual representation; and

generating the visual representation based upon the graphics engine.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying the visual representation.

13. A system for generating a visual representation for a model representation, the system comprising:

a memory storing a set of one or more mapping rules, the set of mapping rules mapping of a set of model element types to a set of visual element types; and

a processing engine coupled to the memory, the processing engine configured to;

identify a set of one or more model elements in the model representation;

generate an abstract representation for the model representation using the set of mapping rules, the abstract representation comprising a set of one or more visual elements and associated one or more properties, the set of visual elements determined based upon the set of model elements and the set of mapping rules; and

generate a first visual representation based upon the abstract representation, the first visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements determined based upon the set of visual elements and their associated properties.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing engine is configured to generate the abstract representation by:

identifying a first model element of a first type from the set of model elements;

determining a first mapping rule from the set of mapping rules that maps the first type to a first visual element type; and

creating a visual element of the first visual element type identified by the first mapping rule for the first model element.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing engine is further configured to:

receive user input indicating a change to the first visual representation; and

make a change to the abstract representation to reflect the change to the first visual representation.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing engine is further configured to:

make a change to the model representation based upon the change made to the abstract representation to reflect the change made to the first visual representation.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the first visual representation is generated for a first graphics engine, and wherein the processing engine is further configured to:

generate a second visual representation for a second graphics engine based upon the abstract representation, the second visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic primitives determined based upon the set of visual elements and their associated properties, wherein the second graphics engine is distinct from the first graphics engine.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the set of mapping rules that is used by the processing engine to generate the abstract representation depends upon a type of the model representation.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing engine is configured to generate the first visual representation by:

determining one or more graphic elements for a first visual element from the set of visual elements based upon a type of the first visual element and one or more properties associated with the first visual element.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing engine is configured to generate the first visual representation by:

determining a graphics engine for outputting the first visual representation; and

generating the first visual representation based upon the graphics engine.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the graphics engine is at least one of a scalable vector graphics engine, a vector graphics rendering engine, a Graphic Editing Framework engine, a Java2D graphics engine, a Flash graphics engine, or an OpenGL graphics engine.

22. A system for generating a visual representation, the system comprising:

an input device; and

a processing engine coupled to the input device, the processing engine configured to;

receive input via the input device identifying a model representation;

process the model representation to identify a set of one or more model elements;

determine a set of mapping rules to be used for the model representation, each mapping rule in the set of mapping rules providing a mapping of a model element type to a pictogram type,

map each model element in the set of model elements to a pictogram using the set of mapping rules to generate a set of one or more pictograms;

set one or more properties associated with the one or more pictograms in the set of pictograms; and

generate a visual representation based upon the set of pictograms and their associated properties, the visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the processing engine generates the visual representation by:

determining a graphics engine for outputting the visual representation; and

generating the visual representation based upon the graphics engine.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising an output device configured to display the visual representation.

25. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a data processor to generate a visual representation for a model representation, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the data processor to identify a set of one or more model elements in the model representation;

instructions that cause the data processor to generate an abstract representation for the model representation using a set of mapping rules, each mapping rule in the set of mapping rules providing a mapping of a model element type to a visual element type, the abstract representation comprising a set of one or more visual elements and associated one or more properties, the set of visual elements determined based upon the set of model elements and the set of mapping rules; and

instructions that cause the data processor to generate a first visual representation based upon the abstract representation, the first visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements determined based upon the set of visual elements and their associated properties.

26. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a data processor to generate a visual representation, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the data processor to receive input identifying a model representation;

instructions that cause the data processor to process the model representation to identify a set of one or more model elements;

instructions that cause the data processor to determine a set of mapping rules to be used for the model representation, each mapping rule in the set of mapping rules providing a mapping of a model element type to a pictogram type,

instructions that cause the data processor to map each model element in the set of model elements to a pictogram using the set of mapping rules to generate a set of one or more pictograms;

instructions that cause the data processor to set one or more properties associated with the one or more pictograms in the set of pictograms; and

instructions that cause the data processor to generate a visual representation based upon the set of pictograms and their associated properties, the visual representation comprising a set of one or more graphic elements.