Extensible Metadata

• US 20070198972A1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hogg, James, Evans, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,104,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

Systems and methods for extensible metadata are described. In one aspect, source code is compiled to generate an assembly. During assembly generating operations, metadata and extensible metadata is emitted into the assembly. The extensible metadata describes standard and non-standard metadata that presents an extension to the standard metadata.

Claims

1. A method at least partially implemented by a computing device for generating extensible metadata, the method comprising:

compiling source code to generate an assembly;

during compiling operations, emitting metadata and extensible metadata into the assembly, the extensible metadata describing standard and non-standard metadata that represents an extension to standard metadata; and

wherein the extensible metadata is configured such that a computer-program application utilizing the extensible metadata can selectively implement behavior associated with the extensible metadata by utilizing a self-describing aspect of the extensible metadata to parse the extensible metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extensible metadata is self-describing and further describes table layout information, data type definitions, code classes, members, and/or class inheritance information for both standard and non-standard metadata.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the extensible metadata further comprises table layout information, data type definitions, code classes, members, and/or class inheritance information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the extension includes design-time information, a value array, and/or generics extensible metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein compiling further comprises enforcing data format and table relationships in the extensible metadata with a extensible metadata schema, the extensible metadata schema differentiating standard metadata tables from non-standard extensible metadata tables.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein compiling further comprises tagging the extensible metadata such that is can be differentiated by a metadata consumer from the standard metadata.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein compiling further comprises generating, by a primary compiler, a string heap to store character strings associated with the extensible metadata.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the extensible metadata comprises one or more of:

a MetaColDef table for identifying layout of one or more tables, the MetaColDef table comprising, for each table of the tables;

a tag indicating that the table is extensible metadata, a substantially unique table identifier, data type associated with each column in the table, and/or table name and width;

a MetaToks table comprising one or more metadata tokens to index a metadata table or a metadata heap, each EM token indicating an indexed table and a row number of the indexed table;

a MetaCodedToks comprising one or more coded tokens, and for each coded token;

an assigned number, a byte offset into a extensible metadata string heap to a corresponding name, a number of elements in a set of tokens being defined;

a MetaCodedVals table comprising type reference, type definition, type specification, field, and property information for extensible metadata coded tokens; and

a MetaFeatures table comprising information for one or more new features, the information for each feature comprising a feature number, a substantially unique feature ID, a name of the feature.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the extensible metadata comprises multiple respective rows of data, each row being tagged as extended, and wherein the extensible metadata further comprises uses-feature information for each row of the multiple respective rows, the information identifying a specific table and table row, a feature number associated with an extension identified by the table row, and an indication of one or more metadata consumer types that should understand the extension to properly function.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more metadata consumer types comprise a browser, a linker, a compiler, and/or a runtime.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly is for loading into memory by a metadata consumer independent of modification of the metadata consumer such that the metadata consumer can interrogate the runtime to discover presence of the extensible metadata, properties, and/or representation of the extensible metadata.

12. A computer-readable medium for extensible metadata, the computer-readable medium comprising computer-program executable instructions executable by a processor for:

loading, by a metadata consumer, an assembly of compiled source code into memory, the assembly comprising metadata and extensible metadata, the extensible metadata representing non-standard metadata that represents an extension to standard metadata;

interrogating, by the consumer, a runtime to discover one or more of presence of the extensible metadata, properties, and representation of the extensible metadata; and

wherein the extensible metadata is self-describing to the metadata consumer, the extensible metadata comprising information to describe one or more of non-standard table layout information, data type definitions, code classes, members, and class inheritance information.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the computer-program instructions for interrogating further comprise instructions for discovering data type definitions for a specific one of multiple extended features in the extensible metadata.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the computer-program instructions for interrogating further comprise instructions for determining at least one suggested action to direct the consumer with respect to use of the extensible metadata.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the computer-program instructions for loading and interrogating are performed independent of modification to the consumer.

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the extensible metadata comprises an indication of one or more metadata consumer types that should understand a respective extension in the extensible metadata to properly function.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more metadata consumer types comprise a browser, a linker, a compiler, and/or a runtime.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12 wherein the extensible metadata further comprises at least one table of the tables indicating a suggested action for a metadata consumer to take with respect to the new feature, the suggested action directing the metadata consumer that it must understand semantics of the new feature or may safely ignore the new feature.

19. A computing device for extensible metadata, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for;

enforcing data format and table relationships in extensible metadata with a extensible metadata schema, the extensible metadata representing non-standard metadata for at least one new feature that is not found in standard metadata, the extensible metadata schema providing information to differentiate standard metadata from non-standard extensible metadata;

emitting the extensible metadata into an assembly; and

wherein the extensible metadata is configured such that a computer-program application utilizing the extensible metadata can selectively implement behavior associated with the extensible metadata by utilizing a self-describing aspect of the extensible metadata to parse the extensible metadata.

20. A computing device as recited in claim 19:

wherein the extensible metadata is self-describing to a extensible metadata consumer, the extensible metadata comprising one or more of non-standard table layout information, data type definitions, code classes, members, and class inheritance information;

wherein an extension and the extensible metadata introduces a new feature; and

wherein the extensible metadata further comprises at least one suggested action for a metadata consumer to take with respect to the new feature, the at least one suggested action indicating the metadata consumer must understand semantics of the new feature or may safely ignore the new feature.