Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating application processes by linking applications

• US 20080005752A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/479,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005752A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating application processes by linking applications are provided. According to one method, identifiers for each of first and second applications may be received via a GUI. Further, output data for the first application may be determined from an application descriptor associated with the first application. Input data for the second application may be determined from an application descriptor associated with the second application. The output and input data may be displayed via the GUI. Input indicating linking of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second application may be received via the GUI. A loadable instance to invoke the first application to generate a value for the output data and to invoke the second application with the generated value as the input data may be created.

Claims

1. A method for generating application processes by linking applications, the method comprising:

receiving, via a graphical user interface, identifiers for each of first and second applications;

determining output data for the first application from an application descriptor associated with the first application;

determining input data for the second application from an application descriptor associated with the second application;

displaying, via the graphical user interface, the output and input data;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, input indicating linking of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second application; and

creating a loadable instance operable to invoke the first application to generate a value for the output data and to invoke the second application with the generated value as the input data.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising determining information for invoking the first application from the application descriptor associated with the first application.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising determining information for invoking the second application from the application descriptor associated with the second application.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising storing the identifiers for the first and second applications, the output data for the first application, and the input data for the second application in a linked application graph (LAG) record.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising storing information for invoking the first and second applications in the LAG record.

6. The method of claim 4 comprising storing the linking input in the LAG record.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising:

invoking the first application;

receiving the value for the output data of the first application;

invoking the second application; and

inputting the value for the output data of the first application into the input data of the second application.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising prompting a user for a value for the output data of the first application when the output data value is not received from the first application.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising saving a value for the output data received from the user in response to the prompt.

10. The method of claim 8 comprising presenting selectable previously stored values for the output data received from the user in response to the prompt.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:

determining output data of the first application that is compatible input data for the second application; and

controlling linking of the output data of the first application to input data of the second application based on the compatibility determination.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein controlling linking includes displaying only output data of the first application that is compatible input data for the second application.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein controlling linking includes displaying only input data of the second application that is compatible output data for the first application.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a loadable instance includes creating an icon.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving, via the graphical user interface, input for the first application.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second applications are associated with different programming languages.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifiers are received for each of a plurality of second applications;

input data is received for each of the plurality of second applications from an application descriptor associated with each respective second application;

input is received indicating a plurality of links of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second applications, wherein each link is associated with a different value for the output data for the first application; and

the loadable instance is operable to invoke the first application to generate the value for the output data and to invoke, with the generated value as the input data, a second application that is linked to the first application via the corresponding link associated with the value for the output data.

18. A system for generating application processes by linking applications, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface operable to;

receive identifiers for each of first and second applications;

display output data for the first application and input data for the second application; and

receive input indicating linking of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second application; and

a linked application graph (LAG) manager operable to;

determine the output data for the first application from an application descriptor associated with the first application;

determine the input data for the second application from an application descriptor associated with the second application; and

create a loadable instance operable to invoke the first application to generate a value for the output data and to invoke the second application with the generated value as the input data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the LAG manager is operable to determine information for invoking the first application from the application descriptor associated with the first application.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the LAG manager is operable to determine information for invoking the second application from the application descriptor associated with the second application.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the LAG manager is operable to store the identifiers for the first and second applications, the output data for the first application, and the input data for the second application in a LAG record.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the LAG manager is operable to store information for invoking the first and second applications in the LAG record.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the LAG manager is operable to store the linking input in the LAG record.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the LAG manager is operable to:

invoke the first application;

receive the value for the output data of the first application;

invoke the second application; and

input the value for the output data of the first application into the input data of the second application.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the graphical user interface is operable to prompt a user for a value for the output data of the first application when the output data value is not received from the first application.

26. The system, of claim 25 wherein the LAG manager is operable to save a value for the output data received from the user in response to the prompt.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the LAG manager is operable to present selectable previously stored values for the output data received from the user in response to the prompt.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the LAG manager is operable to:

determine output data of the first application that are compatible input data for the second application; and

control linking of the output data of the first application to input data of the second application based on the compatibility determination.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the graphical user interface is operable to display only output data of the first application that are compatible input data for the second application.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the graphical user interface is operable to display only input data of the second application that are compatible output data for the first application.

31. The system of claim 18 wherein the graphical user interface is operable to display an icon.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein the graphical user interface is operable to receive input for the first application.

33. The system of claim 18 wherein the first and second applications are associated with different programming languages.

34. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the graphical user interface is operable to;

receive identifiers for each of a plurality of second applications; and

receive input indicating a plurality of links of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second applications, wherein each link is associated with a different value for the output data for the first application;

the LAG is operable to;

determine input data for each of the second applications from an application descriptor associated with each respective second application; and

the loadable instance is operable to invoke the first application to generate the value for the output data and to invoke, with the generated value as the input data, a second application that is linked to the first application via the corresponding link associated with the value for the output data.

35. A system for generating application processes by linking applications, the system comprising:

means for receiving, via a graphical user interface, identifiers for each of first and second applications;

means for determining output data for the first application from an application descriptor associated with the first application;

means for determining input data for the second application from an application descriptor associated with the second application;

means for displaying, via the graphical user interface, the output and input data;

means for receiving, via the graphical user interface, input indicating linking of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second application; and

means for creating a loadable instance operable to invoke the first application to generate a value for the output data and to invoke the second application with the generated value as the input data.

36. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

receiving, via a graphical user interface, identifiers for each of first and second applications;

determining output data for the first application from an application descriptor associated with the first application;

determining input data for the second application from an application descriptor associated with the second application;

displaying, via the graphical user interface, the output and input data;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, input indicating linking of the output data for the first application to the input data for the second application; and

creating a loadable instance operable to invoke the first application to generate a value for the output data and to invoke the second application with the generated value as the input data.