Designtime services for multiple patterns

• US 20080163161A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Penmatsa, Vinay Nath, Fildebrandt, Ulf, Shaburov, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to designtime services for multiple patterns of a visual modeling language environment (e.g., generic services to handle events related to pattern components in a designtime environment). Input characterizing events related to patterns components may be received in a visual modeling tool, a type of event may be associated with a service to resolve events related to different patterns having a same type of event, and the service may be initiated to resolve the type of event.

Claims

1. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving input characterizing a first event related to a first pattern component of a visual modeling language environment;

associating the first event with a service for a type of event associated with the first event;

causing the service to resolve the first event;

receiving input characterizing a second event related to a second pattern component of the visual modeling language environment;

associating the second event with the service, the second event being the same type of event as the first event; and

causing the service to resolve the second event.

2. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second pattern components are implemented in kits having similar extension points, the service to resolve the first and second events from extension points of the first and second pattern components.

3. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the service determining child components supported by the first pattern component in response to the first event, and

configuring a palette of pattern components to include child components supported by the first pattern component.

4. A computer program product in accordance with claim 3, the operations further comprising:

adding a third pattern component as a child to the first pattern component, the third pattern component being one of the child components supported by the first pattern component;

the service determining whether cardinality information of the first pattern component supports another third pattern component as a child; and

if the first pattern component supports another third pattern component as a child, allowing a user to add another third pattern component as a child to the first pattern component.

5. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the first and second events are received at an event listener that assists in resolving events of pattern component kits, each pattern component kit having a pattern component that may be added or removed from a visual modeling environment;

and

the event listener references the service to assist in resolving the events.

6. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a first kit including the first pattern component, the first kit not including an event handler for the first event; and

integrating the first kit into the visual modeling environment.

7. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a first kit including the first pattern component, the first kit including code overwriting a second service for handling a third event, the second service being a generic service for handling the third event; and

integrating the first kit into the visual modeling environment.

8. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first event is received by a visual modeling tool in a designtime environment to develop an application using pattern components.

9. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second pattern components graphically depict entities of a visual modeling language.

10. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second pattern components are configurable, reusable units corresponding to tasks, the first and second pattern components having specific semantic meanings and defined interaction behaviors.

11. A computer-implemented event-listener to perform operations comprising:

receiving input characterizing events related to a plurality of patterns components in a visual modeling tool;

associating a type of event with a service to resolve events, the service to resolve events related to different patterns having a same type of event; and

initiating the service to resolve the type of event.

12. A computer-implemented event-listener in accordance with claim 11, wherein the pattern components are implemented in kits having similar extension points, the service to resolve the events from extension points of the pattern components.

13. A computer-implemented event-listener in accordance with claim 11, wherein the service is a default service;

the operations further comprise determining whether a pattern component overwrites the service with a specific service; and

the initiating the service comprises initiating the service if the pattern component does not overwrite the service, and otherwise, initiating the specific service.

14. A computer-implemented event-listener in accordance with claim 11, wherein the service determines child components supported by a pattern component in response to another event, and configures a palette of pattern components to include child components supported by the pattern component.

15. A computer-implemented event-listener in accordance with claim 14, wherein the service further determines whether cardinality information of the pattern component supports another pattern component as a child;

and if the pattern component supports another pattern component as a child, allows a user to add another pattern component as a child to the pattern component.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving input characterizing a first event related to a first pattern component of a visual modeling language environment;

associating the first event with a service for a type of event associated with the first event;

causing the service to resolve the first event;

receiving input characterizing a second event related to a second pattern component of the visual modeling language environment;

associating the second event with the service, the second event being the same type of event as the first event; and

causing the service to resolve the second event.

17. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 16, the method further comprising:

the service determining child components supported by the first pattern component in response to the first event, and

configuring a palette of pattern components to include child components supported by the first pattern component.

18. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 17, the method further comprising:

adding a third pattern component as a child to the first pattern component, the third pattern component being one of the child components supported by the first pattern component;

the service determining whether cardinality information of the first pattern component supports another third pattern component as a child; and

if the first pattern component supports another third pattern component as a child, allowing a user to add another third pattern component as a child to the first pattern component.

19. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 16, wherein

the first and second events are received at an event listener that assists in resolving events of pattern component kits, each pattern component kit having a pattern component that may be added or removed from a visual modeling environment;

and

the event listener references the service to assist in resolving the events.

20. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 16, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication of a first kit including the first pattern component, the first kit not including an event handler for the first event; and

integrating the first kit into the visual modeling environment.