System and method for extending legacy applications with undo/redo functionality

• US 20080189646A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bohle, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management

Abstract

In a system and method for recalling a state in an application, a processor may store in a memory data representing a first set of previously executed commands, the first set representing a current application state, and, for recalling a previously extant application state different than the current application state, the processor may modify the data to represent a second set of commands and may execute in sequence the second set of commands.

Claims

1. A method for recalling a state in an application, comprising:

storing in a memory data representing a first set of commands, the first set including a plurality of commands executed between a first application state and a second application state; and

subsequently, for recalling the second application state, executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands is performed without intervention by a user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, during a first execution of the first set of commands prior to the recalling the second application state, the first set of commands are executed with intervention by the user between different commands of the first set, the intervention including an instruction to execute a next command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing in memory includes storing a data input by a user for execution of at least one of the commands and associating the data input by the user with the at least one of the commands for execution of which the user input the data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands includes executing the at least one of the commands using the user input data associated with the at least one of commands.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

subsequent to the storing in memory and prior to the recalling the second application state, one of the first application state and another application state different than the second application state is realized;

during the realization of the one of the first application state and the another application state subsequent to the storing in memory, the data in the memory is modified to represent a second set of commands, the second set including one or more commands and being different than the first set;

the recalling the second application state further comprises;

modifying the data in the memory to represent the first set instead of the second set prior to the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the another application state is realized subsequent to the storing in memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state;

for realizing the another application state, a command is added to the first set to modify the data in the memory to represent the second set;

the memory includes a first memory location and a second memory location, the data representing the first set being stored in the first memory location; and

the modifying the data in the first memory location to represent the first set instead of the second set comprises;

removing the added command from the second set; and

storing the removed command in the second memory location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the memory includes a first memory location and a second memory location, the data representing the first set being stored in the first memory location;

the first application state is realized subsequent to the storing in memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state;

for realizing the first application state subsequent to the storing in memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state, a command is removed from the first set to modify the data in the memory to include the second set, and is stored in the second memory location; and

the modifying the data in the first memory location to represent the first set instead of the second set comprises;

removing from the second memory location the command stored in the second memory location; and

adding the command removed from the second memory location to the second set.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking the first set as a version of an application work area; and

performing the recalling of the second application state each time the version is opened.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving via a first program module one or more user input; and

mapping each of the one or more user input to the first set of commands for input to a second program module for execution of the first set of commands;

wherein the executing in sequence is performed by execution of the second program module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first program module provides a first user interface and the second program module provides a second user interface;

a user interacts with the first user interface to input the user input; and

the first program module interacts with the second user interface to input the first set of commands to the second program module.

12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

13. A method for recalling a state in an application, comprising:

storing in a memory data representing a first set of previously executed commands, the first set representing a current application state; and

for recalling a previously extant application state different than the current application state;

modifying the data to represent a second set of commands; and

executing in sequence the second set of commands.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifying includes one of (a) adding a new command to the first set and (b) removing one of the commands of the first set from the first set.

15. A system for recalling a state in an application, comprising:

a memory;

an arrangement for storing in the memory data representing a first set of commands, the first set including a plurality of commands executed between a first application state and a second application state; and

an arrangement for subsequently recalling the second application state by executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands is performed without intervention by a user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, during a first execution of the first set of commands prior to the recalling the second application state, the first set of commands are executed with intervention by the user between different commands of the first set, the intervention including an instruction to execute a next command.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the storing in the memory includes storing a data input by a user for execution of at least one of the commands and associating the data input by the user with the at least one of the commands for execution of which the user input the data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands includes executing the at least one of the commands using the user input data associated with the at least one of commands.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

subsequent to the storing in the memory and prior to the recalling the second application state, one of the first application state and another application state different than the second application state is realized;

during the realization of the one of the first application state and the another application state subsequent to the storing in the memory, the data in the memory is modified to represent a second set of commands, the second set including one or more commands and being different than the first set; and

for the recalling the second application state, the data in the memory is modified to represent the first set instead of the second set prior to the executing in sequence the stored plurality of commands.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the another application state is realized subsequent to the storing in the memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state;

for realizing the another application state, a command is added to the first set to modify the data in the memory to represent the second set;

the memory includes a first memory location and a second memory location, the data representing the first set being stored in the first memory location; and

the modifying the data in the first memory location to represent the first set instead of the second set includes removing the added command from the second set, and storing the removed command in the second memory location.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the memory includes a first memory location and a second memory location, the data representing the first set being stored in the first memory location;

the first application state is realized subsequent to the storing in the memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state;

for realizing the first application state subsequent to the storing in the memory the data representing the first set and prior to the recalling the second application state, a command is removed from the first set to modify the data in the memory to include the second set, and is stored in the second memory location; and

the modifying the data in the first memory location to represent the first set instead of the second set includes removing from the second memory location the command stored in the second memory location, and adding the command removed from the second memory location to the second set.

23. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an arrangement for marking the first set as a version of an application work area;

wherein the recalling of the second application state is performed each time the version is opened.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an arrangement for receiving one or more user input;

an arrangement for mapping each of the one or more user input to the first set of commands for input to the arrangement for the execution of the first set of commands.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a first user interface provided by the arrangement for receiving; and

a second user interface provided by the arrangement for the execution of the first set of commands;

wherein;

a user interacts with the first user interface to input the user input; and

the arrangement for receiving interacts with the second user interface to input the first set of commands to the arrangement for the execution of the first set of commands.