Design-time rules mechanism for modeling systems

• US 20090007062A1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sap Labs Israel Ltd. (SAP SE), Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gilboa, Yuval
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a visual design tool associated with a generic modeling framework may be selected, and a set of design-time functions used in the visual design tool may be identified. A set of design-time rules may be created (e.g., by a rule creator), each rule corresponding to an identified design-time function. In addition, parameters may be defined for each rule in terms of entities of a language of the generic modeling framework. A set of basic rule cases may then be defined for each rule to specify rule logic, and an extension mechanism may be provided to enable the defined set of basic rule cases to be extended outside the generic modeling framework. According to some embodiments, the set of rules and associated basic rule cases may be interpreted at run-time by the modeling framework.

Claims

1. A method associated with a business enterprise portal, comprising:

identifying a set of design-time functions used in a visual design tool associated with a generic modeling framework;

creating a set of design-time rules, each rule corresponding to an identified design-time function;

defining parameters for each rule in terms of entities of a language of the generic modeling framework; and

defining a set of basic rule cases for each rule to specify rule logic;

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an extension mechanism to enable the defined set of basic rule cases to be extended outside the generic modeling framework; and

interpreting the set of rules and associated basic rule cases at run-time by the modeling framework.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual design tool is associated with at least one of:

(i) a Visual Composer design tool or (ii) an Eclipse modeling framework.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a design-time function comprises at least one of:

(i) a design-time operation, or (ii) a design-time query.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the rule logic is associated with at least one of:

(i) an input parameter, or (ii) a constraint.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the extension mechanism is associated with at least one of:

(i) a plug-in to the visual design tool, or (ii) a kit for the visual design tool.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adding a design-time rule using a design-time wizard.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

editing a design-time rule using a design-time wizard.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said creating is performed via a declarative language.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein said interpreting the set of rules and associated basic rule cases is performed in substantially real-time by the generic modeling framework.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one created design-time rule comprises a usability rule associated with a model element context.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one created design-time rule is associated with at least one of:

(i) a visual appearance of a modeling element, (ii) a modeling element shape, (iii) a modeling element visual attribute, (iv) a modeling element layout, (v) a modeling element mapping to a modeling concept, (vi) a modeling tool palette, (vii) a modeling element behavior, or (viii) a modeling element connection.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

resolving a rule conflict between a first and second rule case for a design-time rule.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the created rules are associated with at least one of:

(i) a particular application, (ii) a particular type of application, (iii) or an application class.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting the visual design tool from a set of potential visual design tools.

16. A system, comprising:

a rule definition apparatus to;

receive from a rule creator an indication of a set of design-time rules, each rule corresponding to an identified design-time function for a visual design tool,

receive from the rule creator defining parameters for each rule in terms of entities of a language of a generic modeling framework associated with the visual design tool,

receiving from the rule creator a set of basic rule cases for each rule to specify rule logic; and

a rule implementation apparatus to;

providing an extension mechanism to enable the defined set of basic rule cases to be extended outside the generic modeling framework, and

arranging for the set of rules and associated basic rule cases to be interpreted at run-time by a generic modeling framework of the visual design tool.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rule implementation apparatus interfaces with at least one of:

(i) a Visual Composer design tool or (ii) an Eclipse modeling framework.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the rule implementation apparatus interfaces via at least one of:

(i) a plug-in to the visual design tool, or (ii) a kit for the visual design tool.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one design-time rule is associated with a model element context.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one design-time rule is associated with at least one of:

(i) a visual appearance of a modeling element, (ii) a modeling element shape, (iii) a modeling element visual attribute, (iv) a modeling element layout, (v) a modeling element mapping to a modeling concept, (vi) a modeling tool palette, (vii) a modeling element behavior, or (viii) a modeling element connection.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a design-time rule database.

22. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps associated with a business enterprise application, the process steps comprising:

receiving from a rule creator an indication of a set of design-time rules, each rule corresponding to an identified design-time function for a visual design tool;

receiving from the rule creator defining parameters for each rule in terms of entities of a language of a generic modeling framework associated with the visual design tool;

receiving from the rule creator a set of basic rule cases for each rule to specify rule logic;

providing an extension mechanism to enable the defined set of basic rule cases to be extended outside the generic modeling framework; and

arranging for the set of rules and associated basic rule cases to be interpreted at run-time by a generic modeling framework of the visual design tool.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said arranging comprises outputting information associated with an interface tool comprising at least one of:

(i) a plug-in to the visual design tool, or (ii) a kit for the visual design tool.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein there are a plurality of interface tools and a single design-time rule may be associated with multiple interface tools.