System and method for translating and executing update requests

• US 20090144252A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Karstens, Jan, Koch, Wolfgang M., Liebich, Gunther Albert, Wildhagen, Andreas, Brendle, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24528 Standardisation; Simplification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods and systems for converting standardized, structured update requests into native business object commands are provided. The structured update requests may be defined in a business object-specific structured query language (BQL). A BQL engine may translate the structured update request into a command formatted for use by the appropriate business object or a programming interface in communication with the business object.

Claims

1. A method for executing an update request in a business system, comprising:

receiving an update request specifying a business object, a node in the business object, and a data-change operation to be performed with the business object, the update request defined in a structured query language;

extracting identifiers corresponding to the business object, the node, and the operation from the first query;

translating the extracted information into a native command, the native command defined in a format native to the identified business object;

sending the native command to a backend application storing the business object;

receiving an indication that processing of the command completed at the backend application; and

presenting the indication to a frontend application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein translating the extracted information into a native command comprises:

creating a virtual table, each row of the virtual table listing the business object, the business object node, and an assignment of a value to an attribute of the business object node; and

for each row in the virtual table, mapping the entries in the row to parameters expected by a backend application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein mapping the entries in the row comprises assigning each entry to a field in a native command template.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating an indexed view of data stored in the business object based on the results of executing the command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indexed view is updated to remove data deleted when the native command is executed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the indexed view is updated to add data created when the native command is executed.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the indexed view is updated to reflect changes to data caused by execution of the native command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the backend application is accessed via a client proxy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein translating the extracted information into a native command comprises:

creating a virtual table, each row of the virtual table listing the business object, the business object node, and an assignment of a value to an attribute of the business object node; and

for each row in the virtual table, creating a client proxy command using the entries listed in the row.

10. An apparatus comprising:

an input to receive a structured update request;

a parsing engine to extract a data-change business object operation referenced by the structured query;

a native command engine to construct a native command, the native command defining the business object operation in a language native to a backend application; and

an output to send the native command to the backend application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the parsing engine is adapted to:

create a virtual table, each row of the virtual table listing the business object, the business object node, and an assignment of a value to an attribute of the business object node; and

for each row in the virtual table, map the entries in the row to parameters expected by a backend application.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a fast search infrastructure to index data stored in the backend application.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a local client proxy to execute the native command.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the input is in communication with a client application displayed in a portal user interface, the client application to create the structured update request.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving an update request specifying a business object, a node in the business object, and a data-change operation to be performed with the business object, the update request defined in a structured query language;

extracting identifiers corresponding to the business object, the node, and the operation from the first query;

translating the extracted information into a native command, the native command defined in a format native to the identified business object;

sending the native command to a backend application storing the business object;

receiving an indication that processing of the command completed at the backend application; and

presenting the indication to a frontend application.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein translating the extracted information into a native command comprises:

creating a virtual table, each row of the virtual table listing the business object, the business object node, and an assignment of a value to an attribute of the business object node; and

for each row in the virtual table, mapping the entries in the row to parameters expected by a backend application.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein mapping the entries in the row comprises assigning each entry to a field in a native command template.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising updating an indexed view of data stored in the business object based on the results of executing the command.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the indexed view is updated to remove data deleted when the native command is executed.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the indexed view is updated to add data created when the native command is executed.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the indexed view is updated to reflect changes to data caused by execution of the native command.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the backend application is accessed via a client proxy.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein translating the extracted information into a native command comprises:

creating a virtual table, each row of the virtual table listing the business object, the business object node, and an assignment of a value to an attribute of the business object node; and

for each row in the virtual table, creating a client proxy command using the entries listed in the row.