Method for forming a reusable and modifiable database interface object
First Claim
1. A method for interacting with a computer database table, comprising the steps of:
- tailoring a database interface object by establishing associations between columns of the database table and associated editing styles, each editing style specifying a display format for data of the associated column, said column/style associations specifying modifying methods for modifying data of respective columns of said database table, said tailoring being effected by an applications programmer without access to source code of said interface object;
providing a client program;
combining said database interface object, said client program, and a database manager program to form an application program; and
executing said application program, said execution comprising the steps of;
sending an invocation message from said client program to a retrieve method of said database interface object,receiving said retrieve invocation message by said database interface object at said retrieve method, execution of said retrieve method using said column/style associations to issue commands to said database manager program to retrieve data from said database table into a buffer maintained by and within said interface object;
invoking modifying methods of said database interface object, said modifying methods modifying said retrieved data in said buffer and storing a transcript of corresponding modification directives;
sending an invocation message from said client program to an update method of said database interface object,receiving said update invocation message by said database interface object at said update methods, execution of said update method using said column/style associations and said modification directives of said transcript to issue commands to said database manager program to update the data of said database table in accordance with said modification directives.
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Abstract
A program object providing an interface between a computer database manager and a client application program external to the interface object. The interface object includes associations between columns of the table and associated editing styles, a retrieve method, and an update method. Each editing style specifies a display format for data of the associated column. The column/style associations specify modifying methods for modifying data of respective columns of the table. The interface object is programmed to allow an applications programmer using the interface object to tailor the column/style associations to the database table without access to source code of the interface object. The retrieve method accepts an invocation message from the client program, and uses the column/style associations to issue commands to the database manager to retrieve data from the database into a buffer maintained by and within the interface object. The modifying methods accept directives to modify the retrieved data in the buffer and store a transcript of corresponding modification directives. The update method uses the column/style associations and the modification directives of the transcript to issue commands to the database manager to update the data of the database table in accordance with the modification directives.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for interacting with a computer database table, comprising the steps of:
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tailoring a database interface object by establishing associations between columns of the database table and associated editing styles, each editing style specifying a display format for data of the associated column, said column/style associations specifying modifying methods for modifying data of respective columns of said database table, said tailoring being effected by an applications programmer without access to source code of said interface object; providing a client program; combining said database interface object, said client program, and a database manager program to form an application program; and executing said application program, said execution comprising the steps of; sending an invocation message from said client program to a retrieve method of said database interface object, receiving said retrieve invocation message by said database interface object at said retrieve method, execution of said retrieve method using said column/style associations to issue commands to said database manager program to retrieve data from said database table into a buffer maintained by and within said interface object; invoking modifying methods of said database interface object, said modifying methods modifying said retrieved data in said buffer and storing a transcript of corresponding modification directives; sending an invocation message from said client program to an update method of said database interface object, receiving said update invocation message by said database interface object at said update methods, execution of said update method using said column/style associations and said modification directives of said transcript to issue commands to said database manager program to update the data of said database table in accordance with said modification directives.
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2. A stored program computer comprising:
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a central processor and a memory; a client application program in said memory; and a self-contained reusable database interface program object in said memory but external to the client application program and providing an interface between a computer database manager program for managing a database table and said client application program, the database interface object comprising; associations between columns of the database table and associated editing styles, each editing style specifying a display format for data of the associated column, said column/style associations specifying modifying methods for modifying data of respective columns of said database table, said database interface object providing to an applications programmer the ability to tailor said column/style associations to said database table without access to source code of said database interface object; a database communication portion for issuing database commands to the database manager program and receiving database results from the database through the database manager program; a portion, comprising methods, for communicating with said client application program and providing for reuse of said database interface object among a plurality of client application programs, said methods being routines invocable by receipt of a message from the user or client program and including; a retrieve method programmed to accept an invocation message from said client program, execution of said retrieve method using said column/style associations to issue commands to said database manager program to retrieve data from said database table into a buffer maintained by and within said database interface object; said modifying methods accepting directives to modify said retrieved data in said buffer and store a transcript of corresponding modification directives; and an update method programmed to accept an invocation message from said client program, execution of said update method using said column/style associations and said modification directives of said transcript to generate and issue commands to said database manager program to update the data of said database table in accordance with said modification directives. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A stored program computer, comprising:
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a central processor and a memory; and in said memory, a computer-executable interface program for providing a graphical user interface to a computer database manager program, the interface program comprising; a graphic painter being programmed to allow an applications programmer to tailor associations between columns of a database table managed by said database manager program and associated editing styles, without access to source code of said interface program; each editing style specifying a display format and screen display position for data of the associated column, said graphic painter being programmed to allow said applications programmer to manipulate graphical figures on a display screen of a computer and thereby specify said column/style associations in correspondence to said graphical figures; the editing styles tailorable by said applications programmer further comprising extended column definitions of display characteristics for data of corresponding columns of said database table beyond those characteristics inherent in a data dictionary of said database table; a graphical user interface component programmed to provide said graphical user interface and allow a user to manipulate data of said database table, the behavior and appearance of said graphical user interface being determined by said column/style associations with said extended column definitions, said graphical user interface component being programmed to generate and issue commands to said database manager program to direct said database manager program to read data from and write data to said database table, said commands being determined in accordance with said column/style associations and in response to requests entered to said graphical user interface component by said user. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification