Method and system for automated, interactive translation of a software program to a data model for input to an information repository

• US 6,151,702 A
• Filed: 09/30/1994
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.), Price Waterhouse Company Limited (Price Waterhouse Hong Kong Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Overturf, James M., Paltenghe, Cris T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Lonnie A.
• Application Number:
  US08/315,745
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/700, 717/5, 717/7, 717/9, 707/103
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

The present invention is a computer implemented method and system for translating a program (9) on a source application system in a first representation to a second representation on a target application system. The method includes the steps of generating a cross reference (27) between a first set of data items from the source application system and a second set of data items from the target application system; and translating the program (9) in the first representation on the source application system to the second representation on the target application system in accordance with the cross reference (27). The system of the present invention includes a program input mechanism (30) for extracting a first set of data items from the source application system, an information repository input mechanism (33) for accepting a second set of data items from the target application system; a cross referencing subsystem (23) for generating a cross reference (27) between the first and second sets of data items; and a translator (11) for translating user selected statements from the program in accordance with the cross reference (27).

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for translating a program on a source application system in a first representation with a first high level language and a first data structure to a second representation with a second high level language and second data structure on a target application system, comprising the steps of:

generating a cross reference between a first set of data items from said source application system and a second set of data items from said target application system; and

translating said program in said first representation with a first high level language and a first data structure on said source application system to said second representation with a second high level language and a second data structure on said target application system in accordance with said cross reference.

2. A computer implemented method for translating a program on a source application system in a first representation with a first high level language and first data structure to a second representation with a second high level language and second data structure on a target application system, comprising the steps of:

extracting a first set of data items from said source application system in said first representation with a first high level language and first data structure;

providing a second set of data items from said target application system in said second representation with a second high level language and second data structure;

generating a cross reference between said first set of data items and said second set of data items; and

translating said program to said second representation with said second high level language and said second data structure on said target application system in accordance with said cross reference.

3. A computer implemented method for translating a program on a source application system in a first representation to a second representation on a target application system, the computer including a display, comprising the steps of:

extracting a first set of data items from said source application system;

providing a second set of data items from said target application system;

generating a cross reference between said first set of data items and said second set of data items;

parsing portions of said program;

displaying parsed portions of said program on a first area of said display of said computer;

translating a user selected statements from said program to said second representation on said target application system in accordance with said cross reference;

generating error messages in response to errors occurring in said translating step;

flagging one of said user selected statements in said program in response to said generating step;

displaying said error messages and a set of error resolution options on a second area of said display of said computer in response to said user selecting said flagged statement;

executing one of said set of error resolution options in response to said user selecting said one of said set of error resolution options;

repeating said steps of translating, generating, flagging, displaying and executing until no errors occur in said translating step, thereby generating a translation of said user selected statements from said program; and

displaying said translation on a third area of said display of said computer.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 further including the step of generating a data model for input to an information repository, said data model including said translation of said program and said cross reference.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein said extracting step includes the step of extracting said first set of data items from said program.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein said extracting step includes the step of accepting user input defining said first set of data items.

7. A computer implemented system for translating a program on a source application system in a first representation to a second representation on a target application system, comprising:

a first input means for receiving a first set of data items from said source application system;

a second input means for receiving a second set of data items from said target application system;

a cross referencing system coupled to said first input means and said second input means for cross referencing said first set of data items to said second set of data items and generating a cross referencing repository in response;

a translator for translating selected portions of said program in said first representation with first high level language and first data structure on said source application system to said second representation with a second high level language and a second data structure on said target application system in accordance with said cross referencing repository; and

a user interface coupled between said cross referencing system and said translator for providing user control over said cross referencing system and said translator.

8. A computer implemented system for translating a program on a source application system in a first representation to a second representation on a target application system, comprising:

a first input means for receiving a first set of data items from said source application system;

a second input means for receiving a second set of data items from said target application system;

a cross referencing system coupled and responsive to said first input means and said second input means for cross referencing said first set of data items to said second set of data items and generating a cross referencing repository;

a translator for translating selected portions of said program in said first representation with a first high level language and a first data structure on said source application system to said second representation with a second high level language and a second data structure on said target application system in accordance with said cross referencing repository;

a user interface coupled between said cross referencing system and said translator for providing user control over said cross referencing system and said translator;

a translated procedure administrator coupled to said user interface for providing user access to translated portions of said program; and

a data model control coupled to said user interface for building a data model including said translated portions of said program and said cross reference.

9. An automated, interactive translation tool comprising:

means for capturing business rules and data items embedded in source, legacy, application system program in a first high level language;

means for cross referencing said data items in source application system program with data items on a target application system program in a second high level language;

a user interface coupled to said means for cross referencing for providing user control; and

means coupled to said user interface for translating the extracted business rules and data items in said source application system program to an equivalent target application system program in a second high level language representation in accordance with the cross reference for input to an Information Repository.