Method and system for generating a compact document type definition for data interchange among software tools

• US 6,253,366 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Mutschler, Eugene Otto III
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Application Number:
  US09/282,102
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/2, 717/3, 717/5, 717/8, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/100, 707/103, 707/513, 709/315, 709/316
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

A method is disclosed for use in a software development framework having a repository and at least two software systems. The repository contains a meta-model and the software systems, which store instances of the meta-model. The method enables exchange of the instances of the meta-model among the software systems using a generalized data transfer language. The method comprises the steps of extracting a fixed component and a variable of the meta-model; parsing the variable component into a first set of constituent components for a first instance of the variable component; and extracting a list of repeated components from the first set of constituent components. Next, each of the members of the list of repeated components is transformed into components of a generalized software language. Then, the first set of constituent components are transformed into corresponding components of the generalized software language. The first instance of the variable component is then transformed into corresponding components of the generalized software language. The previous five steps are repeated for additional instances of the variable component. After this, the fixed component is transformed into corresponding components of the generalized software language. Then, the corresponding components are distributed among the software systems. The distributed components in the generalized software language can then be used to control the syntax of the generalized data transfer language when used to exchange instances of the meta-model.

Claims

1. In a software development framework having a repository and one or more software systems wherein said repository contains a meta-model and said software systems, which store instances of said meta-model, a method for enabling exchange of said instances of said meta-model among said software systems using a generalized data transfer language, said method comprising the steps of:

a. extracting a fixed component and a variable component of said meta-model;

b. parsing said variable component into a first set of constituent components for a first instance of said variable component;

c. extracting a list of repeated components from said first set of constituent components;

d. transforming said repeated components in said list of repeated components into corresponding components of a generalized software language;

e. transforming each of said first set of constituent components into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

f. transforming said first instance of said variable component into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

g. repeating steps b through f for a second instance of said variable component;

h. transforming said fixed component into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

i. distributing said corresponding components to another instance of said software model; and

,

j. using said corresponding components distributed in the preceding step to control the syntax of said generalized data transfer language for exchanging said meta-model instances.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein step c thereof further includes the step of generating separate objects for each list of repeated components and using said separate objects to transform multiple instances of said repeated components into corresponding components of said generalized software language.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein each of said generalized software language components created by said transformation of each of said repeated components in said list of repeated components is an XML entity definition.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein said generalized software language components created by said transformation of said constituent components are XML element definitions.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein said generalized software language components created by said transformation of said instances of said variable components are XML element definitions.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein step f thereof further includes the step of incorporating references to said corresponding components of said general purpose software language created by said transformation of each of said repeated components in said list of repeated components.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said meta-model is a meta-metamodel with instances that are themselves meta-models.

8. A method according to claim 1 further including facilitating exchange of data of said software model between two software systems.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said meta-model is the Unified Modeling Language (UML).

10. The method in claim 1 wherein said data transfer language is extensible Markup Language (XML).

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein said generalized data transfer language is the Document Type Definition (DTD) specification language for XML.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein said software systems are software modeling tools.

13. A storage medium for use in a software development framework having a repository and at least two software systems wherein said repository contains a meta-model and said software systems, which are capable of storing instances of said meta-model, said medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for enabling exchange of said instances of said meta-model among said software systems using a generalized data transfer language, wherein when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer performs the steps of:

a. extracting a fixed component and a variable component of said meta-model;

b. parsing said variable component into a first set of constituent components for a first instance of said variable component;

c. extracting a list of repeated components from said first set of constituent components;

d. transforming said repeated components in said list of repeated components into corresponding components of a generalized software language;

e. transforming each of said first set of constituent components into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

f. transforming said first instance of variable component into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

g. repeating steps b to f for a second instance of said variable component;

h. transforming said fixed component into corresponding components of said generalized software language;

i. distributing said corresponding components to said second instance of said software model; and

,

j. using said distributed said corresponding components to control the syntax of said generalized data transfer language to exchange said meta-model instances.

14. A medium according to claim 13 wherein step c thereof further includes the step of generating separate objects for each list of repeated components and using said separate objects to transform multiple instances of said repeated components into corresponding components of said generalized software language.

15. A medium according to claim 13 wherein said instance of said meta-model is based on a software model.

16. A medium according to claim 13 further including facilitating exchange of data of said software model between two software systems.

17. A medium according to claim 13 wherein said meta-model is the Unified Modeling Language (UML).

18. A medium according to claim 13 wherein said data transfer language is extensible Markup Language (XML).

19. A medium according to claim 13 wherein said generalized software language is the Document Type Definition (DTD) specification for XML.

20. A medium according to claim 13 wherein said software systems are software modeling tools.

21. A medium according to claim 13 wherein one of said instances of said meta-model is based on a software model.

22. A medium according to claim 13 further including facilitating exchange of said software model data between two software systems.

23. In a software development framework having a repository and at least two software systems wherein said repository contains a meta-model and said software systems, which store instances of said meta-model, a method for enabling exchange of said instances of said meta-model among said software systems using a generalized data transfer language, said method comprising the steps of:

a. mapping primary objects of said meta-model to constructs of said generalized data transfer language;

b. mapping component parts and relationships of said primary meta-model objects to component constructs of said generalized data transfer language;

c. further mapping of groups of said relationships of said meta-model to aggregate constructs of said data transfer language;

d. mapping grouping mechanisms of said meta-model to grouping constructs of said generalized data transfer language;

e. defining algorithms for traversing said meta-model to obtain information about said component parts and relationships of said primary components necessary for preserving said information in a process of transforming said component parts and relationships, primary objects and grouping mechanisms into generalized software language components used to express said constructs, component constructs and grouping constructs of said generalized data transfer language;

f. defining algorithms for transforming groups of said relationships into generalized software language constructs used to express said aggregate constructs of said generalized data transfer language; and

,

g. expressing relationships among said generalized software language components, whereby reliable and correct programs to perform said transforming of said component parts and relationships, primary objects and grouping mechanisms into said generalized software language components can be written.