Method and apparatus for enabling server side distributed object modification

• US 6,263,498 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl David, Alcorn, John William
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US09/204,520
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/11, 707/100, 709/201
• US Class Current: 717/110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a distributed data processing system for managing application modification in a distributed data processing system. The first portion of an application is morphed, wherein the first portion of the application becomes a dippable application. The first portion of an application containing business rules is placed on a server within the distributed data processing system, wherein the application is accessed by a client. A second portion of the application is placed on a client, wherein the second portion of the application provides access to the first portion of the application. A rule change is identified for the dippable application. A dip is created for the dippable application, wherein the dip incorporates the rule change. The dip is added to the dippable application, wherein the rule change is incorporated into the dippable application without requiring a change to the second portion of the application located on the client.

Claims

1. A method in a distributed data processing system for managing application modification in a distributed data processing system, the method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

morphing a first portion of an application, wherein the first portion of the application becomes a dippable application;

placing the first portion of the application containing business rules on a server within the distributed data processing system, wherein the application is accessed by a client;

placing a second portion of the application on a client, wherein the second portion of the application provides access to the first portion of the application;

identifying a rule change for the dippable application;

creating a dip for the dippable application, wherein the dip incorporates the rule change; and

adding the dip to the dippable application, wherein the rule change is incorporated into the dippable application without requiring a change to the second portion of the application located on the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the application is a plurality of beans.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of morphing comprises morphing a single bean within the plurality of beans.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the application is used to invoke access to a database by the first portion of the application and wherein the first portion of the application returns data to the second portion of the application using the business rules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the application includes a plurality of rules implemented as a plurality of dips and further comprising:

identifying a rule that is an invalid rule;

identifying a dip within the plurality of dips that incorporates the invalid rule; and

removing the dip that incorporates the invalid rule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the application includes a plurality of business rules implemented as a plurality of dips and further comprising:

identifying a rule within the plurality of business rules that requires a modification;

creating a new dip incorporating the modification;

identifying a dip within the plurality of dips incorporating the rule; and

replacing the dip with the new dip.

7. A method for managing applications in a distributed data processing system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

providing an application to a client computer, wherein a first portion of the application is located on a server computer and a second portion of the application is located on the client computer and wherein the application includes business rules that are located in the first portion of the application and wherein the business rules in the application are located in dippable beans; and

modifying a business rule within the business rules by adding a dip to a dippable bean within the plurality of dippable beans containing the business rule, wherein changes to the second portion of the application are unnecessary.

8. A distributed data processing system for managing program modification:

a client side object located on a client computer, wherein the client side object generates a request to access data; and

a server side object located on a server computer, wherein the server side object is a dippable object that includes business rules, receives requests from the client side object, and returns data to the client object using the business rules.

9. The distributed data processing system of claim 8, wherein business rules within the server side object are modified by adding a dip to the server side object and wherein a requirement to modify the client side object is absent.

10. The distributed data processing system of claim 8, wherein the server side object includes a set of dips incorporating business rules and wherein the server side object is modified by removing a dip from the set of dips and wherein a requirement to modify the client side object is absent.

11. A distributed data processing system for managing application modification in a distributed data processing system, the distributed data processing system comprising:

morphing means for morphing a first portion of an application, wherein the first portion of the application becomes a dippable application;

first placing means for placing the first portion of the application containing business rules on a server within the distributed data processing system, wherein the application is accessed by a client;

second placing means for placing a second portion of the application on a client, wherein the second portion of the application provides access to the first portion of the application;

identifying means for identifying a rule change for the dippable application;

creating means for creating a dip for the dippable application, wherein the dip incorporates the rule change; and

adding means for adding the dip to the dippable application, wherein the rule change is incorporated into the dippable application without requiring a change to the second portion of the application located on the client.

12. The distributed data processing system of claim 11, wherein the first part of the application includes a plurality of rules implemented as a plurality of dips and further comprising:

first identifying means for identifying a rule that is an invalid rule;

second identifying means for identifying a dip within the plurality of dips that incorporates the invalid rule; and

removing means for removing the dip that incorporates the invalid rule.

13. The distributed data processing system of claim 11, wherein the first part of the application includes a plurality of business rules implemented as a plurality of dips and further comprising:

first identifying means for identifying a rule within the plurality of business rules that requires a modification;

creating means for creating a new dip incorporating the modification;

second identifying means for identifying a dip within the plurality of dips incorporating the rule; and

replacing means for replacing the dip with the new dip.

14. A distributed data processing system for managing applications in a distributed data processing system, the distributed data processing system comprising:

providing means for providing an application to a client computer, wherein a first portion of the application is located on a server computer and second portion of the application is located on the client computer and wherein the application includes business rules that are located in the first portion of the application and wherein the business rules in the application are located in dippable beans; and

modifying means for modifying a business rule within the business rules by adding a dip to a dippable bean within the plurality of dippable beans containing the business rule, wherein changes to the second portion of the application are unnecessary.

15. A computer program product in a distributed data processing system for managing application modification in a distributed data processing system, the computer program product comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

first instructions for morphing a first portion of an application, wherein the first portion of the application becomes a dippable application;

second instructions for placing the first portion of application containing business rules on a server within the distributed data processing system, wherein the application is accessed by a client;

third instructions for placing a second portion of the application on a client, wherein the second portion of the application provides access to the first portion of the application;

fourth instructions for identifying a rule change for the dippable application;

fifth instructions for creating a dip for the dippable application, wherein the dip incorporates the rule change; and

sixth instructions for adding the dip to the dippable application, wherein the rule change is incorporated into the dippable application without requiring a change to the second portion of the application located on the client.