Mechanism and process to transform a grammar-derived intermediate form to an object-oriented configuration database

• US 6,298,354 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Slaughter, Gregory L., Saulpaugh, Thomas E., Traversat, Bernard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/253,839
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method and system for transforming an intermediate form into an object-oriented database. The intermediate form is derived from a grammatical form of an object-oriented database through the process of compilation. The grammatical form is an expression of an object-oriented database in a textual form according to a grammar. The intermediate form comprises an array of intelligent entry objects that encapsulate data with methods for manipulating that data. The intermediate form comprises entries as in the object-oriented database but lacks the infrastructure of the database. The intermediate form can be used to populate the object-oriented database with entries. Population takes place through a public API for accessing the object-oriented database; in other words, through an interface which declares methods for navigating the database and adding entries to the database. The object-oriented database is an object-oriented configuration database which stores configuration parameters pertaining to the software and hardware of a computer system, such as application programs, device drivers, system services, and other components. The object-oriented database is platform-independent and is therefore configured to be hosted on several different operating systems and computing platforms.

Claims

1. A method for transforming contents of an intermediate form of an object-oriented database into contents of said object-oriented database, said intermediate form and said object-oriented database being stored in a memory of a computer system, said method comprising:

expressing a plurality of entries corresponding to objects in said object-oriented database in said intermediate form, wherein said entries and said objects relate to configuration parameters of said computer system, wherein said intermediate form is derived from a textual form expressed according to a grammar;

populating said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries;

storing said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database in said memory of said computer system, wherein said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs installed on said computer system.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said populating said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries occurs through a programming interface for accessing said object-oriented database.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said object-oriented database is configured to be platform independent.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein said contents of said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein said intermediate form includes an array of entries configurable to populate said object-oriented database.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein said entries of said intermediate form are objects, wherein said objects encapsulate data with methods.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein said memory of said computer system which stores said intermediate form and said object-oriented database is a volatile memory.

8. A carrier medium comprising program instructions for transforming contents of an intermediate form of an object-oriented database into contents of said object-oriented database, wherein said program instructions are executable to implement:

expressing a plurality of entries corresponding to objects in said object-oriented database in said intermediate form, wherein said entries and said objects relate to configuration parameters of a computer system, wherein said intermediate form is derived from a textual form expressed according to a grammar;

populating said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries; and

storing said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database in a memory of said computer system, wherein said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs installed on said computer system.

9. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said populating said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries occurs through a programming interface for accessing said object-oriented database.

10. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said object-oriented database is configured to be platform independent.

11. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said contents of said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs.

12. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said intermediate form includes an array of entries configurable to populate said object-oriented database.

13. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said entries of said intermediate form are objects, wherein said objects encapsulate data with methods.

14. The carrier medium of claim 8,

wherein said carrier medium is a storage medium.

15. A computer system for transforming contents of an intermediate form of an object-oriented database into contents of said object-oriented database, said computer system comprising:

a CPU;

a memory coupled to said CPU;

wherein said memory stores said object-oriented database;

wherein said memory stores program instructions executable by said CPU, wherein the program instructions are executable to;

express a plurality of entries corresponding to objects in said object-oriented database in said intermediate form, wherein said entries and said objects relate to configuration parameters of a computer, wherein said intermediate form is derived from a textual form expressed according to a grammar;

populate said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries;

store said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database in said memory, wherein said plurality of entries in said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs installed on said computer.

16. The computer system of claim 15,

wherein said program instructions are further executable to populate said object-oriented database with said plurality of entries through a programming interface for accessing said object-oriented database.

17. The computer system of claim 15,

wherein said object-oriented database is configured to be platform independent.

18. The computer system of claim 15,

wherein said contents of said object-oriented database pertain to one or more application programs.

19. The computer system of claim 15,

wherein said intermediate form includes an array of entries configurable to populate said object-oriented database.

20. The computer system of claim 15,

wherein said entries of said intermediate form are objects, wherein said objects encapsulate data with methods.