System and method for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format

• US 6,366,921 B1
• Filed: 02/09/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hansen, Robert C., Sylvester, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOMERE, JEAN RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US09/247,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/103, 707/4, 709/302, 709/303
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An extensible framework provides a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format. A data access layer of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Graphical User Interface (GUI) component uses ODBC to read and write files. Four abstractions implement the framework. These are (1) a CDatabaseManager class that provides access to data stored in a database; (2) a CSpecializedFile class which composes a CDatabaseManager that abstracts the management of reading and writing to database files and provides a unified interface for use by accessors. If the base class functionality of the CSpecializedFile class is not sufficient then derived specialized file classes are implemented to override the CSpecializedFile commit method and update the file in a different-fashion and/or implement specialized get/set methods by column data item and data type; (3) a CRecordArray class which manages vectored access to information stored as objects in a CColumnData class; and (4) a CColumnData object which manages changes made to the information and saves it when requested.

Claims

1. A method for manipulating data, comprising the steps of:

structuring in an extensible framework a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework including an interface, a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database and a specialized file class that defines an object based method of managing said data;

operating said specialized file class to compose said database manager class and provide a unified interface for use by accessors to relational data; and

operating said specialized file class to manage vectored access to information stored as objects.

2. A method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

operating said specialized file class to implement derived specialized file classes selectively for overriding a commit method and executing specialized get and set methods by column data item and data type.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

operating said specialized file class to provide a unified interface for use by accessors selectively to manage structured and unstructured data.

4. An extensible framework system structuring a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework comprising:

a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database;

a specialized file class for composing said database manager class and providing a unified interface for use by accessors;

a column data class for managing changes made to information stored as objects; and

a record array class for managing vectored access to said objects in said column data class.

5. The extensible framework system of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one derived specialized file class for providing unified access to non-relational data and selectively overriding a commit method and executing specialized get and set methods by column data item and data type.

6. The extensible framework system of claim 4, said database manager class further comprising:

a database manager constructor for establishing a connection to a data source;

a new method for creating a database file and a member within it;

an open method for allocating and binding a record data object;

a close method for closing said database file and ending said connection to said data source;

a commit method for selectively updating or rolling back changes to said record data object;

a get total number of columns method for returning the total number of columns in said database file;

a get column name method for returning the name of a specific column;

a get total number of records method for returning the total number of records in said database file;

a get column data method for retrieving the data object of a specific record column;

an is record modified method for checking modified flags of column data objects for those which have been changed;

a set column data method for updating a data member in said column data object;

a delete file method selectively for deleting said database file or a member in said database file;

an add record method for creating an empty record data object and its associated column data object;

a read record method for reading a record;

a delete record method for marking a record as deleted; and

a delete all records method for marking all records in said databasefile as deleted.

7. The extensible framework system of claim 6, said database manager having as protected data members a record cache, a string library, a string file, a string member name, string system name, total number of records, total number of columns, data source handle, and delete all.

8. The extensible framework system of claim 4, said record data class further comprising:

a record data constructor for creating a record data object and creating a collection of column data objects keyed by column name;

a get column data method for retrieving a specific column data object;

a get record number method for obtaining a record number representing a record data object;

an is record modified method for determining if one or more columns of a record object have been modified;

a get pending operation method for determining a pending operation on a record object; and

a set pending operation method for marking records as new or deleted.

9. The extensible framework system of claim 8, said record data class having as protected data members a collection of column data objects keyed by column name and number, record number, pending operation, and a reference to said database manager object.

10. The extensible framework system of claim 4, said column data class further comprising:

a column data constructor for building a column data object;

a get column name method for obtaining the name of a column;

a get column number method for obtaining the number of a column;

a get column data type method for obtaining the data type of a column;

an is modified method for determining if data has been modified;

a get column data method for returning the data of a column; and

a set column data method for setting the data of a column.

11. The extensible framework system of claim 10, said column data class having as protected data members column name, column data type, modified flag and column number.

12. The extensible framework system of claim 10, said specialized file class having as protected data members a database manager object pointer, a command stack object pointer, one or more object pointers, a library, a file, a member name, a path and a system name.

13. The extensible framework system of claim 4, said specialized file class providing base class functionality for and further comprising:

a specialized file constructor for building a file object representing a file to be manipulated and for constructing said database manager object;

a new method for creating a member within an empty data file;

a first open method for calling a second open method of said data manager to open a file;

a first close method for calling a second close method of said data manager to close a file;

a get total number of columns method for determining the number of columns in a file;

a get column name method for obtaining the name of a column;

a first commit method for calling a second commit method of said data manager committing changes to a file;

a first read record method for calling a second read record method of said data manager to read a specific record;

a first set column data method for calling a second set column data method to set the data of a specific column;

a first add record method for calling a second add record method of said data manager for adding an empty record for later setting by way of specialized set methods;

a first delete record method for calling a second delete record method of said data manager to mark a specific record as deleted; and

a first delete all records method for calling a second delete all records method of said data manager to mark all records in a file as deleted.

14. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for manipulating data, said method steps comprising:

structuring in an extensible framework a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework including an interface, a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database and a specialized file class that defines an object based method of managing said data;

operating said specialized file class to compose said database manager class and provide a unified interface for use by accessors to relational data; and

operating said specialized file class to manage vectored access to information stored as objects.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for manipulating data, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect structuring in an extensible framework a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework including an interface, a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database and a specialized file class that defines an object based method of managing said data;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect operating said specialized file class to compose said database manager class and provide a unified interface for use by accessors to relational data; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect operating said specialized file class to manage vectored access to information stored as objects.

16. An extensible framework system structuring a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework comprising:

a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database;

a specialized file class for composing said database manager class and providing a unified interface for use by accessors;

a column data class for managing changes made to information stored as objects;

a record array class for managing vectored access to said objects in said column data class;

said database manager class further comprising;

a database manager constructor for establishing a connection to a data source;

a new method for creating a database file and a member within it;

an open method for allocating and binding a record data object;

a close method for closing said database file and ending said connection to said data source;

a commit method for selectively updating or rolling back changes to said record data object;

a get total number of columns method for returning the total number of columns in said database file;

a get column name method for returning the name of a specific column;

a get total number of records method for returning the total number of records in said database file;

a get column data method for retrieving the data object of a specific record column;

an is record modified method for checking modified flags of column data objects for those which have been changed;

a set column data method for updating a data member in said column data object;

a delete file method selectively for deleting said database file or a member in said database file;

an add record method for creating an empty record data object and its associated column data object;

a read record method for reading a record;

a delete record method for marking a record as deleted; and

a delete all records method for marking all records in said databasefile as deleted.

17. The extensible framework system of claim 16, said database manager having as protected data members a record cache, a string library, a string file, a string member name, string system name, total number of records, total number of columns, data source handle, and delete all.

18. An extensible framework system structuring a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework comprising:

a database manager class for providing access to data stored in a database;

a specialized file class for composing said database manager class and providing a unified interface for use by accessors;

a column data class for managing changes made to information stored as objects; and

a record array class for managing vectored access to said objects in said column data class.

said record data class further comprising;

a record data constructor for creating a record data object and creating a collection of column data objects keyed by column name;

a get column data method for retrieving a specific column data object;

a get record number method for obtaining a record number representing a record data object;

an is record modified method for determining if one or more columns of a record object have been modified;

a get pending operation method for determining a pending operation on a record object; and

a set pending operation method for marking records as new or deleted.

19. The extensible framework system of claim 18, said record data class having as protected data members a collection of column data objects keyed by column name and number, record number, pending operation, and a reference to said database manager object.

21. The extensible framework system of claim 19, said column data class having as protected data members column name, column data type, modified flag and column number.

22. The extensible framework system of claim 19, said specialized file class having as protected data members a database manager object pointer, a command stack object pointer, one or more object pointers, a library, a file, a member name, a path and a system name.

20. An extensible framework system structuring a unified interface for data manipulation in a dynamic object-based format, said framework comprising:

a database manager class for providing access to data

stored in a database;

a specialized file class for composing said database manager class and providing a unified interface for use by accessors;

a column data class for managing changes made to information stored as objects; and

a record array class for managing vectored access to said objects in said column data class.

said column data class further comprising;

a column data constructor for building a column data object;

a get column name method for obtaining the name of a column;

a get column number method for obtaining the number of a column;

a get column data type method for obtaining the data type of a column;

an is modified method for determining if data has been modified;

a get column data method for returning the data of a column; and

a set column data method for setting the data of a column.