System and method for providing a query object development environment

• US 6,430,556 B1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lam, Gloria Y., Goldberg, Robert N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US09/431,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/2, 717/4, 717/5, 717/108, 717/109, 717/124, 717/113, 345/764, 714/38, 709/320, 707/103, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• 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

Abstract

A query object generator tool which generates interface definitions and code that implement a query object also generates a graphic user interface (GUI) for controlling the generator tool and plug-in objects, including a database schema access query object and test objects for allowing the GUI to operate with vendor-specific databases. The GUI is “customized” by the various plug-in objects. For example, the database schema access query object is designed specifically for a particular underlying database and retrieves “metadata” concerning the database schema. The retrieved metadata is then displayed as part of the graphic user interface to assist the user in constructing a query object. Test objects are also generated by the GUI in response to a user request. The test objects contain information that characterizes the query object for testing purposes. The information in the test objects is used with a test framework to install and initialize the query object. The test framework also uses the information in the test objects to customize part of the GUI in order to allow a user to view and interact with the installed query object. In particular, the customized GUI allows a developer to enter input parameters for a query directly from the interface and use the installed query object to perform a query with the input parameters. Results which are returned from the query are displayed on the interface.

Claims

1. An integrated development environment operable in a computer with a memory for generating source code which implements and tests a query object that accesses a database, the query object having a method that, when invoked, submits a predefined query to the database, the environment comprising:

an internal state store which stores database-independent information representing the query object in the memory, the database-independent information including a database-independent query to be implemented by the query object;

a first code generator which is responsive to the database-independent information for generating source code which implements the query object and the method from the database-independent query;

a second code generator which is responsive to the database-independent information for generating test code for the query object;

a builder which is responsive to the source code which implements the query object for building a query object program and is responsive to the source code which implements the test code for building a test program; and

a test framework which operates with the test program to test the query object.

2. An integrated environment according to claim 1 wherein the database independent information is textual information.

3. An integrated environment according to claim 1 further comprising a graphic user interface which generates a display screen for the query object, the display screen displaying database-independent information for each query in the query object.

4. An integrated environment according to claim 3 wherein the graphic user interface comprises an input mechanism which receives the database-independent query from a user and stores the database-independent query in the internal state store.

5. An integrated environment according to claim 3 wherein the graphic user interface controls the first and second code generators and the builder.

6. An integrated environment according to claim 3 further comprising a database schema access object which includes a method for retrieving database metadata.

7. An integrated environment according to claim 6 wherein the database schema access object includes a method for retrieving database stored procedures.

8. An integrated environment according to claim 6 wherein the database schema access object displays the metadata on the display screen to enable the user to formulate the database-independent query.

9. An integrated environment according to claim 1 wherein the test framework a generates a graphic user interface which controls testing of the query object.

10. An integrated environment according to claim 1 wherein the query object is a a distributed object and the first code generator is responsive to the database-independent information for generating source code which implements interface definitions for the query object.

11. An integrated environment according to claim 1 wherein the test code is class code for a distributed test object and the second code generator is responsive to the database-independent information for generating test code which implements interface definitions for the test object.

12. An integrated environment according to claim 11 wherein the query object is a distributed object and the test program installs the query object program as a server, connects to the query object and test the query object.

13. A method for providing an integrated development environment operable in a computer with a memory for generating source code which implements and tests a query object that accesses a database, the query object having a method that, when invoked, submits a predefined query to the database, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing database-independent information representing the query object in the memory, the database-independent information including a database-independent query to be implemented by the query object;

(b) generating source code which implements the query object and the method from the database-independent query in response to the database-independent information;

(c) generating test-code for the query object in response to the database-independent information;

(d) building a query object program from the source code which implements the query object and building a test program from the source code which implements the test code; and

(e) operating the test program with a test framework to test the query object.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the database independent information is textual information.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of:

(f) generating a display screen for the query object, the display screen displaying database-independent information for each query in the query object.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein step (f) comprises the step of:

(f1) using a graphic input mechanism to receive the database-independent query from a user and to storethe database-independent query in the memory.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the screen display controls steps (b),(c) and (d).

18. A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(g) retrieving database metadata with a database schema access object.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein step (g) comprises the step of:

(g1) retrieving database stored procedures with the database schema access object.

20. A method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of:

(h) using the database schema access object to display the metadata on the display screen to enable the user to formulate the database-independent query.

21. A method according to claim 13 wherein step (e) comprises the step of:

(e1) using the test framework to generate a graphic user interface which controls testing of the query object.

22. A method according to claim 13 wherein the query object is a distributed object and wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

(b1) generating source code which implements interface definitions for the query object.

23. A method according to claim 13 wherein the test code is class code for a distributed test object and wherein step (c) comprises the step of:

(c1) generating test code which implements interface definitions for the test object.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the query object is a distributed object and step (e) comprises the steps of:

(e2) installing the query object program as a server;

(e3) connecting to the query object; and

(e4) testing the query object.

25. A computer program product for providing an integrated development environment operable in a computer with a memory for generating source code which implements and tests a query object that accesses a database, the query object having a method that, when invoked, submits a predefined query to the database, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including:

program code for storing database-independent information representing the query object in the memory, the database-independent information including a database-independent query to be implemented by the query object;

program code for generating source code which implements the query object and the method from the database-independent query in response to the database-independent information;

program code for generating test code for the query object in response to the database-independent information;

program code for building a query object program from the source code which implements the query object and building a test program from the source code which implements the test code; and

test framework program code which operates with the test program to test the query object.