System and method for visual application development without programming

• US 6,564,368 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IEX Corporation (Nice Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Call Center Technology
• Inventors: Lamberti, Santino, Beckett, Stephen, McDougald, Danny, House, Donald, Palmer, Todd, Donnelly, Ray, Beckett, Becky, Yoder, Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse; Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo; Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/410,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 717/113,101,102,104,105,106-109,110,111,112,116,120,121,124,125,115
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

A method and system for creating distributed applications without programming is disclosed. A Connection Editor interacts with an interface manager attached to each program in the visual development system. The interface manager allows connections to be made using the Connection Editor between the compatible properties of disparate programs by a visual process. Upon connection, the interface manager automates data flow between disparate properties without requiring any additional programming. Furthermore, the interface manager allows for dynamic properties to be exposed based on the run-time discovery of data.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising the steps of:

including an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

implementing a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

utilizing said connection editor to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

wherein said interface manager supports dynamic connection points to allow for the run-time discovery of data;

creating a data structure for each of the dynamic connection points, wherein the data structure includes simulation information of a static connection point interface property;

indexing a plurality of the data structures corresponding to the dynamic connection points by an identifier in the interface manager as available connection points;

exposing the available connection points to in the connection editor; and

implementing the connection editor to recognize the available connection points,

wherein the available connection points are implemented in the exchange of data during run time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to the dynamic connection points comprises fields in a protocol.

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

implementing the interface manager as a component that creates an interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

classifying object meta-data corresponding to each the disparate computer program in the source program tree; and

classifying object meta-data corresponding to each the disparate computer program in the target program tree.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automating of data flow is executed by a computer.

6. A method in a computer system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising the steps of:

including an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

implementing a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

utilizing said connection editor to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

implementing a source program tree within the connection editor, wherein the disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

implementing a target program tree within the connection editor, wherein the disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

implementing the connection editor to query the interface manager associated with each the disparate computer program;

obtaining an interface ID from the interface manager, wherein the interface ID is an unique identifier for the disparate computer program; and

receiving an interface reference denoting location of the interface manager for the disparate computer program.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein an interface manager is unavailable to the connection editor if the interface reference is nil (0).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein an interface manager is available to the connection editor if the interface reference is not nil (0).

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

implementing a command to get a list of properties for the interface manager, wherein a data structure is returned containing the list of properties corresponding to the interface manager.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the interface manager is added to the source tree if the connection editor determines that the interface manager includes a property capable of output.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the interface manager is added to the target tree if the connection editor determines that the interface manager includes a property capable of input.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

determining whether a first interface manager under the target tree is compatible with a second interface manager under the source tree.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

classifying object meta-data corresponding to each the disparate computer program in the source program tree; and

classifying object meta-data corresponding to each the disparate computer program in the target program tree.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

implementing the interface manager as a component that creates an interface.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the automating of data flow is executed by a computer.

16. A method in a computer system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising the steps of:

including an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

implementing a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

utilizing said connection editor to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

implementing a source program tree within the connection editor, wherein the dispaiate computer programs are grouped by type;

implementing a target program tree within the connection editor, wherein the disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

identifying a first interface manager associated with a first computer program located within the source tree;

identifying a second interface manager associated with second computer program located within the target tree, wherein the second interface manager possesses compatible properties with the first interface manager located within the source tree; and

implementing a connection between the first and second interface managers so that data input to the first computer program to automatically and in real time propagated to the second computer program.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

simulating an internal presence to the memory of the connection editor for programs external to memory of the connection editor, wherein the external programs include remote servers, executable files, and file libraries.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

implementing the interface manager as a component that creates an interface.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the automating of data flow is executed by a computer.

20. A system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising:

an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

said connection editor utilized to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

wherein said interface manager supports dynamic connection points to allow for the run-time discovery of data;

logic configured to create a data structure for each of said dynamic connection points, wherein said data structure includes simulation information of a static connection point interface property;

logic configured to index plurality of said data structures corresponding to said dynamic connection points by an identifier in said interface manager as available connection points, wherein said available connection points are exposed to in said connection editor; and

logic configured to implement said connection editor to recognize said available connection points for exchange of data during run time.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a computer to execute the automating of data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the interface manager is a component that creates an interface.

23. A system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising:

an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

said connection editor utilized to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

a source program tree configured in said connection editor, wherein said disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

a target program tree configured in said connection editor, wherein said disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

logic configured to implement said connection editor to query said interface manager associated with each said disparate computer program;

logic configured to obtain an interface ID from said interface manager, wherein said interface ID is an unique identifier for said disparate computer program; and

logic configured to receive an interface reference denoting location of said interface manager for said disparate computer program.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said interface manager is unavailable to said connection editor if said interface reference is nil (0).

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

logic configured to get a list of properties for said interface manager, wherein a data structure is returned containing said list of properties corresponding to said interface manager.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said interface manager is added to said source tree if said connection editor determines that said interface manager includes a property capable of output.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein said interface manager is added to said target tree if said connection editor determines that said interface manager includes a property capable of input.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

logic configured to determine whether a first interface manager under said target tree is compatible with a second interface manager under said source tree.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the interface manager is a component that creates an interface.

31. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a computer to execute the automating of data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming.

32. A system for automating data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming, comprising:

an interface manager in each of a plurality of disparate computer programs;

a connection editor to interact with said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs;

said connection editor utilized to connect selected said interface managers of said plurality of disparate computer programs to establish a plurality of real-time connections between said plurality of disparate computer programs creating automated data flow between said computer programs;

a source program tree configured in said connection editor, wherein said disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

a target program tree configured in said connection editor, wherein said disparate computer programs are grouped by type;

logic configured to identify a first interface manager associated with a first computer program located within said source tree;

logic configured to identify a second interface manager associated with second computer program located within said target tree, wherein said second interface manager possesses compatible properties with said first interface manager located within said source tree; and

logic configured to connect said first and second interface managers so that data input to said first computer program to automatically and in real time propagated to said second computer program.

25. The system of claim 33, wherein said interface manager is available to said connection editor if said interface reference is not nil (0).

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

logic configured to simulate an internal presence to memory of said connection editor for programs external to memory of said connection editor, wherein types of external programs include remote servers, executable files, and file libraries.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the interface manager is a component that creates an interface.

35. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a computer to execute the automating of data flow in a visual development configuration between disparate program interfaces without source code programming.