Apparatus and method for generic data conversion

• US 6,658,625 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIENEMAN, CHARLES A
• Application Number:
  US09/291,361
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 707/523, 707/513, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.Y, 715/516, 341/50, 341/51, 709/319, 709/329, 709/246, 708/204
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for generic data conversion. A generic data convertor interprets a data description that has configurable data definitions that can accommodate changes in the data. The data definitions can allow the data type, character set, location, and length of data elements in the data stream or file to be described and easily modified. The data convertor uses the data description to determine how to convert the data and, if necessary, where data elements are in the data. The data convertor is particularly useful for converting data that is sent to and/or received from a server. The data convertor and data description cooperate to support calling multiple releases of the server using the same data description. In addition, the data convertor may also call the server program with the correct, converted parameters in the correct order. The data convertor usually waits until a requesting application asks for particular data elements in the data before converting the data elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a data description residing in the memory, the data description describing a current data type of at least one data element that is of the current data type, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current data type of the at least one data element to a different, application-compatible, data type; and

a data convertor residing in the memory, the data converter responsive to a specific immediate request from an application for the at least one particular data element in memory, the application requiring the at least one particular data element to be expressed in the different, application-compatible, data type, the data convertor using the data description to convert only the at least one particular requested data element, the data converter configured to use a single conversion from the current data type to the different, application compatible, data type.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data convertor converts tile at least one data element when an application requests the at least one data element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data description further describes a current length of the at least one data element, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different length, and wherein the data convertor uses the current length to retrieve the at least one data element.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data description further describes a current location of the at least one data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate charges from the current location of the at least one data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the current location to locate the at least one data element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data description further describes a current character set identifier of the at least one data element, wherein the character set identifier is configurable to accommodate changes from the current character set identifier of the at least one data element to a different character set identifier, and wherein the data convertor uses the current character set identifier to identify the proper character set used to convert the at least one data element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data description further describes a current range of release levels of the at least one data element, wherein an application requests that the data convertor call a program having a program release level, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, and wherein the data convertor will send the at least one data element to the program or convert the at least one data element received from the program if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data description comprises a parser'"'"'s output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the parser'"'"'s output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the parser is an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser that uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse a file written in Program Code Markup Language (PCML) into the parser output, wherein the at least one data element is an at least one output data element that a program will output, and wherein the data description further comprises descriptions of input data that the program expects and of a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, and wherein the data convertor uses the descriptions of the input data and parameter list to call the program when an application requests that the program be called.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the data convertor creates a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the hash table.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a parser output comprising at least one of a data structure and a data object residing in the memory, the parser output created by an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser, the XML parser using a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse a Program Code Markup Language (PCML) data definition into the parser output, the PCML data description comprising descriptions of the interface for a program by describing input data that the program expects, output data that the program will output, and a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, each description for each input and output data element comprising a data type; and

a data convertor residing in the memory, wherein the data convertor calls the program when an application requests a call to the program, and the data convertor further uses the parser output to convert only the at least one particular data element that is sent to or received from the program, the data convertor converting only the at least one particular element from the current data type described in the PCML data description for that particular element to a second, application-compatible, data type in a single conversion, wherein the data type in the PCML data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current data type of the at least one particular data element to a second, application-compatible, data type, wherein the data converter responds when an application makes a specific immediate request for the at least one particular data element.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the data convertor converts the at least one data element when an application requests the at least one data element.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current length of the at least one data element, wherein tho data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different length, and wherein the data convertor uses the current length to retrieve the at least one data element.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current location of the at least one data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the current location to locate the at least one data element.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the data convertor creates a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the parser output by using the hash table.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current character set identifier of the at least one data element, wherein the character set identifier is configurable to accommodate changes from the current character set identifier of the at least one data element to a different character set identifier, and wherein the data convertor uses the current character set identifier to identify the proper character set used to convert the at least one data element.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current range of release levels of the at least one data element, wherein an application requests that the data convertor call a program having a program release level, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, and wherein the data convertor will send the at least one data element to the program or convert the at least one data element received from the program if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.

17. A method for converting data off a computer, the data comprising at least one data element the computer comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a data description residing in the memory, the data description describing a current data type of the at least one data element that is of the current data type, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current data type of the at least one data element to a different, application-compatible, data type; and

a data convertor residing in the memory;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) an application specifically and immediately requesting at least one particular data element from the data converter;

b) the data convertor responding when the application request is received by locating the it least one particular requested data element in the data;

c) the data convertor using the data description to convert only the at least one particular requested data element from the current data type to the different, application-compatible, data type; and

d) the data converter using a single conversion to convert from the current data type to the different, application-compatible, data type.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of an application requesting the at least one data element, and wherein the data convertor converts the at least one data element in response to the application'"'"'s request.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the data description further describes a current length of the at least one data element, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different length, and wherein the method further comprises the step of the data convertor using the current length to retrieve the at least one data element.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the data description further describes a current location of the at least one data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate changes from the current location of the at least one data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the location to find the at least one data element during the step of the data convertor locating at least one data element in the data.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the data description further describes a current character set identifier of the at least one data element, wherein the character set identifier is configurable to accommodate changes from the current character set identifier of the at least one data element to a different character set identifier, and wherein the step of the data convertor using the data description to convert the at least one data element from the current data type to a second data type further comprises the step of the data convertor using the current character set identifier to identify the proper character set used to convert the at least one data element.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the data description further describes a current range of release levels of applications that receive input or produce output of the at least one data element, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

d) an application requesting that the data convertor call a program having a program release level;

e) the data converter determining if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels; and

f) the data convertor sending the at least one data element to the program or converting the at least one data element received from the program if the if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

parsing the data description to create a parser output; and

the data convertor using the data description by using the parser'"'"'s output.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one data element is an at least one output data element that a program will output, wherein the data description further comprises descriptions of input data that the program expects and of a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, wherein the step of parsing the data description to create a parser output is performed by an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser that uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse the data description written in Program Code Markup Language (PCML) into the parser output, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of an application requesting that the program be called, and the data convertor calling the program by using the descriptions of the input data and parameter list.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the method further comprises the step of the data convertor creating a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the hash table.

26. A method for converting data on a computer, the computer comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a data convertor residing in the memory;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser creating a parser output, the XML parser using a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse a Program Code Markup Language (PCML) data description into the parser output, the PCML data description comprising descriptions of the interface for a program by describing input data that the program expects, output data that the program will output, and a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, each description for each input and output data element comprising a data type, wherein each data type in the PCML data description is configurable to accommodate changes from a first data type of the input or output data to a second, application compatible, data type;

b) an application requesting the data converter to call to a program;

c) if there are any input data, the data convertor converting only each input data element from the first data type described in the data description for that input data element to a second, application-compatible, data type using a single conversion;

d) the data convertor calling the program with the correct input data of the second data type, if any, in the correct order, the data converter using the parameter list to determine the correct input data and using the parse order to determine the correct order of input data, the data convertor accessing the parser output to use the parameter list and the parse order;

e) the application requesting at least one output data element from the data converter;

f) the data convertor locating the at least one output data element in a data output by the program; and

g) the data convertor converting only the at least one output data element from the output data type described in the data description for the at least one output data element to a third data type using a single conversion.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the each description for each input and output data element further comprises a current length of each data element, wherein the length is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the data element to a different length.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the data description further describes a current location of the at least one output data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate changes from the current location of the at least one output data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the location to find the at least one output data element during the step of the data convertor locating the at least one output data element in the data output by the program.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the data description further described a current range or release levels of applications that receive input or produce output of the at least one that element having a description in the PCML data definition, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, wherein the method further comprises the step of the data converter determining if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels, and wherein the data convertor converts the at least one data element if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the method further comprises the step of the data convertor creating a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the parser by using the hash table.

31. A program product comprising:

a data convertor residing in the memory, the data converter responsive to a specific immediate request from an application program for at least one particular data element, the data convertor using a data description to directly convert the at least one data element from a current data type to a second data type using a single conversion, the data description describing the current data type of the at least one data element that is of the current data type, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current data type of the at least one data element to a different data type; and

signal bearing media bearing the data convertor.

32. The program product of claim 31 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

33. The program product of claim 31 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

34. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data convertor converts the at least one data element when an application requests the at least one data element.

35. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data description further describes a current length of the at least one data element, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different length, and wherein the data convertor uses the current length to retrieve the at least data element.

36. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data description further describes a current location of the at least one data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate changes from the current location of the at least one data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the current location to locate the at least one data element.

37. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data description further describes a current character set identifier of the at least one data element, wherein the character set identifier is configurable to accommodate changes from the current character set identifier of the at least one at element to a different character set identifier, and wherein the data convertor uses the current character set identifier to identify the proper character set used to convert the at least one data element.

38. The program product of claim 37 wherein the data description further describes a current range of release levels of the at least one data element, wherein an application requests that the data convertor call a program having a program release level, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, and wherein the data convertor will send the at least one data element to the program or convert the at least one data element received from the program if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.

39. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data description comprises a parser'"'"'s output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the parser'"'"'s output.

40. The program product of claim 39 wherein the parser is an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser that uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse a file written in Program Code Markup Language (PCML) into the parser output, wherein the at least one data element is an at least one output data element that a program will output, and wherein the data description further comprises descriptions of input data that the program expects and of a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, and wherein the data convertor uses the descriptions of the input data and parameter list to call the program when an application requests that the program be called.

41. The program product of claim 31 wherein the data convertor creates a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the hash table.

42. A program product comprising:

a data convertor residing in the memory, wherein the data convertor calls a program when an application requests the call to the program, and the data convertor further uses a parser output to convert at least one data element that is sent to or received from the program, the data convertor converting only the at least one element from its current data type described in a PCML data description for that at least one element to a second, application compatible, data type using a single conversion, the parser output created by an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) parser, the XML parser using a Document Type Definition (DTD) to parse the Program Code Markup Language (PCML) data definition into the parser output, the PCML data description comprising descriptions of the interface for a program by describing input data that the program expects, output data that the program will output, and a parameter list indicating the input data used to call the program, each description for each input and output data element comprising a data type, and wherein the data type in the PCML data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current data type of the at least one data element to a second, application compatible, data type; and

signal bearing media bearing the data convertor.

43. The program product of claim 42 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

44. The program product of claim 42 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

45. The program product of claim 42 wherein the data convertor converts the at least one data element when an application requests the at least one data element.

46. The program product of claim 42 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current length of the at least one data element, wherein the data description is configurable to accommodate changes from the current length of the at least one data element to a different length, and wherein the data convertor uses the current length to retrieve the at least one data element.

47. The program product of claim 42 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current location of the at least one data element, wherein the location is configurable to accommodate changes from the current location of the at least one data element to a different location, and wherein the data convertor uses the current location to locate the at least one data element.

48. The program product of claim 42 wherein the data convertor creates a hash table from the parser output, and wherein the data convertor uses the parser output by using the hash table.

49. The program product of claim 42 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current character set identifier of the at least one data element, wherein the character set identifier is configurable to accommodate changes from the current character set identifier of the at least one data element to a different character set identifier, and wherein the data convertor uses the current character set identifier to identify the proper character set used to convert the at least one data element.

50. The program product of claim 42 wherein the data description comprises a parsers output, and wherein the data convertor uses the data description by using the parse'"'"'s output.

51. The program product of claim 42 wherein the PCML data description further describes a current range of release levels of the at least one data element, wherein an application requests that the data convertor call a program having a program release level, wherein the range of release levels is configurable to accommodate changes from the current range of release levels of the at least one data element to a different range of release levels, and wherein the data convertor will send the at least one data element to the program or convert the at least one data element received from the program if the program'"'"'s release level is within the current range of release levels.