Translating objects between software applications which employ different data formats

• US 6,847,384 B1
• Filed: 04/01/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Sander, Nikolai, Sabadell, Stewart, Hutchinson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARON, AYAL I
• Application Number:
  US09/286,133
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 703/2, 703/7, 707/100, 707/103.R, 707/511, 707/514, 709/223, 345/672
• US Class Current: 345/672
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A mechanism for translating objects between applications that use different formats is described. As described, a source object is generated using a source application. The source object is then translated to a target object in a target application. The target application having a format that is not supported by the source application. A first modification, which is not supported by the source application, is then performed to the target object. A second modification is also performed to the source object in the source application. Based on the modifications, the target object in the target application is revised to reflect the second modification to the source object without removing the first modification to the target object.

Claims

1. A method for translating objects between applications that use different formats, the method comprising:

generating a hierarchical structure for organizing one or more properties of a source object being translated to a target object, wherein each level of the hierarchical structure is associated with a property of an object and wherein the source object is associated with source application and the target object is associated with the target application;

using one or more filter objects to determine a location, within the hierarchical structure, to map the one or more properties of the source object, wherein each of the one or more filter objects is associated with a respective level of the hierarchical structure and associated with one or more collection objects of a set of collection objects, according to a first sub-method, comprising;

determining, for a property of the one or more properties of the source object, a property value from a respective filter object that is associated with the property;

comparing the property value with a respective collection value associated with each of one or more respective collection objects of the set of collection objects that are associated with the respective filter object; and

determining a level within the hierarchical structure to map the one or more properties of the source object, based on the comparing the property value with a respective collection value; and

storing the hierarchical structure in a target file, wherein the target file is used by the second application to construct the target object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon modification of a property of the target object in the target application, generating a modifier stack for storing the modification, wherein the property of the target object is associated with a respective property of the source object;

linking the modifier stack with a collection object of a set of collection objects, wherein each collection object of the set of collection objects is associated with a respective level of the hierarchical structure; and

applying the modification of the modifier stack to the target file via the linked collection object to construct the target object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more filter objects is associated with a respective level of the hierarchical structure according to a second sub-method, comprising:

upon modification of a property of the source object in the source application, using a filter object of the one or more filter objects to determine a level within the hierarchical structure to store the modification;

applying the modification of the property of the source object to the target file that includes the stored hierarchical structure, at the determined level within the hierarchical structure; and

applying the modification of the modifier stack to the target file to construct the target object.