System and method for generating target language code utilizing an object oriented code generator

• US 6,877,155 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lindsey, Anthony Hayden
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/093,657
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 717106-119, 717136-137
• US Class Current: 717/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

A system for generating target language source code utilizing an object oriented code generator is disclosed. A desired computer programming function is specified using a fourth generation language. An object oriented converter converts the fourth generation language specification into an object oriented model which retains the function and inter-relationships defined in the specification. The object oriented model is applied against a set of source code templates for a desired target language, which will typically be a third generation language. An object oriented generator engine parses the resulting collection of templates to form source code files having the desired programming function in the desired target language.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a system for converting a fourth generation language specification into target language source code, comprising:

means for converting the fourth generation language specification into an object oriented model of the fourth generation language specification;

code templates comprising fragments of code;

means for mapping the object oriented model to the code templates; and

means for parsing the mapped code templates to produce source code in a desired target language.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein a set of code templates is provided for each of the target languages available using said system, and said mapping means maps the object oriented model to the set corresponding to a desired one of the available target languages.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for designating a target language.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for creating the fourth generation language specification representing desired program functions.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said converting means comprises a class which corresponds to each available construct available in a fourth generation language used to create the fourth generation language specification.

6. A method for converting a fourth generation language program model into third generation language source code, comprising the steps of:

converting the fourth generation language program model into an object oriented language equivalent of the model;

mapping each object from the object oriented language equivalent of the model to a corresponding template from a set of code templates associated with a target language; and

parsing the mapped code templates to produce source code in the target language.

7. Computer readable code stored on media for execution in a computing environment which includes an object oriented execution environment, said computer readable code for converting an object oriented program into target language code, comprising:

a set of source code templates corresponding to each available target language, each of the source code templates comprising source code fragments in its corresponding target language and object oriented code;

first processes for mapping each object in the object oriented program to the source code template which corresponds to the object in the set of source code templates which corresponds to the target language; and

second processes for parsing the mapped source code templates by extracting the source code fragments from each mapped source code template, executing the object oriented code in each mapped source code template to produce additional source code fragments, combining the additional source code fragments and the source code fragments, and outputting resulting source code.

8. Computer readable code included on media for converting a fourth generation language specification into target language source code, comprising:

first subprocesses for converting the fourth generation language specification into an object oriented model of the fourth generation language specification;

code templates comprising fragments of code;

second subprocesses for mapping the object oriented model to the code templates; and

third subprocesses for parsing the mapped code templates to produce target language source code.

9. Computer readable code according to claim 8, wherein said code templates include a set of code templates for each of a plurality of target languages, said computer readable code further comprising:

fourth subprocesses for permitting a user to designate a desired target language,

wherein said second subprocesses map the object oriented model to the set of code templates for the designated target language.

10. Computer readable code according to claim 8, wherein said code templates comprise object oriented code and fragments of the target language source code.

11. Computer readable code according to claim 10, wherein said third subprocesses cause the object oriented code in the code templates to be executed with an object oriented execution environment.