System and method for computer code generation

• US 6,973,640 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Little, Todd, Metsaportti, Timo, Konkus, Loren, Lavalou, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Ohameli C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHRADER, LAWRENCE J
• Application Number:
  US09/970,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 717104-109, 717/117, 717/143
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for computer code generation that can be used to generate code and configuration files from any data source. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a Generator Framework provides a common set of standards and APIs through which designs may be input. The purpose of the Generator Framework is to unify the code generation techniques implemented in products such as the Builder products from BEA Systems, Inc., by introducing sufficient abstraction levels. Built-in rules are introduced in the Generator Framework, and a data navigation layer isolates the Generator Framework from the data sources used. Filters can be added to the framework to transform data. Notifiers are used by the Generator Framework to notify external components about the generation process.

Claims

1. A system for code generation from a software application design product source data, comprising:

a data navigation layer that interfaces with, and provides navigational access to, a software application design product source data, wherein said data navigation layer provides navigation inside the source data via a combination of pointers to the source data;

a template that specifies instructions to drive a code generation process that is applied to said source data;

a parser that parses said template in accordance with specified rules, filters, and conditions, and accesses the source data via the pointers of the data navigation layer, to generate code, wherein said specified rules implement the template instructions, and wherein said filters are used to transform data; and

,

a code output mechanism that outputs said generated code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said code output mechanism outputs said generated code to a storage device.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

rules that implement template instructions and dynamically generate output.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

notifiers that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to allow external components to be notified of progress of the code generation process.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

condition specifiers that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to evaluate conditions and allow code generation depending on specific conditions.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

filters that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to transform data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said system further includes:

internal rules that provide basic functions to query symbol values from the data source, navigate through the data source, and open and close files.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said system further includes:

internal filters that provide generic transformation capabilities, such as lowercase/uppercase conversion.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said navigation layer allows mapping of an abstracted data representation to said source data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said parser provides functions to manipulate a scope stack, wherein said scope stack addresses said abstracted data representation.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said parser creates a hierarchical scope stack.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein navigation within said scope stack is by a pointer.

26. A system according to claim 1, wherein said rules, filters and conditions are registered as plug-ins to said parser.

13. A method of generating computer code, comprising the steps of:

providing a data navigation layer to interface with, and to provide navigational access to, a software application design product source data, wherein said data navigation layer provides navigation inside the source data via a combination of pointers to the source data;

providing a template to specify instructions to drive a code generation process that is applied to said source data;

parsing said template using a parser in accordance with specified rules, filters, and conditions, and accessing the source data via the pointers of the data navigation layer, to generate code, wherein said specified rules implement the template instructions, and wherein said filters are used to transform data; and

,

outputting, via a code output mechanism, said generated code.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of outputting includes outputting said generated code to a storage device.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

parsing rules that implement template instructions and dynamically generate output.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

parsing notifies that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to allow external components to be notified of progress of the code generation process.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

parsing condition specifiers that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to evaluate conditions and allow code generation depending on specific conditions.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

parsing filters that include logic applied when a rules is invoked, to transform data.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

parsing internal rules that provide basic functions to query symbol values from the data source, navigate through the data source, and open and close files.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

parsing internal filters that provide generic transformation capabilities, such as lowercase/uppercase conversion.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein said navigation layer maps an abstracted data representation to said source data.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said parser provides functions to manipulate a scope stack, wherein said scope stack addresses said abstracted data representation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said parser creates a hierarchical scope stack.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

navigating within said scope stack using a pointer.

27. A method according to claim 13, wherein said rules, filters and conditions are registered as plug-ins to said parser.

25. A system for code generation, comprising:

a data navigation layer to interface with, and for providing navigational access to, a software application design product source data, said navigation layer allows mapping of an abstracted data representation to said source data;

a template to specify instructions to drive a code generation process that is applied to said source data;

a parser to parse said template in accordance with any specified rules, filters, conditions, and notifiers, and accessing the source data via the data navigation layer, to generate code, said parser provides functions to manipulate a scope stack, wherein said scope stack addresses said abstracted data representation, said parser creates a hierarchical scope stack, navigation within said scope stack is by a pointer;

rules that implement template instructions and dynamically generate output;

notifiers that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to allow external components to be notified of the progress of the code generation process;

condition specifiers that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to evaluate conditions and allow code generation depending on specific conditions; and

,

filters that include logic applied when a rule is invoked, to transform data.