Method, system, and product for storage of attribute data in an object oriented environment

• US 6,976,244 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ekperigin, Beju, Akella, Raji Lakshmi, Perks, Michael Albert, Sundberg, Sean Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Romano, John J.
• Application Number:
  US10/042,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 717/114, 717/116, 717/166, 717/165, 707/103.R, 707/103, 707/103.Y, 707/103.Z
• US Class Current: 717/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4492 Inheritance

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product are described for storing attribute data in an object oriented environment. A base class and a subclass are defined within an object. The object is defined within the object oriented environment. An attribute is defined within the subclass. The attribute data defined for the subclass is stored within the base class. The attribute data is not stored within the subclass.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

defining, within an object, a base class and a subclass that is a subclass of said base class, said base class and said subclass being included within said object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

defining an attribute within said subclass; and

storing, within said base class, attribute data defined for said attribute, said attribute data being stored only within said base class.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining a first subclass and a second subclass within said object;

said first subclass being a subclass of said base class;

said second subclass being a subclass of said first subclass;

defining a first attribute within said first subclass;

defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

storing, within only said base class, attribute data, defined for said first and second attributes, said attribute data being stored only within said base class and not within either said first or second subclasses.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

storing within storage attribute said attribute data.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

storing within said base class second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

storing within storage attribute said attribute data and said second attribute data.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

defining a first index for and associating it with said attribute;

defining a second index for and associating it with said second attribute;

storing within said storage attribute said attribute data with said first index; and

storing within said storage attribute said second attribute data with said second index.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining an index for and associating it with said attribute; and

storing within said base class said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

defining a write object method to write all object attribute data; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

11. The method according to claim 1, farther comprising the step of defining said base class within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.

12. A data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said object oriented environment comprising:

a base class and a subclass defined within an object, said subclass being a subclass of said base class, said base class and said subclass being included within said object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

an attribute defined within said subclass; and

said base class for storing attribute data defined for said attribute, said attribute data being stored only within said base class.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a first subclass and a second subclass defined within said object;

said first subclass being a subclass of said base class;

said second subclass being a subclass of said first subclass;

a first attribute defined within said first subclass;

a second attribute defined within said second subclass; and

only said base class storing attribute data defined for said first and second attributes, said attribute data being stored only within said base class and not within either said first or second subclasses.

14. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a storage attribute within said base class; and

storage attribute for storing said attribute data.

15. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

a second attribute within said second subclass; and

said base class for storing second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a storage attribute within said base class; and

storage attribute for storing said attribute data and said second attribute data.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first index defined for and associated with said attribute;

a second index defined for and associated with said second attribute;

said storage attribute for storing said attribute data with said first index; and

said storage attribute for storing said second attribute data with said second index.

18. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

an index defined for and associated with said attribute; and

said base class for storing said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a method being defined that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a write object method being defined to write all object attribute data; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

21. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a method being defined that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

said method being defined only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

22. The system according to claim 12, further comprising said base class being defined within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.

23. A computer program stored in a computer readable storage medium product in a data processing system for executing and processing data in an object oriented environment, said product comprising:

instruction means for defining, within an object, a base class and a subclass that is a subclass of said base class, said base class and said subclass being included within said object, said object defined within said object oriented environment;

instruction means for defining an attribute within said subclass; and

instruction means for storing, within said base class, attribute data defined for said attribute, said attribute data being stored only within said base class.

24. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instructions for defining a first subclass and a second subclass within said object;

said first subclass being a subclass of said base class;

said second subclass being a subclass of said first subclass;

instructions for defining a first attribute within said first subclass;

instructions for defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

instructions for storing, within only said base class, attribute data defined for said first and second attributes, said attribute data being stored only within said base class and not within either said first or second subclasses.

25. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

instruction means for storing within storage attribute said attribute data.

26. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a second subclass, wherein said subclass is a superclass to said second subclass;

instruction means for defining a second attribute within said second subclass; and

instruction means for storing within said base class second attribute data for said second attribute, wherein said second attribute data is not stored within said second subclass or said subclass.

27. The product according to claim 26, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a storage attribute within said base class; and

instruction means for storing within storage attribute said attribute data and said second attribute data.

28. The product according to claim 27, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a first index for and associating it with said attribute;

instruction means for defining a second index for and associating it with said second attribute;

instruction means for storing within said storage attribute said attribute data with said first index; and

instruction means for storing within said storage attribute said second attribute data with said second index.

29. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining an index for and associating it with said attribute; and

instruction means for storing within said base class said attribute data for said attribute with said index.

30. The product according to claim 29, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on attribute data stored in said storage attribute.

31. The product according to claim 29, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a write object method to write all object attribute data; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method will write all data stored in said storage attribute.

32. The product according to claim 23, further comprising:

instruction means for defining a method that needs to act on all attribute data of an object; and

instruction means for defining said method only for said base class, wherein said method acts on said attribute data.

33. The product according to claim 23, further comprising instruction means for defining said base class within said object, said base class being a superclass of said object.