Automated interface generation for computer programs in different environments

• US 6,983,468 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stephenson, John W., Green, John H., Przybylski, Piotr, Minocha, Sandeep K.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Phuong N.
• Application Number:
  US09/574,409
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 709 1-108, 707/8, 707/1, 719/328, 718/101, 703 22- 23, 703/25, 703/26, 703/27
• US Class Current: 719/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Automated interface generation for computer programs operating in different environments is provided. An automated interface generation system, method, computer program product and article of manufacture is provided comprising an import utility and a runtime environment. The import utility imports a COBOL IMS transaction source file, parses the specified input and output message records, and generates an application programming interface. The application programming interface operates with the runtime environment to take the data values from the language of a different environment and translate them to a formatted IMS input message. This format is derived from the definition of the input message record in the COBOL IMS transaction source file. After the IMS transaction has executed, the resulting IMS output message is translated back to the data values of the language of the different environment, said values including the results of the transaction. The translation step handles data conversion between different code pages, machine architectures, and program semantics, and handles the dynamic nature of IMS messages.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system; and

using results of said scanning to generate a program interface, the program interface providing means for invoking the IMS transaction, dynamically composing or reading said input or output messages, and dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the interface comprises

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a runtime, the runtime comprising:

means for translating data types of the program in another program environment to data types used in a message to the IMS system;

means for composing the message to the IMS system;

means for translating data types used in a message from the IMS system to data types of the program in another program environment; and

means for reading the message from the IMS system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the runtime further comprises means for accessing the IMS transaction via the MQSeries messaging interface.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of compiling the runtime into the program in another program environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of compiling the program interface into the program in another program environment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing means for converting code pages between the another program environment and the IMS system.

7. A computer program product readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the computer program product comprising:

instruction means for scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system; and

instruction means for using results of said scanning to generate a program interface, the program interface providing means for invoking the IMS transaction and, dynamically composing or reading said input or output messages, dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the interface comprises

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instructions means for providing a runtime, the runtime comprising:

means for translating data types of the program in another program environment to data types used in a message to the IMS system;

means for composing the message to the IMS system;

means for translating data types used in a message from the IMS system to data types of the program in another program environment; and

means for reading the message from the IMS system.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the runtime further comprises means for accessing the IMS transaction via the MQSeries messaging interface.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising instruction means for compiling the runtime into the program in another program environment.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instruction means for compiling the program interface into the program in another program environment.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instruction means for converting code pages between the another program environment and the IMS system.

13. A computer program product readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the computer program product comprising:

means for scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system to dynamically compose or read said input or output messages and to produce dynamically a data description of said IMS transaction; and

means for using said data description to generate code for invoking said IMS transaction;

wherein the means for scanning includes

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part of which provides dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

instruction means for using said data description to generate code to process message elements of said IMS transaction for use with the program in another language environment.

15. A computer program product readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the computer program product comprising:

instruction means for using information obtained from the IMS program on the IMS system to invoke an IMS transaction with the program on the IMS system; and

instruction means for composing or reading said input or output messages and for dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the instruction means for composing or reading includes

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instruction means for converting further comprises:

instruction means for translating data types of the program in another program environment to data types used in a message to the IMS system;

instruction means for composing the message to the IMS system;

instruction means for translating data types used in a message from the IMS system to data types of the program in another program environment; and

instruction means for reading the message from the IMS system.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instruction means for converting further comprises instruction means for accessing the IMS transaction via the MQSeries messaging interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instruction means for converting code pages between the another program environment and the IMS system.

19. An article of manufacture readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, said method steps comprising:

scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system; and

using results of said scanning to generate a program interface, the program interface providing means for invoking the IMS transaction dynamically composing or reading said input or output messages, and dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the interface comprises

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

20. A system for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the method comprising:

means for scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system; and

means for using results of said scanning to generate a program interface, the program interface providing means for invoking the IMS transaction, dynamically composing or reading said input or output messages, and dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the interface comprises

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for providing a runtime, the runtime comprising:

means for translating data types of the program in another program environment to data types used in a message to the IMS system;

means for composing the message to the IMS system;

means for translating data types used in a message from the IMS system to data types of the program in another program environment; and

means for reading the message from the IMS system.

22. A system for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the method comprising:

means for scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system to dynamically compose or read said input or output messages and to produce dynamically a data description of said IMS transaction; and

means for using said data description to generate code for invoking said IMS transaction;

wherein the means for scanning includes

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which Provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for using said data description to generate code to process message elements of said IMS transaction for use with the program in another language environment.

24. A system for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, said IMS program receiving and sending input and output messages having variant content, the method comprising:

means for using information obtained from the IMS program on the IMS system to invoke an IMS transaction with the IMS program on the IMS system; and

means for composing or reading said input or output messages and for converting dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein the means for composing or reading includes

a transaction part which provides for invoking the IMS transaction;

a message part which provides for composing or reading an IMS message; and

a logical page (lpage) part which provides for dynamic composing or reading an IMS message.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for converting further comprises:

means for slating data types of the program in another program environment to data types used in a message to the IMS system;

means for composing the message to the IMS system;

means for translating data types used in a message from the IMS system to data types of the program in another program environment; and

means for interpreting the message from the IMS system.

26. A method for interfacing an information management system (IMS) program on an IMS system to a program in another program environment, comprising:

scanning an IMS transaction with the IMS program, the IMS program being configured to receive and send input and output messages having variant content;

generating a program interface using results of the scanning;

invoking the IMS transaction;

dynamically composing or reading the input and output messages; and

dynamically converting data between the IMS transaction and the program in another program environment;

wherein, the program interface comprises a transaction part configured to perform the invoking, a message part configured to perform the dynamically composing or reading the input and output messages, and a logical page (lpage) part configured to perform the dynamically converting data.