Promotion of features in reusable software component types

• US 7,096,457 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Starkey, Michael, Litoiu, Marin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US10/319,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20030159131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-123, 719/310, 719/315, 718/106
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

In the process of hierarchical composition of software component types, the reusability of software component types is improved through the “promotion of features”. That is, a feature of an instance of a predetermined software component type may be promoted to a software component type containing instances of the predetermined software component type. The promoted feature may then be customized when the containing software component type is instantiated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

creating a part under composition by aggregating sub-parts, wherein the part under composition is an object oriented program (OOP) class, and wherein each of the sub-parts is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the instantiating class not a same class as the part under composition, and wherein when a value for a feature of a sub-part is initially hard-coded by the instantiating class and thus is initially non-modifiable;

promoting the feature, from the sub-part to the part in composition, as a promoted feature, wherein the promoted feature is modifiable and thus is able to utilize a developer selected value for the promoted feature; and

instantiating an instance of the part under composition using the developer selected value.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein multiple features are promoted into a same promoted feature, wherein the multiple features are customizable through a use of different values for the same promoted feature.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

utilizing a link object to maintain a reference to a non-promoted feature and a sub-part from which the non-promoted feature is later promoted, and wherein the link object maintains a containment for the same promoted feature.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

demoting the promoted feature back down to once again be a hard-coded and thus non-modifiable feature in the sub-part.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying a part under composition and at least one sub-part in a visual editor, wherein the part is an object oriented program (OOP) class and the sub-part is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the part under composition is created by aggregating sub-parts that have been instantiated by parts other than the part under composition;

receiving a selection input for selecting a sub-part that is displayed in the visual editor;

in response to receiving the selection input, displaying, in the visual editor, a browser showing two category lists, wherein, a first category list is of non-modifiable features of sub-part objects, and wherein a second category list is of modifiable promoted features that are derived from non-modifiable features;

receiving a promotion input for selecting one or more of the non-modifiable features;

in response to receiving the promotion input, moving selected non-modifiable features from the first list into the second list, wherein moving the selected non-modifiable features into the second list results in a logic causing the selected non-modifiable features to become modifiable features in the part under composition; and

instantiating the part under composition with the promoted features using values, for the promoted features, that are set by a developer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

grouping the selected non-modifiable features under a same name; and

displaying the selected non-modifiable features under the same name in the part under composition.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to receiving a demotion input, removing a promoted feature from the part under composition, wherein the removed promoted feature changes from being modifiable to non-modifiable in the part in composition.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

creating a part under composition by aggregating sub-parts, wherein the part under composition is an object oriented program (OOP) class, and wherein each of the sub-parts is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the instantiating class not a same class as the part under composition, and wherein when a value for a feature of a sub-part is initially hard-coded and thus non-modifiable;

promoting the feature, from the sub-part to the part in composition, as a promoted feature, wherein the promoted feature is modifiable and thus is able to utilize a developer selected value for the promoted feature; and

instantiating an instance of the part under composition using the developer selected value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein multiple features are promoted into a same promoted feature, wherein the multiple features are customizable through a use of different values for the same promoted feature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

utilizing a link object to maintain, a reference to a non-promoted feature and a sub-part from which the non-promoted feature is later promoted, and wherein the link object maintains a containment for the same promoted feature.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

demoting the promoted feature back down to once again be a hard-coded and thus non-modifiable feature in the sub-part.

12. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable byte processor and configured for;

displaying a part under composition and at least one sub-part in a visual editor, wherein the part is an object oriented program (OOP) class and the sub-part is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the part under composition is created by aggregating sub-parts that have been instantiated by parts other than the part under composition;

receiving a selection input for selecting a sub-part that is displayed in the visual editor;

in response to receiving the selection input, displaying, in the visual editor, a browser showing two category lists, wherein a first category list is of non-modifiable features of sub-part objects, and wherein a second category list is of modifiable promoted features that are derived from non-modifiable features;

receiving a promotion input for selecting one or more of the non-modifiable features;

in response to receiving the promotion input, moving selected non-modifiable features from the first list into the second list, wherein moving the selected non-modifiable features into the second list results in a logic causing the selected non-modifiable features to become modifiable features in the part under composition; and

instantiating the part under composition with the promoted features using values, for the promoted features, that are set by a developer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

grouping the selected non-modifiable features under a same name; and

displaying the selected non-modifiable features under the same name in the part under composition.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to receiving a demotion input, removing a promoted feature from the part under composition, wherein the removed promoted feature changes from being modifiable to non-modifiable in the part in composition.

15. A computer-readable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

creating a part under composition by aggregating sub-parts, wherein the part under composition is an object oriented program (OOP) class, and wherein each of the sub-parts is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the instantiating class not a same class as the part under composition, and wherein when a value for a feature of a sub-part is initially hard-coded and thus non-modifiable;

promoting the feature, from the sub-part to the part in composition, as a promoted feature, wherein the promoted feature is modifiable and thus is able to utilize a developer selected value for the promoted feature; and

instantiating an instance of the part under composition using the developer selected value.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein multiple features are promoted into a same promoted feature, wherein the multiple features are customizable through a use of different values for the same promoted feature.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

utilizing a link object to maintain a reference to a non-promoted feature and a sub-part from which the non-promoted feature is later promoted, and wherein the link object maintains a containment for the same promoted feature.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

demoting the promoted feature back down to once again be a hard-coded and thus non-modifiable feature in the sub-part.

19. A computer-readable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

displaying a part under composition and at least one sub-part in a visual editor, wherein the part is an object oriented program (OOP) class and the sub-part is an OOP object whose behavior and structure have been defined by an instantiating class from which the OOP object was instantiated, and wherein the part under composition is created by aggregating sub-parts that have been instantiated by parts other than the part under composition;

receiving a selection input for selecting a sub-part that is displayed in the visual editor;

in response to receiving the selection input, displaying, in the visual editor, a browser showing two category lists, wherein a first category list is of non-modifiable features of sub-part objects, and wherein a second category list is of modifiable promoted features that are derived from non-modifiable features;

receiving a promotion input for selecting one or more of the non-modifiable features;

in response to receiving the promotion input moving selected non-modifiable features from the first list into the second list, wherein moving the selected non-modifiable features into the second list results in a logic causing the selected non-modifiable features to become modifiable features in the part under composition; and

instantiating the pan under composition with the promoted features using values, for the promoted features, that are set by a developer.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

grouping the selected non-modifiable features under a same name; and

displaying the selected non-modifiable features under the same name in the part under composition.