Dynamic generation of schema information for data description languages

• US 7,200,805 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akana, Inc. (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LogicLibrary, Inc. (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Graser, Timothy J, Carlson, Brent A., Gross, Dave H
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUELER, ADAM M
• Application Number:
  US10/102,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/531, 707/100, 717/143
• US Class Current: 715/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

In general, techniques are described for dynamically generating schema information for data description languages. The techniques include receiving a schema defining a class of elements that conform to a data description language, and receiving a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the elements. The techniques further comprise dynamically generating schema information based on the schema and the constraint template, and validating a document in accordance with the schema information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a base schema defining one of more classes of elements that conform to a data description language;

receiving a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the elements without conforming to an XML Schema Definition (XSD), wherein the constraint template conforms to a constraint template schema that is separate from the base schema;

receiving a definition template that defines a sub-class for the elements;

executing a schema generator on a computer system to generate schema information by;

(i) executing the schema generator to dynamically generate a data structure representing the classes of elements defined by the base schema and applying the definition template to the base schema to extend the schema information to include the sub-classes of elements defined within definition template, and

(ii) executing the schema generator to dynamically update the schema information to include the restrictions defined by constraint templates; and

executing a validation engine on the computer system to verify that instances of the elements within an XML document comply with the classes defined by the base schema, the sub-classes defined by the definition template, and the requirements defined by constraint template.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein a first one of the instances of the XML document is a first one of the classes defined by the base schema, and

wherein executing a validation engine comprises:

verifying that the first one of the instances within the XML document conforms to the first one of the classes defined by the base schema, and

verifying that the first one of the instances complies with the requirements defined by the constraint template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines a required cardinality for the instances of the elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines one of a required minimum and a required maximum number of the instances of the elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines a range for a required number of the instances of the elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines a required attribute for the instances of the elements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines a required parameter value for the instances of the elements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint template defines specific required instances of the elements.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein executing a validation engine comprises executing the validation engine to identify any of the required instances of the elements that are missing from the XML document.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting an interface to a user to capture data for the missing required instances.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating the constraint template according to the constraint template schema.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the constraint template based on input from a user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the definition template based on input from a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a constraint template comprises receiving a hierarchy of constraint templates, and wherein executing a validation engine comprises executing the validation engine to validate the XML document in accordance with the hierarchy of constraint templates.

15. A computer system comprising:

a base schema defining a class of elements for reusable software assets that are repeatably used for software development environments, wherein the class of elements conform to a data description language;

a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the elements without conforming to an XML Schema Definition (XSD), wherein the constraint template conforms to a constraint template schema that is separate from the base schema;

a schema generator executing on the computer system to dynamically generate a virtual schema based on the base schema and the constraint template; and

a validation engine executing on the computer system to validate an XML document with the virtual schema by verifying that instances of the elements comply with the classes defined by the base schema and the requirements defined by constraint template.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema generator dynamically generates the virtual schema by dynamically generating a data structure to store schema information representing the schema, and updates the data structure to store additional schema information to represent the requirements defined by the constraint template.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines a required cardinality for the instances of the elements.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines one of a required minimum and a required maximum number of the instances of the elements.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines a range for a required number of the instances of the elements.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines a required attribute for the instances of the elements.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines a required parameter value for the instances of the elements.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the constraint template defines specific required instances of the elements.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the validation engine identifies any of the required instances of the elements that are missing from the document.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a capture module to capture data for the missing required instances.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the data description language comprises the extensible markup language (XML).

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema generator validates the constraint template according to the constraint template schema.

27. The system of claim 15, further comprising a definition template that defines a sub-class for the elements, wherein the validation engine validates the document in accordance with the definition template.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the schema generator generates the virtual schema based on the base schema, the constraint template, and the definition template.

29. The system of claim 15, further comprising a hierarchy of constraint templates having at least one parent constraint template and at least one child constraint template, wherein the child constraint template includes requirements that further limits requirements defined by the parent constraint template, and wherein the validation engine validates the document in accordance with the child constraint template.

30. A computer system comprising:

a base schema defining a class of elements that conform to a data description language;

a definition template that defines a sub-class for the elements without conforming to an XML Schema Definition (XSD);

a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the sub-class without conforming to an XML Schema Definition;

a schema generator executing on the computer system to generate a virtual schema based on the schema, the definition template, and the constraint template; and

a validation engine executing on the computer system to validate an XML document in accordance with the virtual schema.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the virtual schema comprises a data structure to store schema information representing the schema, the sub-class, and the requirements.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the schema generator dynamically generates the data structure.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the constraint template and the definition template conform to the data description language.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the constraint template defines specific required instances of the elements, and the validation engine identifies any of the required instances of the elements that are missing from the document.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising a capture module to capture data for the missing required instances.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the constraint template defines at least one of:

a required cardinality for the instances of the elements,

a required minimum and a required maximum number of the instances of the elements,

a range for a required number of the instances of the elements,

a required attribute for the instances of the elements, and

a required parameter value for the instances of the elements.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the constraint template conforms to the data description language.

38. A computer system comprising:

a base schema defining a class of elements for reusable software assets that are repeatably used for software development environments, wherein the class of elements conform to a data description language;

artifacts that have been created for the purpose of applying that asset repeatedly in subsequent development environments

a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the elements without conforming to an XML Schema Definition (XSD);

a schema generator executing on the computer system to dynamically generate schema information for validating documents conforming to a data description language, wherein the schema generator generates the schema information from the base schema in accordance with the constraint template; and

a validation engine executing on the computer system to validate information related to reusable software assets, wherein the validation engine uses the schema information to verify that instances of the elements within the information complies with the classes defined by the base schema and the requirements defined by constraint template.

39. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

receive a base schema defining a class of elements that conform to a data description language;

receive a constraint template that defines requirements for instances of the elements, wherein the constraint template does not conform to an XML Schema Definition (XSD);

dynamically generate schema information based on the base schema and the constraint template;

receive an XML document having an instance of one of the elements defined by the base schema, and wherein the instance is of the class defined by the base schema and not a derived class;

verify that the instance of the class conforms to the class as defined by the base schema; and

verify that the instance complies with the requirements defined by the constraint template.

40. A computer system comprising:

a base schema defining a class of elements that conform to a data description language;

a hierarchy of constraint templates having at least one parent constraint template and at least one child constraint template that controls generation of additional schema information from the schema; and

a schema generator executing on the computer system to dynamically generate schema information based on the base schema and the hierarchy of constraint templates,

wherein the constraint templates define requirements fix instances of the elements without conforming to an XML Schema Definition (XSD), and the requirements of the child constraint template limit the requirements of the parent constraint template without conforming to an (XSD).

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a validation engine executing on the computer system that validates a document in accordance with the schema information.