Evaluating dynamic expressions in a modeling application

• US 7,340,475 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chowdhary, Pawan R., Xi, Haifeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nofal; Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US11/136,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20070006128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/9, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/101, 709/246, 717/104, 717/114, 717/141
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2448 for particular applications; for extensibility, e.g. user defined types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24528 Standardisation; Simplification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Development and use of a computer program in an arbitrary language are facilitated by representing expressions to be dynamically evaluated in a simple syntax compatible with a standard language. The method for evaluating the expressions must provide a pattern or template containing the form and syntax required for an embedded standard language query in the arbitrary language. The representation of the expression in the simple syntax is detected and the expression, variables contained in the expression and the name of the result of an evaluation of the expression are extracted and placed in the template or pattern to derive an intermediate form of the expression. Quantitative data developed by the computer program when it is run is substituted for the variables in the intermediate form of the expression to form a standard language query embedded in the arbitrary language program which is then evaluated by a standard language evaluation engine.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically evaluating expressions in a modeling application in a language for development of a modeling application, said method comprising steps of

representing an expression and definitions of variables associated with said expression in a syntax compatible with a standard language to form a representation of said expression, wherein said step of representing said expression comprises a plurality of statements, wherein one of said statements contains said expression, another of said statements contains a name of a result of said expression, and remaining statements define variables contained in said expression,

detecting said representation of said expression and extracting said expression and definition of variables,

placing said expression and definitions of variables into a pattern to represent said expression in an intermediate form between said syntax and a query in said standard language, said pattern having a form corresponding to an embedded standard language query for said language for development of a modeling application,

placing data into the embedded standard language query including said expression and definitions of variables, and

evaluating said expression containing said data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said representing step includes conversion of the expression from said language for development of a modeling application.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said embedded standard language query comprises an SQL query.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said intermediate form corresponds to a pre-defined standard language query template.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said pre-defined standard language query template is a standard query language (SQL) template.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said evaluating step is performed by an SQL engine.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said evaluating step is performed by a standard language evaluation engine.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting step is performed by parsing said modeling application.

9. Apparatus for evaluating an expression during modeling of a system or operation including, in combination,

a data processor running a model in a language for development of a modeling application to determine quantitative values of variables included in an expression contained in said model, wherein said expression comprises a plurality of statements, wherein one of said statements contains said expression, another of said statements contains a name of a result of said expression, and remaining statements define variables contained in said expression,

means for detecting a representation of a said expression which is in a form compatible with a standard language query, and extracting at least said expression and variables contained in said expression,

means for placing said expression and variables contained in said expression into an intermediate form corresponding to an embedded standard language query in said language for development of a modeling application, said embedded standard language query forming a representation of said expression in said intermediate form,

means for substituting said quantitative values for variables in said representation of said expression in said intermediate form to develop a standard language query, and

a standard language evaluation engine for evaluating said standard language query.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said standard language is standard query language and said standard language evaluation engine is an SQL engine.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said means for detecting is a parser.

12. Apparatus as recited on claim 9, wherein said means for placing said expression and variables contained in said expression into an intermediate form includes a template.

13. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions recorded thereon wherein said instructions recorded thereon include a representation of an expression and definitions of variables associated with said expression in a syntax compatible with a standard language thereon and a modeling application which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform steps of

wherein said representation of said expression and definitions of variables comprises a plurality of statements, wherein one of said statements contains said expression, another of said statements contains a name of a result of said expression, and remaining statements define variables contained in said expression,

detecting said representation of said expression and extracting said expression and definition of variables,

placing said expression and definitions of variables into a pattern to represent said expression in an intermediate form between said syntax and a query in said standard language, said pattern having a form corresponding to an embedded standard language query for said language for development of a modeling application,

placing data into the embedded standard language query including said expression and definitions of variables, and

evaluating said expression containing said data.