Generic interface to provide object access display views based on object type

• US 7,574,689 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Albrecht, Christoph, Igelbrink, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri; Anil
• Application Number:
  US11/169,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-102, 717/108, 717/116, 717/120
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/462 Lookup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

Some embodiments are associated with a business information enterprise system having a front-end and a back-end. Moreover, it may be determined that a first object access display (e.g., an open or save dialog box) is to be provided at the front-end for a first type of object. A generic interface between the front-end and the back-end may then be used to provide the first object access display with a first object view based on the first object type. It may also be determined that a second object access display is to be provided at the front-end for a second type of object. In this case, the generic interface may be used to provide the second object access display with a second object view based on the second object type.

Claims

1. A method associated with a business information enterprise system having a front-end system and a back-end system, comprising:

determining, at the front end system, that a first object access display is to be provided at the front-end system for a first object of a first object type;

using a generic interface between the front-end system and the back-end system to provide the first object access display with a first object view based on the first object type;

determining, at the front end system, that a second object access display is to be provided at the front-end system for a second object of a second object type, the second object type being different than the first object type; and

using the generic interface to provide the second object access display with a second object view based on the second object type, the second object view being different than the first object view;

wherein a presentation layer at the back-end system arranges to provide the first object access display using the first object view based on the first object type;

wherein said arranges to provide the first object access display includes determining display properties for the first object access display in accordance with entries in a behavior table stored at the back-end system; and

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one object access display is associated with at least one of:

(i) an open dialog box, or (ii) a save dialog box.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one object access display is provided using a dialog box associated with the front-end application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one object type is associated with at least one of:

(i) a Web template, (ii) a Web application, (iii) a query, (iv) a query view, (v) a spreadsheet, (vi) a workbook, (vii) an exception, (viii) an alert, (ix) an item library, or (x) a report.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one object view is associated with at least one of:

(i) a button, (ii) displayed information, or (iii) a function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one object view is associated with at least one of:

(i) history information, (ii) favorites information, (iii) role information, (iv) special information, (v) folder-based information, (vi) portal-based information, (vii) JAVA-based information, (viii) search information, (ix) properties information, or (x) collaboration information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the front-end system is remote from the back-end system, and the systems communicate via a communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation layer includes an advanced business application programming server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an entry in the behavior table is associated with at least one of:

(i) an object type identifier, (ii) an object class, (iii) an object category, (iv) an object semantic, (v) a uniform resource locator type, (vi) a workbook code, (vii) a JAVA class, (viii) a search flag, (ix) a project attribute, (x) a project value, (xi) an object view identifier, (xii) a display mode, (xiii) a method name, (xiv) a technical name flag, or (xv) a show properties flag.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation layer saves at least one object into and opens at least one object from a hierarchical structure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a JAVA application at the front-end system communicates with the presentation layer of the back-end system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first icon comprises a history icon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second icon comprises a favorites icon or a roles icon.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first icon comprises a favorites icon.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second icon comprises a roles icon.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first icon comprises a roles icon.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior table further includes a fourth field that indicates whether to include a third icon in the first object access display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first icon comprises a history icon, the second icon comprises a favorites icon and the third icon comprises a roles icon.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior table further includes:

a fourth field that specifies an object identifier associated with the second object type;

a fifth field that specifies whether to include the first icon in the second object access display; and

a sixth field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the second object access display.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first icon comprises a history icon.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first icon comprises a favorites icon.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first icon comprises a roles icon.

23. A system, comprising:

a front-end apparatus to determine (i) that a first object access display is to be provided for a first object of a first object type and (ii) that a second object access display is to be provided for a second object of a second object type; and

a back-end apparatus to (1) exchange data with the front-end apparatus via a generic interface in order to facilitate creation of (i) the first object access display with a first object view based at least in part on the first object type and (ii) the second object access display with a second object view based at least in part on the second object type and (2) determine display properties for the first object access display in accordance with entries in a behavior table;

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the front-end apparatus is remote from the back-end apparatus, and the exchange of data is performed via the Internet.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the back-end apparatus further comprises:

a storage unit to store a behavior table of display properties associated with the first and second object views.

26. A medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

determining, at a front end system, that a first object access display is to be provided at the front-end system for a first object of a first object type;

using a generic interface between the front-end system and a back-end system to provide the first object access display with a first object view based on the first object type;

determining, at a front end system, that a second object access display is to be provided at the front-end system for a second object of a second object type;

using the generic interface to provide the second object access display with a second object view based on the second object type;

wherein using a generic interface between the front-end system and a back-end system to provide the first object access display includes using a generic interface between the front-end system and a back-end system to provide display properties for the first object access display determined in accordance with entries in a behavior table;

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.

27. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a back-end application of a business information enterprise system, a request from a front-end application via an object-type-generic interface, the request being associated with an object access display to be presented to a user by the front-end application;

accessing object-type-specific presentation information stored at the back-end;

transmitting object-type-specific data to the front-end application in order to facilitate the presentation of the object access display to the user by the front-end application; and

determining, at the back-end, display properties for the object access display on a user-by-user basis and in accordance with entries in a behavior table stored at the back-end;

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.

28. A method, comprising:

determining that a new type of object is to be supported by a back-end system of a business information enterprise system;

updating information in a behavior table stored at the back-end system, wherein the updated information is to be used when data is exchanged with a front-end system via a generic interface to support an object access display provided by the front-end system; and

determining, at the back-end system, display properties for the object access display in accordance with entries in a behavior table;

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.

29. A method associated with a business information enterprise system having front-end systems remote from an advanced business application programming server, comprising:

determining, at a first front end system, that a first open or save dialog box is to be provided at the first front-end system for a first object of a first object type, wherein the first front-end system is associated with a first programming environment;

using a generic interface to provide, from the server, data associated with the dialog box such that the first dialog box will be displayed with a first object view based on the first object type;

determining, at a second front end system, that a second open or save dialog box is to be provided at the second front-end system for a second object of a second object type, wherein the second front-end system is associated with a second programming environment;

using the generic interface to provide, from the server, data associated with the second dialog box such that the second dialog box will be displayed with a second object view based on the second object type; and

determining, at the server, display properties for the first object access display in accordance with entries in a behavior table stored at the server;

wherein the behavior table includes;

a first field that specifies an object identifier associated with the first object type;

a second field that specifies whether to include a first icon in the first object access display; and

a third field that specifies whether to include a second icon in the first object access display.