Using a backend simulator to test and develop xforms templates before linking the xforms templates to backend data processing systems

• US 7,886,284 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wiegand, Michael R., Haven, Randy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri; Anil
• Application Number:
  US11/470,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 717134-140, 717104-108, 717114-116
• US Class Current: 717/138
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A solution for developing XForms projects can bind an XForms template to a backend simulator, during a development or test stage of a software development. The XForms template can be developed by an interface designer, such as a business analyst. The XForms template can be conveyed to remotely located clients. Data instances associated with the XForms template can be received and routed to the backend simulator for processing. An integration code developer can later integrate the XForms templates to a backend server instead of to the backend simulator. Accordingly, the solution accelerates XForms based development projects by decoupling XForms interface development from XForms system integration development, which are typically handled by different people having different skill sets.

Claims

1. A method for developing XForms interfaces comprising:

in at least one of a development or test stage, binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, an XForms template to a backend simulator;

conveying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to remotely located clients;

receiving, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, data instances associated with the XForms template from the remotely located clients; and

routing, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the data instances to the backend simulator for processing;

after the XForms template has been tested, binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to an XForms model, wherein the XForms model binds the data instances to a backend server, wherein after the binding of the XForms template with the XForms model, data instances received from clients are routed to the backend server instead of being routed to the backend simulator; and

deploying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template bound to the backend simulator to an XForms repository associated with an XForms server; and

said remotely located clients receiving the XForms template responsive to synchronizing with the XForms server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to a backend server instead of to the backend simulator, before an operational stage, wherein during the operational stage, user input provided in fields of the XForms template is conveyed to the backend server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method is used as part of an XForms design project, wherein an XForms interface designer creates and tests the XForms template using the backend simulator, and wherein an integration code developer creates code to bind the XForms template to the backend server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the XForms template is designed by an interface designer, who uses a software development tool to automatically bind the XForms template to the backend simulator, wherein the backend simulator is a component provided with the software development tool.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the software development tool includes a visual user interface for a development of software projects conforming to XForms compliant standards, wherein said visual user interface permits XForms templates to be created by visually dropping interface control elements upon a canvas of the visual user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the software development tool includes a selection element for automatically binding an XForms template to the backend simulator, wherein the automatic binding occurs without a human software designer creating code specific to the XForms template.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the software development tool conforms to a standard compliant with an ECLIPSE MODELING FRAMEWORK (EMF).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the XForms server comprises the backend simulation component.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to an XForms model, wherein the XForms model binds the data instance to a backend server;

conveying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, an XForms template newly bound to the XForms model to the XForms repository;

responsive to a synchronization action, conveying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the newly bound XForms template to remotely located clients;

the XForms server receiving data instances associated with the newly bound XForms template from the remotely located clients; and

the XForms server routing the data instances from the receiving of data instances associated with the newly bound XForms template to the backend server for processing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of claim 1 are steps performed automatically by at least one machine in accordance with at least one computer program having a plurality of code sections that are executable by the at least one machine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of claim 1 are performed by at least one of a service agent and a computing device manipulated by the service agent, the steps being performed in response to a service request.

12. A method for developing XForms based software projects comprising:

providing, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, a software development tool to an interface designer to develop XForms templates, wherein said software development tool permits developed XForms templates to be automatically bound to a backend simulator without a human software designer creating code specific to the XForms template; and

deploying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, XForms templates bound to the backend simulator to an XForms server, which routes client supplied data associated with the deployed XForms templates to the backend simulator;

after the XForms template has been tested, binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to an XForms model, wherein the XForms model binds the data instances to a backend server, wherein after the binding of the XForms template with the XForms model, data instances received from clients are routed to the backend server instead of being routed to the backend simulator; and

deploying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template bound to the backend simulator to an XForms repository associated with an XForms server; and

said remotely located clients receiving the XForms template responsive to synchronizing with the XForms server.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

after the deploying step, an integration code developer binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, at least one of the XForms templates to a backend server; and

deploying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the server-bound XForms template to the XForms server, which thereafter routes client supplied data associated with the server-bound XForms template to the backend server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interface designer and the integration code developer are different people.

15. A computer program product stored in a non-transient storage medium, wherein said computer program product is referred to as an XForms software development tool comprising:

a backend simulator for XForms templates, wherein the backend simulator is configured to receive and process input from clients using the XForms templates before the XForms templates are bound to a backend server;

after the XForms template has been tested, binding, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template to an XForms model, wherein the XForms model binds the data instances to a backend server, wherein after the binding of the XForms template with the XForms model, data instances received from clients are routed to the backend server instead of being routed to the backend simulator; and

deploying, via computing equipment controlled by a program stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the XForms template bound to the backend simulator to an XForms repository associated with an XForms server; and

said remotely located clients receiving the XForms template responsive to synchronizing with the XForms server.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a visual user interface for a development of software projects conforming to XForms compliant standards, wherein said visual user interface permits XForms templates to be created by visually dropping interface control elements upon a canvas of the visual user interface.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

a selection element for automatically binding an XForms template to the backend simulator, wherein the automatic binding occurs without a human software designer creating code specific to the XForms template.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the backend simulator is integrated with an XForms server.