Method and modules for generating client-server applications

• US 7,934,191 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sap Portals Il
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Il
• Inventors: Yassin, Ohad
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu; Junchun
• Application Number:
  US11/733,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 717/104
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A multi-model-view-controller (MMVC) design pattern for generating client-server applications, which overcomes the disadvantages of the MVC design pattern. In an application generated according to the MMVC design pattern initial data is provided by the server model via the controller to the client model. Subsequent data is requested from the server model by the controller and passed to the client model. The initial and subsequent data are fetched according to predetermined rules. The predetermined rules can be based on personal details of the user, such as identity or role, on the server or client computing platforms, on the application, or other factors.

Claims

1. A set of modules for implementing an application used by a user, the application executed in a client-server environment by a client computing platform and at least one server computing platform, the set of modules adapted to the executed by a processor at a computer, the set of modules including:

a server model class providing functionality of communicating with a repository, and supplying initial data and subsequent data retrieved from the repository according to an at least one predetermined rule;

a view class providing functionality of receiving and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to the user;

a client model class providing functionality of issuing an at least one request for initial data and subsequent data, receiving the initial data and subsequent data, keeping the initial data and subsequent data, and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to a view object associated with the view class; and

a controller class for providing communication between the view object associated with the view class, a client model object associated with the client model class and at least two server model objects associated with the server model class, wherein the view class and the controller class are located at the client computing platform.

2. The set of modules of claim 1 wherein the at least one predetermined rule is determined based on any one or more elements of the group consisting of:

a detail associated with the user, a role of the user, a permission of the user, a privilege of the user, a preference of the user, a geographic location of the client computing platform, a geographic location of the at least one server computing platform, a client-server application, a resource of the client computing platform, memory of the client computing platform, processing power of the client computing platform, a resource of the at least one server computing platform, memory of the at least one server computing platform, processing power of the at least one server computing platform, the repository, and a communication channel between the client computing platform and the at least one server computing platform.

3. A method for constructing a client-server application to be used by a user of a client computing platform and executed by the client computing platform and at least one server computing platform, the method comprising the steps of:

generating at least two server model objects, each server model object communicating with a repository, and supplying initial data and subsequent data retrieved from the repository according to an at least one predetermined rule;

generating a view object, the view object receiving and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to the user;

generating a client model object for issuing an at least one request for initial data and subsequent data, receiving the initial data and subsequent data, keeping the initial data and subsequent data, and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to the view object; and

generating a controller object for communicating with the view object, the client model object and the at least two server model objects, for supplying the initial data and the subsequent data from the at least two server model objects to the view object according to the at least one predetermined rule, wherein the at least two server model objects are associated with at least two servers, wherein the view class and the controller class are located at the client computing platform.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of generating the client model object comprises the steps of:

implementing an initial data request to the controller object; and

implementing a subsequent data request to the controller object.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of generating the controller object comprises the steps of:

implementing a message queue handler;

determining an initial data fetching rule;

implementing the initial data fetching rule;

determining a subsequent data fetching rule; and

implementing the subsequent data fetching rule.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the initial data fetching rule relates to retrieving information from an at least one table of the repository.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the initial data fetching rule relates to a number of records that should be fetched from an at least one table of the repository.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the subsequent data fetching rule relates to retrieving information from an at least one table of the repository.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the subsequent data fetching rule relates to a number of records that should be fetched from an at least one table of the repository.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the initial data fetching rule is determined based on any one or more elements of the group consisting of:

a detail associated with the user, a role of the user, a permission of the user, a privilege of the user, a preference of the user, a geographic location of the client computing platform, a geographic location of the at least one server computing platform, a client-server application, a resource of the client computing platform, memory of the client computing platform, processing power of the client computing platform, a resource of the at least one server computing platform, memory of the at least one server computing platform, processing power of the at least one server computing platform, the repository, and a communication channel between the client computing platform and the at least one server computing platform.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the subsequent data fetching rule is determined based on any one or more elements of the group consisting of:

a detail associated with the user, a role of the user, a permission of the user, a privilege of the user, a preference of the user, a geographic location of the client computing platform, a geographic location of the at least one server computing platform, a client-server application, a resource of the client computing platform, memory of the client computing platform, processing power of the client computing platform, a resource of the at least one server computing platform, memory of the at least one server computing platform, processing power of the at least one server computing platform, the repository, and a communication channel between the client computing platform and the at least one server computing platform.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for implementing an application executed in a client-server environment by a client computing platform and at least one server computing platform, the set of instructions comprising:

a server model class providing functionality of communicating with a repository, and supplying initial data and subsequent data retrieved from the repository according to an at least one predetermined rule;

a view class providing functionality of receiving and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to the user;

a client model class providing functionality of issuing an at least one request for initial data and subsequent data, receiving the initial data and subsequent data, keeping the initial data and subsequent data, and supplying the initial data and subsequent data to a view object associated with the view class; and

a controller class for providing communication between the view object associated with the view class, a client model object associated with the client model class and at least two server model objects associated with the server model class, wherein the view class and the controller class are executed at the client computing platform.