Programming model for customized data objects

• US 7,945,596 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Seefeldt, Daniel Edward, Plaisted, Patrick E., Harter, Steven V., Brookins, Timothy J., Orth, Adrian L., Anonsen, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): XUE, BIN
• Application Number:
  US11/472,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

A programming model for customized data objects is provided. For several embodiments, a method for providing customizable data objects comprises storing an abstract definition of an entity in metadata, the definition including a set of properties of the entity; and generating an entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the entity view. When programming against the entity view class, only those properties included in the entity view class are allowed to be seen or modified.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method for providing customizable data objects comprising:

storing, via the machine, an abstract definition of an entity in metadata, the definition including a set of properties of the entity;

generating a first entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the first entity view class;

generating a second entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the second entity view class, wherein the first entity view class includes at least one property of the entity that is not included in the second entity view class such that the first and second entity view classes provide different views of and permit interaction with the same entity; and

when programming against the first or second entity view class, allowing (a) only those properties included in the first or second entity view class, respectively, to be seen and modified, wherein modifying a property results in a modification of the definition of the entity, and (b) switching between the first and second entity view classes for different views of the entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading all data associated with the set of properties of the entity when programming against said first or second entity view class.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein properties present in the generated second entity view class include only some of the properties included in the definition of the entity.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising adding additional properties to an existing entity definition, whether original or previously customized;

and

creating a new entity view class that contains one or more of the additional properties.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising using event handlers including property patterns to add software capability that responds to changes made to an entity data buffer containing data associated with the set of properties of the entity, the changes having been made through an entity view class, an Application Programming Interface (API), or some other means.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein some properties of the entity are not loaded if no property patterns reference the properties.

7. A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the steps of:

storing, via a machine, an abstract definition of an entity in metadata, the definition including a set of properties of the entity;

generating a first entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the first entity view class;

generating a second entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the second entity view class, wherein the first entity view class includes at least one property of the entity that is not included in the second entity view class such that the first and second entity view classes provide different views of and permit interaction with the same entity; and

when programming against the first or second entity view class, allowing (a) only those properties included in the first or second entity view class, respectively, to be seen and modified, wherein modifying a property results in a modification of the definition of the entity, and (b) switching between the first and second entity view classes for different views of the entity.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 storing computer executable instructions for loading all data associated with the set of properties of the entity when programming against said first or second entity view class.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein properties present in the generated second entity view class include only some of the properties included in the definition of the entity.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 storing computer executable instructions for:

adding additional properties to an existing entity definition, whether original or previously customized; and

creating a new entity view class that contains one or more of the additional properties.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 storing computer executable instructions for using event handlers including property patterns to add software capability that responds to changes made to an entity data buffer containing data associated with the set of properties of the entity, the changes having been made through an entity view class, an Application Programming Interface (API), or some other means.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein some properties of the entity are not loaded if no property patterns reference the properties.

13. A system having at least one computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for providing customizable data objects comprising:

means for storing an abstract definition of an entity in metadata, the definition including a set of properties of the entity;

means for generating a first entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the first entity view class;

means for generating a second entity view class based on the set of properties of the entity and including at least one property of the entity in the second entity view class, wherein the first entity view class includes at least one property of the entity that is not included in the second entity view class such that the first and second entity view classes provide different views of and permit interaction with the same entity; and

means for when programming against the first or second entity view class, allowing (a) only those properties included in the first or second entity view class, respectively, to be seen and modified, wherein modifying a property results in a modification of the definition of the entity, and (b) switching between the first and second entity view classes for different views of the entity.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising means for loading all data associated with the set of properties of the entity when programming against said first or second entity view class.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein properties present in the generated second entity view class include only some of the properties included in the definition of the entity.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for adding additional properties to an existing entity definition, whether original or previously customized;

and

means for creating a new entity view class that contains one or more of the additional properties.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for using event handlers including property patterns to add software capability that responds to changes made to an entity data buffer containing data associated with the set of properties of the entity, the changes having been made through an entity view class, an Application Programming Interface (API), or some other means.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for loading data comprising means for having some properties of the entity not being loaded if no property patterns reference the properties.

19. A system having at least one computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for using customizable data objects comprising:

a first module that communicates with a plurality of entity view classes generated based on a set of properties of an entity, each entity view class including at least one property of the entity, wherein each of the plurality of entity view classes include a property or properties of the entity different from other entity view classes such that the plurality of entity view classes provide different views of and permit interaction with the same entity;

a second module that enables programming against each of the plurality of entity view classes, but allows (a) only those properties included in the respective entity view class to be seen and modified, wherein modifying a property results in a modification of the definition of the entity, and (b) switching between the plurality of entity view classes for different views of the entity; and

an entity data buffer containing data associated with the set of properties of the entity upon which the first and second modules rely to obtain data associated with the set of properties of the entity.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a module that enables using property patterns to add software capability that responds to changes to data in each entity view class or responds to changes to the entity data buffer containing data associated with the set of properties of the entity; and

a module for having particular data associated with the set of properties not be loaded if no property patterns reference properties with which the particular data is associated.