Distribution of data changes in pattern configurations

• US 8,046,732 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Shaburov, Victor V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nahar; Qamrun
• Application Number:
  US11/322,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 717/104, 717/106, 717/110, 717/111, 717/113, 717/114
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system for distributing changes to an application are disclosed. A graphical application modeling tool is provided for displaying a model of a pattern of the application. The model has a plurality of elements, where each element is linked to another element via a port. Each port representing a class that contains information about the pattern qualities of that port as related to the element. A change that is applied to a first element of the plurality of elements of the model is propagated to a second element of the plurality of elements via linked ports associated with the first and second elements.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of distributing changes in a network-based application, the method comprising:

providing a graphical application modeling tool displaying a model of a pattern of the network-based application, the model comprising a plurality of elements, each element being linked to another element via a port, each port representing a class that contains information about pattern qualities of that port as related to the element;

propagating within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements a change applied to a first element of the plurality of elements of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to a second element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application by the first element distributing the change to the second element via linked ports associated with the first element and the second element to cause the change to be applied to the second element by updating the information at ports of the second element based on the change and updating the second element based on the change; and

propagating, within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements, the change applied to the second element of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to any other element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application linked to the second element via ports associated with the second element and the any other element such that each of the any other element is configured to receive the change propagating within the computer-implemented graphical model from a linked element as defined by the model of the pattern of the network-based application, wherein information of respective ports of the each of the any other element receiving the change are updated based on the received change, and the each of the any other element receiving the change is updated based on the received change.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the change applied to the first element includes receiving a new attribute to the class related to a port of the first element.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising distributing the change from the model to other business scenarios that include the first element.

4. The method in according to claim 1, wherein each port includes an inport and an outport.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the inport of the second element is linked with the outport of the first element.

6. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the information about the pattern qualities of the each port includes information about a configuration of the inport and outport of the each port.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising propagating the change from the second element to a third element within the model of the pattern of the application.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

providing an interface with the graphical application modeling tool, the interface implemented by one or more ports and containing one or more units; and

overriding default generic distribution of data changes via the interface.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

defining abstractions for distribution-related classes in a pattern-based kit; and

distributing the abstractions via a universal data provider.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising adding new application modeling kits to the graphical application modeling tool, each application modeling kits providing at least one self-contained pattern.

11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable storage device and comprising computer instructions that, when executed on a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to:

provide a graphical application modeling tool displaying a model of a pattern of a network-based application, the model comprising a plurality of elements, each element being linked to another element via a port, each port representing a class that contains information about pattern qualities of that port as related to the element;

propagate within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements a change applied to a first element of the plurality of elements of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to a second element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application by the first element distributing the change to the second element via linked ports associated with the first element and the second element to cause the change to be applied to the second element by updating the information at ports of the second element based on the change and updating the second element based on the change; and

propagate, within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements, the change applied to the second element of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to any other element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application linked to the second element via ports associated with the second element and the any other element such that each of the any other element is configured to receive the change propagating within the computer-implemented graphical model from a linked element as defined by the model of the pattern of the network-based application, wherein information of respective ports of the each of the any other element receiving the change are updated based on the received change, and the each of the any other element receiving the change is updated based on the received change.

12. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, wherein the change applied to the first element includes receiving a new attribute to the class related to a port of the first element.

13. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11, being further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to distribute the change from the model to other business scenarios that include the first element.

14. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11, wherein each port includes an inport and an outport.

15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 14, wherein the inport of the second element is linked with the outport of the first element.

16. A computer program product in accordance with claim 14, wherein the information about the pattern qualities of the each port includes information about a configuration of the inport and outport of the each port.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11, being further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to propagate the change from the second element to a third element within the model of the pattern of the application.

18. A system for distributing changes in a network-based application, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a storage device coupled to the at least one processor, the storage device storing computer instructions that when executed on the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to;

provide a graphical application modeling tool having a plurality of data handling components and a plurality of user interaction components, the graphical application modeling tool displaying a model of a pattern of the network-based application, the model comprising a plurality of elements, each element being linked to another element via a port, each port representing a class that contains information about pattern qualities of that port as related to the element;

provide a distribution layer connected between the plurality of data handling components and the plurality of user interaction components, the distribution layer configured to propagate within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements a change applied to a first element of the plurality of elements of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to a second element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application by the first element distributing the change to the second element via linked ports associated with the first element and the second element to cause the change to be applied to the second element by updating the information at ports of the second element based on the change and updating the second element based on the change; and

propagate, within the computer-implemented graphical model comprising the linked plurality of elements, the change applied to the second element of the model, displayed on the graphical application modeling tool, of the pattern of the network-based application to any other element of the plurality of elements of the model of the pattern of the network-based application linked to the second element via ports associated with the second element and the any other element such that each of the any other element is configured to receive the change propagating within the computer-implemented graphical model from a linked element as defined by the model of the pattern of the network-based application, wherein information of respective ports of the each of the any other element receiving the change are updated based on the received change, and the each of the any other element receiving the change is updated based on the received change.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the distribution layer includes a plurality of generic abstract classes to interface with the class associated with at least one of the linked ports.