Exporting and importing business objects based on metadata

• US 8,140,573 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McKay, Michael S., Ochs, Georg, Werner, Jeremias
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US12/484,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 707/759, 707/769, 707/797, 707/803, 707/805, 707/778, 707/829, 707/956
• US Class Current: 707/778
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A metadata file can be automatically generated based on a database instance and a user defined maximum depth. The relationships between data objects that constitute a business object may be visualized in a tree. The maximum depth limits the number of levels in the tree to traverse. A metadata file describes the structure of a business object and relationships between sets of data objects that constitute the business object. The structure defined in the metadata file can be used to export instances of the business object from the database. The exported business object instances can be imported to another database.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an indication to create a metadata file for a business object in a first database, wherein the metadata file indicates the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and indicates relationships among the data object types;

determining a root data object type in a tree data structure representing the business object and a maximum depth, wherein the maximum depth represents a maximum level of the hierarchical structure for which metadata should be collected;

traversing each data object type of the tree data structure beginning at the root data object type;

locating each data object type in the first database;

determining metadata of each data object type from the first database;

recording metadata of each data object type to the metadata file;

detecting a request to export the business object from the first database;

determining the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

creating an export file;

writing extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determining a first business object instance based on the filter;

determining a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determining attributes of the first parent data object instance;

writing the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determining a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determining attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

writing the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a name, a location in the first database, a key column, an override column, a relationship, and an extension.

3. A method comprising:

creating a metadata file for a business object in a first database wherein the metadata file indicates the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and indicates relationships among the data object types;

detecting a request to export the business object from the first database;

determining the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

creating an export file;

writing extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determining a first business object instance based on the filter;

determining a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determining attributes of the first parent data object instance;

writing the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determining a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determining attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

writing the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said determining a plurality of parent data object instances corresponding to the business object instances based on the metadata further comprises:

locating a first table, in the first database, corresponding to the parent data object types based on the metadata; and

searching the first table for the business object instances indicated in the filter.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said determining a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file further comprises:

determining a plurality of children data object types of the parent data object type based on the metadata;

locating a plurality of tables, in the first database, corresponding to the plurality children data object types based on the metadata; and

searching the plurality of tables for data object instances indicating the parent data object instance as a parent.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

detecting an indication to import the business object into a second database;

determining extensions from the export file;

executing run before extensions, wherein run before extensions update the business object instances before the business object instances are imported into the second database;

determining the first parent data object instance of the business object from the export file;

determining a second table, in the second database, in which to import the first parent data object instance based on metadata of the first parent data object instance in the export file;

searching the second table for the first parent data object instance;

determining that the first parent data object instance exists in the second table;

overwriting attributes of an existing data object instance with attributes of the first parent data object instance;

determining a first child data object instance from the export file;

determining a third table, in the second database, in which to import the first child data object instance based on metadata of the plurality of the first child data object instances in the export file;

searching the third table for the first child data object instance;

determining that the first child data object instance does not exist in the third table; and

inserting the first child data object instance into the third table.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said inserting the first child data object instance in the third table further comprises overwriting override columns of the inserted data object instance with unique values.

8. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer storage medium having computer usable code stored thereon, wherein the computer usable code, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

detect an indication to create a metadata file for a business object in a first database, wherein the metadata file indicates the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and indicates relationships among the data object types;

determine a root data object type in a tree data structure representing the business object and a maximum depth, wherein the maximum depth represents a maximum level of the hierarchical structure for which metadata should be collected;

traverse each data object type of the tree data structure beginning at the root data object type;

locate each data object type in the first database;

determine metadata of each data object type from the first database;

record metadata of each data object type to the metadata file;

detect a request to export the business object from the first database;

determine the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

create an export file;

write extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determine a first business object instance based on the filter;

determine a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determine attributes of the first parent data object instance;

write the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determine a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determine attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

write the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a name, a location in the first database, a key column, an override column, a relationship, and an extension.

10. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer storage medium having computer usable code stored thereon, wherein the computer usable code, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

create a metadata file for a business object in a first database wherein the metadata file indicates the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and indicates relationships among the data object type;

detect a request to export the business object from the first database;

determine the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

create an export file;

write extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determine a first business object instance based on the filter;

determine a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determine attributes of the first parent data object instance;

write the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determine a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determine attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

write the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said computer usable program code being configured to determine a plurality of parent data object instances corresponding to the business object instances based on the metadata comprises the computer usable code being configured to:

locate a first table, in the first database, corresponding to the parent data object types based on the metadata; and

search the first table for the business object instances indicated in the filter.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said computer usable program code being configured to determine a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file comprises the computer usable code being configured to:

determine a plurality of children data object types of the parent data object type based on the metadata;

locate a plurality of tables, in the first database, corresponding to the plurality children data object types based on the metadata; and

search the plurality of tables for data object instances indicating the parent data object instance as a parent.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer usable code is further configured to:

detect an indication to import the business object into a second database;

determine extensions from the export file;

execute run before extensions, wherein run before extensions update the business object instances before the business object instances are imported into the second database;

determine the first parent data object instance of the business object from the export file;

determine a second table, in the second database, in which to import the first parent data object instance based on metadata of the first parent data object instance in the export file;

search the second table for the first parent data object instance;

determine that the first parent data object instance exists in the second table;

overwrite attributes of an existing data object instance with attributes of the first parent data object instance;

determine a first child data object instance from the export file;

determine a third table, in the second database, in which to import the first child data object instance based on metadata of the plurality of the first child data object instances in the export file;

search the third table for the first child data object instance;

determine that the first child data object instance does not exist in the third table; and

insert the first child data object instance into the third table.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said computer usable program code being configured to insert the first child data object instance in the third table comprises the computer usable code being configured to overwrite override columns of the inserted data object instance with unique values.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to;

detect an indication to create a metadata file for a business object in a first database, wherein the metadata file describes the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and relationships between the data object types;

determine a root data object type of the business object and a maximum depth, wherein the maximum depth represents a maximum level of the hierarchical structure for which metadata should be collected;

collect metadata of the root data object type;

write the metadata of the root data object type to the metadata file;

determine that the maximum depth has not been reached;

determine a plurality of children data object types;

collect metadata of the children data object types;

write the metadata of the children data object types to the metadata file;

detect a request to export the business object from the first database;

determine the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

create an export file;

write extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determine a first business object instance based on the filter;

determine a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determine attributes of the first parent data object instance;

write the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determine a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determine attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

write the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

create a metadata file for a business object in a first database wherein the metadata file indicates the hierarchical structure of interrelated data object types that constitute the business object and indicates relationships among the data object types;

detect a request to export the business object from the first database;

determine the metadata file for the business object and a filter, wherein the filter indicates which business object instances of the business object to export;

create an export file;

write extensions to the export file, wherein extensions are scripts that customize business object instances during import;

determine a first business object instance based on the filter;

determine a first parent data object instance corresponding to the first business object instance based on the metadata;

determine attributes of the first parent data object instance;

write the attributes and metadata of the first parent data object instance to the export file;

determine a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file;

determine attributes of the each of the plurality of children data object instances; and

write the attributes and metadata of each of the plurality of children data object instances to the export file.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said determining a plurality of parent data object instances corresponding to the business object instances based on the metadata further comprises:

locating a first table, in the first database, corresponding to the parent data object types based on the metadata; and

searching the first table for the business object instances indicated in the filter.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said determining a plurality of children data object instances based on the metadata file further comprises:

determining a plurality of children data object types of the parent data object type based on the metadata;

locating a plurality of tables, in the first database, corresponding to the plurality children data object types based on the metadata; and

searching the plurality of tables for data object instances indicating the parent data object instance as a parent.