N-tiered applications support via common interface

• US 8,141,032 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Joo, Young Kun, Chen, Zhanliang, Cavanaugh, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paulino, Lenin
• Application Number:
  US11/670,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 717/101, 717/104, 717/105, 717/121, 707/615, 707/620, 707/625
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

A development system is provided. The system includes a workspace component to visually display one or more model components. A separation component automatically segments the model components into two or more project components. A synchronization component can be provided to automatically update at least one of the project components in view of changes made to at least one other project component.

Claims

1. A method, implemented within a computing environment, for developing multi-tier typed dataset applications, the method comprising:

an act of a computer system, which includes one or more processors, generating a development user interface that includes models representing at least a portion of a typed dataset application, including;

at least one type definition model that represents a typed data table of the typed dataset application, the typed data table corresponding to at least one typed data table class that includes a strongly typed representation of one or more database objects, and

at least one data access model that represents a table adapter of the typed dataset application, the table adapter corresponding to at least one table adapter class that maps data between the at least one typed data table class and the one or more database objects,

wherein the development user interface concurrently represents the at least one type definition model and the at least one data access model on a single design surface, including a representation of one or more relationships between the at least one type definition model and the at least one data access model;

an act of the computer system receiving user input via the development user interface, the user input indicating that code for the at least one type definition model is to be generated into a first project, and that code for the at least one data access model is to be generated into a second project; and

an act of the computer system receiving an instruction to generate code for the typed dataset application, and as a result;

an act of the computer system generating a first file corresponding to the first project that includes generated code for the at least one typed data table class; and

an act of the computer system generating a second file corresponding to the second project that includes generated code for the at least one table adapter class.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of monitoring the at least one type definition model and the at least one data access model for changes.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of detecting a change in one or more of the at least one type definition model or the at least one data access model, and synchronizing the change between the at least one type definition model and the at least one data access model based on the one or more relationships.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising an act of re-generating the first file and the second file with generated code that incorporates the change.

5. The method of claim 1, the act of the computer system receiving user input via the development user interface including an act of the computer system presenting to the user model dependencies and indicating to the user how to split generated code into at least the first project and the second project.

6. The method of claim 1, the act of the computer system receiving user input via the development user interface including an act of receiving user input via a visual movement of a mouse indicating one or more model separations.

7. The method of claim 1, the act of the computer system receiving user input via the development user interface including receiving one or more of a project name, a property value, a file name, or a file extension.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising an act of presenting an error dialog when an invalid file name is received.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising an act of presenting an overwrite dialog when a duplicate file name is received.

10. The method of claim 1, the first file corresponding to a business layer of a multi-tier typed dataset application.

11. The method of claim 1, the second file corresponding to a data access layer of a multi-tier typed dataset application.

12. One or more computer storage devices having stored thereon one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method for developing multi-tier typed dataset applications, including:

generating a development user interface that includes models representing at least a portion of a typed dataset application, including;

at least one business logic model that represents a typed data table of the typed dataset application, the typed data table corresponding to at least one typed data table class that includes a strongly typed representation of one or more database objects, and

at least one data access logic model that represents a table adapter of the typed dataset application, the table adapter corresponding to at least one table adapter class that maps data between the at least one typed data table class and the one or more database objects,

wherein the development user interface concurrently represents the at least one business logic model and the at least one data access logic model on a single design surface, including a representation of one or more relationships between the at least one business logic model and the at least one data access logic model;

receiving user input via the development user interface, the user input indicating that code for the at least one business logic model is to be generated into a first project, and that code for the at least one data access logic model is to be generated into a second project; and

receiving one or more instructions to generate code for the typed dataset application, and as a result;

generating a first file corresponding to the first project that includes generated code for the at least one typed data table class; and

generating a second file corresponding to the second project that includes generated code for the at least one table adapter class.

13. The storage device of claim 12, further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed, also cause the computer system to monitor the at least one business logic model and the at least one data access logic model for changes.

14. The storage device of claim 13, further comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed, also cause the computer system to detect a change in one or more of the at least one business logic model or the at least one data access logic model, synchronizing the change between the at least one business logic model and the at least one data access logic model based on the one or more relationships, and re-generating the first file and the second file with generated code that incorporates the change.

15. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer storage media storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, implement a method for developing multi-tier typed dataset applications, the method comprising;

an act of the computer system generating a development user interface that includes one or more models representing at least a portion of a typed dataset application, including;

a first model representation of a typed data table of the typed dataset application, the typed data table corresponding to at least one typed data table class that includes a strongly typed representation of one or more database objects, and

a second model representation of a table adapter of the typed dataset application, the table adapter corresponding to at least one table adapter class that maps data between the at least one typed data table class and the one or more database objects,

wherein the development user interface concurrently represents the first model representation and the second model representation on a single design surface, including a representation of one or more relationships between the first model representation and the second model representation;

an act of the computer system receiving user input via the development user interface, the user input indicating that code for the first model representation is to be generated into a first project, and that code for the second model representation is to be generated into a second project; and

an act of the computer system receiving an instruction to generate code for the typed dataset application, and as a result;

an act of the computer system generating a first file corresponding to the first project that includes generated code for the at least one typed data table class; and

an act of the computer system generating a second file corresponding to the second project that includes generated code for the at least one table adapter class.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising an act of monitoring the first model representation and the second model representation for changes.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising an act of detecting a change in one or more of the first model representation or the second model representation, synchronizing the change between first and second model representations based on the one or more relationships, and re-generating the first file and the second file with generated code that incorporates the change.