Computing system and method to implicitly commit unsaved data for a world wide web application

• US 8,359,335 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2001
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Coker, John, Mukundan, Anil
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/969,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,133 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/802, 707/804, 707/805, 709/203, 725/112
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention is a computing system comprising a World Wide Web application with a user interactive record field is described. The record field receives a record field entry. The application receives a context change request. Responsive to the context change request, the application dynamically transmits the record field entry to a server for storage in a database.

Claims

1. A computing system, comprising:

a memory storing an application comprising;

a first module configured to concurrently present first and second fields, wherein

the first and second fields are among three or more fields,

the first module is further configured to receive a first field entry from the first field, and the first module is further configured to receive a second field entry from the second field; and

a second module configured to transmit the first field entry to a separate system in response to determining that meta-data indicates a dependency between the first and second fields, wherein

the second module is configured to transmit the first field entry after the first module receives the first record-field entry but before the first module receives the second field entry,

the second module is further configured to receive an update to the second field entry from the separate system, and

the updated second field entry is presented by the first module in the second field,

the first and second fields are comprised in a business object,

the business object comprises the three or more fields,

the meta-data indicates one or more dependencies between the three or more fields of the business object,

the three or more fields comprise a first subset of fields that comprise the first and second record fields,

the three or more fields further comprise a second subset of fields,

the one or more dependencies indicate the dependency between the the first and second fields in the first subset of fields, and

the one or more dependencies further indicate no dependencies between fields in the second subset of fields.

2. The computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a client cache to store an updated first field entry, wherein the updated first field entry comprises the received first field entry.

3. The computing system of claim 2, wherein:

a World Wide Web application maintains the updated first field entry in the client cache until the updated first field entry is transmitted to the separate system;

wherein the client cache is cleared when the updated first field entry is transmitted to the separate system.

4. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions executable to perform a method comprising:

presenting first and second record field entries in first and second user interactive record fields, respectively;

receiving a first user input changing the first record field entry in the first user interactive record field;

determining if meta-data indicates a dependency between the first and second user interactive record fields, wherein

the first and second user interactive record fields are comprised in a business object,

the business object comprises a plurality of fields,

the meta-data indicates one or more dependencies between the plurality of fields of the business object,

the plurality of fields comprise a first subset of fields that comprise the first and second user interactive record fields,

the plurality of fields further comprise a second subset of fields,

the one or more dependencies indicate the dependency between the first and second user interactive record fields in the first subset of fields, and

the one or more dependencies further indicate no dependencies between fields in the second subset of fields;

in response to determining that the meta-data indicates the dependency between the first and second user interactive record fields,

first transmitting the first record field entry to a separate system, wherein

the first transmitting occurs after the receiving of the first user input but before receiving a second user input, and

the second user input is operable to change the second record field entry in the second user interactive record field,

the first transmitting is initiated by the user interface,

receiving an update to the second record field entry from the separate system, and

presenting the updated second record field entry in the second user interactive record field; and

in response to determining that the meta-data does not indicate a dependency between the first and second user interactive record fields,

receiving the second user input changing the second record field in the second user interactive record field, and

second transmitting the first and second record field entries to the separate system, wherein

the second transmitting occurs after receiving both the first and the second user input.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining an updated first record field entry in a client cache until the updated first record field entry is transmitted to the separate system, wherein

the updated first interactive record field entry comprises the changed first record field entry; and

clearing the client cache when the updated first record field entry is transmitted to the separate system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein

a repository stores the meta-data, and

the repository is configured to be accessed to provide the meta-data.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein

the meta-data comprises information regarding the business object, and

the information indicates the dependency between the first and second record fields.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein

the presenting, the determining, the first transmitting, and the second transmitting is performed by a client system, and

the client computer is coupled to the separate system.

9. A method, comprising:

first and second record fields displaying first and second field entries, respectively;

receiving a first user input changing the first field entry in the first record field;

determining if meta-data indicates a dependency between the first and second record fields, wherein

the first and second record fields are comprised in a business object,

the business object comprises a plurality of fields,

the meta-data indicates one or more dependencies between the plurality of fields of the business object,

the plurality of fields comprise a first subset of fields that comprise the first and second user interactive record fields,

the plurality of fields further comprise a second subset of fields,

the one or more dependencies indicate the dependency between the first and second record fields in the first subset of fields, and

the one or more dependencies further indicate no dependencies between fields in the second subset of fields;

in response to determining that the meta-data indicates the dependency between the first and second record fields,

first transmitting the first field entry to a separate system, wherein

the first transmitting occurs after receiving the first user input but before receiving a second user input, and

the second user input is operable to change the second field entry in the second record field,

the first transmitting is initiated by the user interface,

receiving an update to the second field entry from the separate system, and

displaying the update to the second field entry in the second record field; and

in response to determining that the meta-data does not indicate a dependency between the first and second record fields,

receiving the second user input changing the second field in the second record field, and

second transmitting the first and second field entries to the separate system, wherein

the second transmitting occurs after receiving both the first and the second user input.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

a World Wide Web application maintaining an updated first field entry in a client cache until the updated first field entry is transmitted to the separate system, wherein

the updated first field entry comprises the received first field entry; and

clearing the client cache when the updated first field entry is transmitted to the separate system.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a third record field displaying a third field entry while the first and second record fields display the first and second field entries, respectively;

the separate system storing an updated first field entry in a first database, wherein

the updated first field entry comprises the received first field entry, and

the first database resides on the separate system;

the separate system updating the third field entry in response to storing the updated first field entry;

the separate system third transmitting the updated third field entry to a second database, wherein,

the second database is a local database residing on a wireless device, and

the third transmitting the updated third field entry is performed as part of a synchronization operation;

the third record field receiving and displaying the updated third field entry.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

a replication manager creating multiple subsets of the first database;

the wireless device downloading a subset of the first database for use on the wireless device; and

performing the synchronization operation on a periodic basis, wherein

the synchronization operation updates both the first database and the second database.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the displaying is performed by a user interface;

the first transmitting is performed by the wireless device;

the first transmitting further comprises executing a first remote procedure call;

the first record field displaying the first field entry further comprises activating an active applet, wherein

the active applet is coupled to a display, and

the display is coupled to a display object; and

the performing the synchronization operation further comprises synchronizing mirrored objects.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the third transmitting further comprises initially transmitting a response containing a view layout that is devoid of data and subsequently transmitting a string of data;

the method further comprises populating the view layout with the string of data;

the first transmitting further comprises using blocking to protect synchronization; and

the executing the first remote procedure call further comprises embodying the first remote procedure call as an hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) request.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the executing the first remote procedure call further comprises

converting a first remote procedure call argument into a byte stream format, and

packaging the first remote procedure call argument;

the wireless device downloading a subset of the first database for use on the wireless device;

the using blocking comprises the separate system retaining control of data until the executing the first remote procedure call is completed.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

the performing the synchronization operation further comprises executing a second remote procedure call and using a notification mechanism, wherein

using the notification mechanism comprises

sending a notification for a beginning of a set of notifications,

sending a notification of change of a state,

sending a notification of a readiness to accept a query,

sending a notification that a business component has been executed,

sending a notification that a query has been completed,

sending a notification that a record has been deleted from a database,

sending a notification that a record has been deleted from a working set,

sending a notification that a record has been inserted into a working set,

sending a notification requesting addition of a value to a working set,

sending a notification that a new field has been made active,

sending a notification that a new row has been made current,

sending a notification of new changes to data,

sending a notification of changes to data in a working set,

sending a notification that a particular field has a new query specification,

sending a notification that a new record has become a primary record,

sending a notification that a new record has been created,

sending a notification that a newly created record has new data,

sending a notification that a newly created record has new data for population into a working set,

sending a notification of selection of a record,

sending a notification of selection of a plurality of records,

sending a notification indicating a requirement to refresh user interface data,

sending a notification indicating a requirement to scroll through data,

sending a notification indicating a change in a selection mode,

sending a notification indicating a change in a selection,

sending a notification indicating a change in a total, and

sending a notification for an end of a set of notifications.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

generating an invoke method in response to a first actuation of a user interface;

responsive to generating the invoke method, generating the first remote procedure call; and

retargeting the invoke method to an applet residing on the separate system.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

responding to the invoke method by setting a flag, wherein the setting the flag comprises

setting the flag to one of the set of

continue,

completed,

new page, and

error; and

responsive to an error flag, showing the user an error page; and

responsive to a continue flag, redirecting the invoke method to a second applet.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the separate system updating the third field entry in response to processing the updated first field entry further comprises

identifying a dependency between the first field entry and the third field entry,

updating a value of the first field entry by using the notification mechanism, and

updating a format of the first record field entry by using the notification mechanism.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

a busy state manager on the separate system calculating an expected delay, wherein

the calculating the expected delay is based on

a type of a request,

a priority of the request,

one or more resources available for performing the request, and

a number of competing requests in a queue;

informing the wireless device of an expected delay by using the notifications process;

the user interface providing a status bar for monitoring request performance;

locking the user interface until the request is executed; and

releasing the user interface after the request is executed.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

implementing a cache to store the view layout for use by the user interface;

storing a set of view custom options in said cache; and

retrieving said view layout and said set of view custom options prior to said populating.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

storing said view custom options further comprises storing a set of keyboard accelerators, wherein a keyboard accelerator is a keystroke sequence mapped to a command object; and

storing said view custom options further comprises storing a set of preferences, wherein

storing a set of preferences further comprises

storing a preferred font,

storing a font size,

storing a font color,

storing a column width, and

storing a row width.