Central registry for binding features using dynamic pointers

• US 8,756,614 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Splunk Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Splunk Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neeman, Itay A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Puente, Emerson
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERDI, KIMBLEANN C
• Application Number:
  US13/910,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20130276000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A first feature (e.g., chart or table) includes a reference to a dynamic pointer. Independently, the pointer is defined to point to a second feature (e.g., a query). The first feature is automatically updated to reflect a current value of the second feature. The reference to the pointer and pointer definition are recorded in a central registry, and changes to the pointer or second feature automatically cause the first feature to be updated to reflect the change. A mapping between features can be generated using the registry and can identify interrelationships to a developer. Further, changes in the registry can be tracked, such that a developer can view changes pertaining to a particular time period and/or feature of interest (e.g., corresponding to an operation problem).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at an app management system, a first input that identifies a first app feature and that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a dynamic pointer;

updating a central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer;

receiving, at the app management system, a second input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a second app feature;

updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature;

detecting an event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that a value of the second app feature has changed;

wherein the second app feature comprises a query, and wherein the detecting of the event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that the value of the second app feature has changed comprises;

detecting that a user has selected or identified the value of the second app feature;

causing, in response to the event detection, a value of the first app feature to change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third input that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a second dynamic pointer instead of the dynamic pointer;

updating the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the second dynamic pointer and not on the dynamic pointer;

detecting a second event indicating that the pointing of the second dynamic pointer has changed; and

causing, in response to the second event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a third app feature;

updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the third app feature instead of the second app feature;

detecting a second event indicating that a value of the third app feature has changed; and

causing, in response to the second event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second input is received before the first input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing of the value of the first app feature to change comprises causing at least part of the second app feature to be presented within the first app feature.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting each of the first app feature and the second app feature to the user via an app.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating of the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer comprises binding a name of the first app feature to a name of the dynamic pointer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature, updating the central registry to bind a name of any app feature that is bound to a name of the dynamic pointer to a name of the second app feature.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, via the app management system, a library that includes a plurality of tools to facilitate development of app software, wherein at least one tool of the plurality of tools in the library facilitated provision of the first input and the second input to the app management system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first app feature comprises a plurality of values that indicate content of the first app feature, the content including a table, chart, or menu.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving, at an app management system, a first input that identifies a first app feature and that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a dynamic pointer;

updating a central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer;

receiving, at the app management system, a second input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a second app feature;

updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature;

detecting an event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that a value of the second app feature has changed;

wherein the second app feature comprises a query, and wherein the detecting of the event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that the value of the second app feature has changed comprises;

detecting that a user has selected or identified the value of the second app feature;

causing, in response to the event detection, a value of the first app feature to change.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third input that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a second dynamic pointer instead of the dynamic pointer;

updating the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the second dynamic pointer and not on the dynamic pointer;

detecting a second event indicating that the pointing of the second dynamic pointer has changed; and

causing, in response to the second event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a third app feature;

updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the third app feature instead of the second app feature;

detecting an event indicating that a value of the third app feature has changed; and

causing, in response to the event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second input is received before the first input.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the causing of the value of the first app feature to change comprises causing at least part of the second app feature to be presented within the first app feature.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise presenting each of the first app feature and the second app feature to the user via an app.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the updating of the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer comprises binding a name of the first app feature to a name of the dynamic pointer.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to the updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature, updating the central registry to bind a name of any app feature that is bound to a name of the dynamic pointer to a name of the second app feature.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise providing, via the app management system, a library that includes a plurality of tools to facilitate development of app software, wherein at least one tool of the plurality of tools in the library facilitated provision of the first input and the second input to the app management system.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the first app feature comprises a plurality of values that indicate content of the first app feature, the content including a table, chart, or menu.

21. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause one or more data processors to:

receive, at an app management system, a first input that identifies a first app feature and that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a dynamic pointer;

update a central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer;

receive, at the app management system, a second input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a second app feature;

update the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature;

detect an event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that a value of the second app feature has changed;

wherein the second app feature comprises a query, and wherein the detecting of the event indicating that the pointing of the dynamic pointer or that the value of the second app feature has changed comprises;

detecting that a user has selected or identified the value of the second app feature; and

cause, in response to the event detection, a value of the first app feature to change.

22. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more data processors to:

receive a third input that indicates that the first app feature is to depend on a second dynamic pointer instead of the dynamic pointer;

update the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the second dynamic pointer and not on the dynamic pointer;

detect a second indicating that the pointing of the second dynamic pointer has changed; and

cause, in response to the second event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

23. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more data processors to:

receive a third input that indicates that the dynamic pointer is to be set to point to a third app feature;

update the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the third app feature instead of the second app feature;

detect an event indicating that a value of the third app feature has changed; and

cause, in response to the event detection, the value of the first app feature to change.

24. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the second input is received before the first input.

25. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the causing of the value of the first app feature to change comprises causing at least part of the second app feature to be presented within the first app feature.

26. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more data processors to present each of the first app feature and the second app feature to the user via an app.

27. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the updating of the central registry to indicate that the first app feature depends on the dynamic pointer comprises binding a name of the first app feature to a name of the dynamic pointer.

28. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more data processors to, in response to the updating the central registry to indicate that the dynamic pointer points to the second app feature, update the central registry to bind a name of any app feature that is bound to a name of the dynamic pointer to a name of the second app feature.

29. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more data processors to provide, via the app management system, a library that includes a plurality of tools to facilitate development of app software, wherein at least one tool of the plurality of tools in the library facilitated provision of the first input and the second input to the app management system.

30. The computer-program product of claim 21, wherein the first app feature comprises a plurality of values that indicate content of the first app feature, the content including a table, chart, or menu.