Multi-client generic persistence for extension fields

• US 8,805,864 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Figus, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US13/482,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 707/755, 707/756, 707/692, 707/602, 707/609, 707/682
• US Class Current: 707/756
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

Access to a networked application can be provided to multiple users while allowing user-specific extension fields to be created and maintained for exclusive access by the user creating the extension field. A user-customized data object that includes a standard field value of a standard field of a standard data object defined by the networked application and a user-specific extension field value of a user-specific extension field that modifies operation of the networked application for the user and that is not available to other users of the plurality of users can be received from a user for writing to memory. The user-specific extension field value can be separated from the standard field value. The standard field value and the user-specific extension field value can be persisted in a first database table and a second database table, respectively. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by at least one system implementing a networked application, an extension field value of an extension field of a customized data object, the customized data object comprising the extension field value of the extension field and a standard field value of a standard field, the standard field being part of a standard data object defined by the networked application, the at least one system providing access to a customized version of the networked application for users at a first organization of a plurality organizations, the networked application defining the standard data object, the customized version of the networked application comprising the customized data object such that the extension field modifies the standard object, a second version of the networked application accessible via the at least one system for users at a second organization of the plurality of organizations lacking the extension field such that the extension field value is isolated to the customized version of the networked application;

persisting the standard field value in a first database table;

persisting the extension field value in a second database table, the persisting of the extension field value comprising storing a extension field data record comprising extension field value and an extension field identifier; and

producing the customized data object by combining the user-specific extension field value and the standard field value into the customized data object.

2. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein producing the customized data object further comprises:

reading the extension field data record from the second database table and the standard field value from the first database table; and

converting the extension field data record to the extension field value in the extension field as part of the customized data object.

3. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises creating the extension field data record, or deleting or modifying an existing extension field data record in the second database table, and wherein the extension field data record comprises a key value that references the organization, the standard data object, and an instance of the standard data object with which the extension field value is associated.

4. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein the customized data object comprises an additional extension field value, the method further comprising:

separating the additional extension field value from the standard field value; and

persisting the additional user-specific extension field value in the second database table, the persisting of the additional user-specific extension field value comprising creating, deleting, or modifying an additional extension field data record in the second database table, the additional extension field data record comprising the additional user-specific extension field value and at least one additional key value that references the organization, the standard data object, the instance of the standard data object, and the additional extension field.

5. A computer-implemented method as in claim 4, wherein the second database table comprises a first row comprising the extension field data record, a second row comprising the additional extension field data record, and a third row comprising a second extension field data record of the second organization.

6. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises deleting the extension field data record in the second database table when the extension field value is equivalent to a default value of the extension field.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein the extension field record further comprises a client identifier identifying the organization and a standard object identifier identifying the standard object modified by the extension field.

20. An article as in claim 1, wherein the extension field record further comprises a client identifier identifying the organization and a standard object identifier identifying the standard object modified by the extension field.

7. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium encoding instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by at least one system implementing a networked application, an extension field value of an extension field of a customized data object, the customized data object comprising the extension field value of the extension field and a standard field value of a standard field, the standard field being part of a standard data object defined by the networked application, the at least one system providing access to a customized version of the networked application for users at a first organization of a plurality organizations, the networked application defining the standard data object, the customized version of the networked application comprising the customized data object such that the extension field modifies the standard object, a second version of the networked application accessible via the at least one system for users at a second organization of the plurality of organizations lacking the extension field such that the extension field value is isolated to the customized version of the networked application;

persisting the standard field value in a first database table system;

persisting the extension field value in a second database table, the persisting of the extension field value comprising storing a extension field data record comprising extension field value and an extension field identifier; and

producing the customized data object by combining the user-specific extension field value and the standard field value into the customized data object.

8. An article as in claim 7, wherein producing the customized data object further comprises:

reading the extension field data record from the second database table and the standard field value from the first database table; and

converting the extension field data record to the extension field value in the extension field as part of the customized data object.

9. An article as in claim 7, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises creating the extension field data record, or deleting or modifying an existing extension field data record in the second database table, and wherein the extension field data record comprises a key value that references the organization, the standard data object, and an instance of the standard data object with which the extension field value is associated.

10. An article as in claim 7, wherein the customized data object comprises an additional extension field value, and wherein the operations further comprise:

separating the additional extension field value from the standard field value; and

persisting the additional user-specific extension field value in the second database table, the persisting of the additional user-specific extension field value comprising creating, deleting, or modifying an additional extension field data record in the second database table, the additional extension field data record comprising the additional user-specific extension field value and at least one additional key value that references the organization, the standard data object, the instance of the standard data object, and the additional extension field.

11. An article as in claim 10, wherein the second database table comprises a first row comprising the extension field data record, a second row comprising the additional extension field data record, and a third row comprising a second extension field data record of the second organization.

12. An article as in claim 7, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises deleting the extension field data record in the second database table when the extension field value is equivalent to a default value of the extension field.

13. A system comprising:

computing hardware configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by at least one system implementing a networked application, an extension field value of an extension field of a customized data object, the customized data object comprising the extension field value of the extension field and a standard field value of a standard field, the standard field being part of a standard data object defined by the networked application, the at least one system providing access to a customized version of the networked application for users at a first organization of a plurality organizations, the networked application defining the standard data object, the customized version of the networked application comprising the customized data object such that the extension field modifies the standard object, a second version of the networked application accessible via the at least one system for users at a second organization of the plurality of organizations lacking the extension field such that the extension field value is isolated to the customized version of the networked application;

persisting the standard field value in a first database table system;

persisting the extension field value in a second database table, the persisting of the extension field value comprising storing a extension field data record comprising extension field value and an extension field identifier; and

producing the customized data object by combining the user-specific extension field value and the standard field value into the customized data object.

14. A system as in claim 13, wherein producing the customized data object further comprises:

reading the extension field data record from the second database table and the standard field value from the first database table; and

converting the extension field data record to the extension field value in the extension field as part of the customized data object.

15. A system as in claim 13, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises creating the extension field data record, or deleting or modifying an existing extension field data record in the second database table, and wherein the extension field data record comprises a key value that references the organization, the standard data object, and an instance of the standard data object with which the extension field value is associated.

16. A system as in claim 13, wherein the customized data object comprises an additional extension field value, and wherein the operations further comprise:

separating the additional extension field value from the standard field value; and

persisting the additional user-specific extension field value in the second database table, the persisting of the additional user-specific extension field value comprising creating, deleting, or modifying an additional extension field data record in the second database table, the additional extension field data record comprising the additional user-specific extension field value and at least one additional key value that references the one of the plurality of users organization, the standard data object, the instance of the standard data object, and the additional user specific extension field.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the second database table comprises a first row comprising the extension field data record, a second row comprising the additional extension field data record, and a third row comprising a second extension field data record of the second organization.

18. A system as in claim 13, wherein the persisting of the extension field value comprises deleting the extension field data record in the second database table when the extension field value is equivalent to a default value of the extension field.