Database application assembly and preparation

• US 9,098,263 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: McCormack, Michael J., Getsch, Timothy E., Miller, Andrew R., Mullen, Peter D., Covington, Clinton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Hang
• Application Number:
  US11/742,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,018 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 717/165, 717/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code

Abstract

A plurality of database application components available in a first components store is received. A plurality of pointers is created with each of the plurality of pointers referencing a selected object, such as the plurality of database application components or an existing pointer to one of the plurality of database application components. The plurality of pointers is collected into a reference group defining a plurality of selected objects included in a database application. In some examples, the database application components include a header, a footer, a control, a fragment, a table, a query, a report, a relation, a form, a conditional formatting statement, a programming component, a validation statement and a module.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a first list of a plurality of database application components used in creating different database applications that are available in a first components store;

displaying frameworks for selection within a User Interface (UI);

receiving a selection of a first framework for editing from the frameworks that are displayed in the UI that identifies database application components selected for use in a first database application, wherein the database application components comprise;

tables;

queries;

reports;

relations; and

forms;

displaying a control panel including a plurality of selectable tabs that display controls that are used in modifying the first framework, the plurality of selectable tabs being presented in an order such that a selected tab includes functions that are independent of each of the plurality of selectable tabs following the selected tab and functions that are dependent on each of the plurality of selectable tabs preceding the selected tab, wherein the displayed controls includes selectable controls for different types of the database components that the first framework includes, wherein the selectable controls change based on the database application components that are included in a currently selected framework for editing;

creating a reference for each of the database application components identified within the first framework to a corresponding database application component within at least one of;

the first components store and a second framework that identifies database application components selected for use in a second database application;

creating a copy of each of the database application components identified within the first framework that is associated with the first database application to include within the second database application; and

creating the second database application using the copy of each of the database application components.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the database application components further includes at least one of:

a header;

a footer;

a control;

a fragment;

a conditional formatting statement;

a programming component;

a validation statement; and

a module.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one existing database application component;

creating at least one change instruction describing at least one transformation to be applied to the at least one existing database application component; and

associating a change pointer with the change instruction, wherein the change pointer references the at least one existing database application component as modified by the change instruction.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the at least one existing database application component includes at least one of a plurality of matching database application components matching at least one criterion.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

applying the change instruction to transform the existing database application component; and

including the change pointer in the reference group to include the transformed existing database application component in the database application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a list of available database application components within the UI; and

receiving the at least one change instruction in the UI to be applied to at least one of the available database application components.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second list of second database application components available in a second components store, wherein at least one of the plurality of pointers references at least one of the second database application components, collecting the at least one of the second database application components in the reference group included in the database application.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a first list of database application components comprising tables;

queries;

reports;

relations; and

forms available in a first components store;

displaying frameworks for selection within a User Interface (UI);

receiving a selection of a first framework for editing from the frameworks that are displayed in the UI that identifies database application components selected for use in a first database application, wherein the database application components comprise;

tables;

queries;

reports;

relations; and

forms;

displaying a control panel including a plurality of selectable tabs that display controls that are used in modifying the first framework, the plurality of selectable tabs being presented in an order such that a selected tab includes functions that are independent of each of the plurality of selectable tabs following the selected tab and functions that are dependent on each of the plurality of selectable tabs preceding the selected tab, wherein the displayed controls includes selectable controls for different types of the database components that the first framework includes, wherein the selectable controls change based on the database application components that are included in a currently selected framework for editing;

creating a plurality of direct pointers each referencing one of the database application components within the first components store for a first application framework;

creating a plurality of indirect pointers each referencing one of the plurality of direct pointers for a second application framework;

grouping the plurality of direct pointers into a first reference group;

grouping the plurality of indirect pointers to the direct pointers of the first reference group into a second reference group;

defining a first database application that includes the application components referenced by the plurality of the indirect pointers in the second reference group; and

creating a copy of each of the application components to include within the first database application using the direct pointers and indirect pointers;

creating the first database application using the copy of the each of the application components; and

when determined, creating a copy of each of the application components used in the first database application to include within a second database application.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein each of the database application components includes any of:

a header;

a footer;

a control;

a fragment;

a conditional formatting statement;

a programming component;

a validation statement; and

a module.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising defining a second database application that includes the application components referenced by the plurality of the direct pointers in the first reference group.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying at least one existing database application component;

creating at least one change instruction describing at least one transformation to be applied to the at least one existing database application component; and

associating at least one of the plurality of indirect pointers to the at least one change instruction.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

creating a group pointer referencing the first reference group;

grouping into a third group;

at least one direct referencing one of the database application components; and

the group pointer; and

defining a third database application that includes the referenced application components referenced by the third reference group.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating at least one direct pointer change instruction describing at least one transformation to be applied to the at least one existing database application component;

associating at least one of the plurality of direct pointers to the at least one direct pointer change instruction;

creating at least one indirect pointer change instruction describing at least one transformation to be applied to the at least one database application component that is to be transformed; and

associating at least one of the plurality of indirect pointers to the at least one indirect pointer change instruction.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein defining a database application further includes executing one of the direct pointer change instructions to transform a referenced existing database application component and defining a first database application that includes the transformed application component.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein defining a database application further includes executing one of the indirect pointer change instructions to transform a transformed existing database application component and defining a first database application that includes the retransformed application component.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a second list of second database application components available in a second components store, wherein at least one of the plurality of pointers references at least one of the second database application components, collecting the at least one of the second database application components in the reference group included in the database application.

17. A system comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

a processing unit, functionally coupled to the memory, the processing unit being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to;

receive a first list of a plurality of database application components used in creating different database applications that are available in a first components store;

display frameworks for selection within a User Interface (UI);

receive a selection of a first framework for editing from the frameworks that are displayed in the UI that identifies database application components selected for use in a first database application, wherein the database application components comprise;

tables;

queries;

reports;

relations; and

forms;

display a control panel including a plurality of selectable tabs that display controls that are used in modifying the first framework, the plurality of selectable tabs being presented in an order such that a selected tab includes functions that are independent of each of the plurality of selectable tabs following the selected tab and functions that are dependent on each of the plurality of selectable tabs preceding the selected tab, wherein the displayed controls includes selectable controls for different types of the database components that the first framework includes, wherein the selectable controls change based on the database application components that are included in a currently selected framework for editing;

create a reference for each of the database application components identified within the first framework to a corresponding database application component within at least one of;

the first components store and a second framework that identifies database application components selected for use in a second database application;

create a copy of each of the database application components identified within the first framework that is associated with the first database application to include within the second database application; and

create the second database application using the copy of each of the database application components.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the database application components includes at least one of:

a header;

a footer;

a control;

a fragment;

a conditional formatting statement;

a programming component;

a validation statement; and

a module.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

identify at least one existing database application component;

create at least one change instruction describing at least one transformation to be applied to the at least one existing database application component; and

associate a change pointer with the change instruction, wherein the change pointer references the at least one existing database application component as modified by the change instruction.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one existing database application component includes at least one of a plurality of matching database application components matching at least one criterion.