Self service propagation of custom extension fields into web services

• US 9,524,239 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Wilhelm, Georg, Niehoff, Daniel, Schlarb, Uwe, Lehr, Matthias, Dehn, Rene, Figus, Daniel, Schroth, Ralf, Witt, Steffen, Wachs, Daniel, Heusermann, Knut
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brahmachari, Mandrita
• Application Number:
  US13/741,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 707/E17.005, 707/999.103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0802 Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0808 with cache invalidating means G06F12/0815 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/556 involving covert channels, i.e. data leakage between processes inhibiting the analysis of circuitry or operation with measures against power attack G06F21/755
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/885 Monitoring specific for caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/003 for power analysis, e.g. differential power analysis [DPA] or simple power analysis [SPA]

Abstract

Software solutions in a business software framework can expose their data via web services, which can readily provide access to all non-customized fields of objects included as part of the default installation of the software solution. However, customer-added extensions, such as for example custom fields and the like, added to customize the software solution for a specific business or business use can be difficult to add to web services by a typical business user who lacks technical abilities. Described herein are approaches to enabling addition of custom fields to web services via an intuitive interface that does not require technical understanding of the software solution, the business software framework, web services, etc.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user input entered via a user interface of a software framework, the user interface including a list of custom fields and field properties, the user input comprising selection of a custom field and an option element at the user interface, the selection of the option element triggering a further user interface to be presented where a definition of a further usage of the custom field is defined for the software framework, the custom field representing a custom extension of a standard data structure of the software framework to a selected web service that is selectable from a list of available web services presented at the further user interface, wherein the selected web service is configured to provide a mapping from the custom field to another format for use at another software framework;

presenting, via the further user interface, the list of available web services for making the custom field of the software framework available for migration to, or integration with, the another software framework;

generating, dynamically at runtime upon detection of a user selection of the selected web service from the list of available web services, executable code to add the custom field to the selected web service, the executable code including encoded information about a type of the custom field, a definition of the custom field, and usage of the custom field; and

providing, using the executable code, access to the custom field via a call to the selected web service.

2. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the custom field comprises at least one of a customized user interface, a customized print form, and a customized service interface added to the standard data structure, wherein the definition of the further usage includes defining a name for the custom field and a type for the custom field.

3. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the user interface is a runtime user interface.

4. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the executable code comprises a web services definition language (WSDL).

5. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the option element is presented as an icon on an adaptation panel.

6. A system comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a user input entered via a user interface of a software framework, the user interface including a list of custom fields and field properties, the user input comprising selection of a custom field and an option element at the user interface, the selection of the option element triggering a further user interface to be presented where a definition of a further usage of the custom field is defined for the software framework, the custom field representing a custom extension of a standard data structure of the software framework to a selected web service that is selectable from a list of available web services presented at the further user interface, wherein the selected web service is configured to provide a mapping from the custom field to another format for use at another software framework;

presenting, via the further user interface, the list of available web services for making the custom field of the software framework available for migration to, or integration with, the another software framework;

generating, dynamically at runtime upon detection of a user selection of the selected web service from the list of available web services, executable code to add the custom field to the selected web service, the executable code including encoded information about a type of the custom field, a definition of the custom field, and usage of the custom field; and

providing, using the executable code, access to the custom field via a call to the selected web service.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein the custom field comprises at least one of a customized user interface, a customized print form, and a customized service interface added to the standard data structure, wherein the definition of the further usage includes defining a name for the custom field and a type for the custom field.

8. A system as in claim 6, wherein the user interface is a runtime user interface.

9. A system as in claim 6, wherein the executable code comprises a web services definition language (WSDL).

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a user input entered via a user interface of a software framework, the user interface including a list of custom fields and field properties, the user input comprising selection of a custom field and an option element at the user interface, the selection of the option element triggering a further user interface to be presented where a definition of a further usage of the custom field is defined for the software framework, the custom field representing a custom extension of a standard data structure of the software framework to a selected web service that is selectable from a list of available web services presented at the further user interface, wherein the selected web service is configured to provide a mapping from the custom field to another format for use at another software framework;

presenting, via the further user interface, the list of available web services for making the custom field of the software framework available for migration to, or integration with, the another software framework;

generating, dynamically at runtime upon detection of a user selection of the selected web service from the list of available web services, executable code to add the custom field to the selected web service, the executable code including encoded information about a type of the custom field, a definition of the custom field, and usage of the custom field; and

providing, using the executable code, access to the custom field via a call to the selected web service.

11. A computer-implemented method as in claim 10, wherein the custom field comprises at least one of a customized user interface, a customized print form, and a customized service interface added to the standard data structure, wherein the definition of the further usage includes defining a name for the custom field and a type for the custom field.

12. A computer-implemented method as in claim 10, wherein the user interface is a runtime user interface.

13. A computer-implemented method as in claim 10, wherein the executable code comprises a web services definition language (WSDL).

14. A computer-implemented method as in claim 10, wherein at least one of the receiving, the presenting, the generating, and the providing are performed by a system comprising at least one programmable processor.