Sequenced modification of multiple entities based on an abstract data representation

• US 20050075996A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Stevens, Richard J., LaRocca, Jennifer L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for modifying data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. A query abstraction layer is also provided and is based on the data repository abstraction layer. A runtime component performs transformation of an abstract query into a form that can be used against a particular physical data representation. The transformation includes ordering physical modification operations according to a physical entity relationships specification to ensure that the physical modification operations are executed in an appropriate order.

Claims

1. A method of providing a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities, comprising:

providing an abstract model for defining abstract modification specifications logically describing operations to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

a plurality of logical fields; and

a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map each of the plurality of logical fields to at least one of the physical entities of the data;

a physical entity relationships specification defining interrelationships between physical entities of the data; and

providing a run-time component to transform, according to the abstract model, a single abstract modification specification into at least two separate physical modification specifications consistent with the physical data, wherein each physical modification specification modifies a different physical entity of the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the single abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each physical modification specification is selected from one of an insert statement, an update statement and a delete statement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing, by a requesting entity, a request to execute the single abstract modification specification; and

transforming, by the run-time component, the single abstract modification specification into the at least two physical modification specifications.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transforming the single abstract modification specification into the at least two physical modification specifications comprises:

generating the at least two physical modification specifications; and

ordering the at least two physical modification specifications according to the physical entity relationships specification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each mapping rule comprises an access method for one of the plurality of logical fields.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the logical fields represents two or more data locations in the physical data and wherein the abstract model further comprises a restriction rule for the at least one logical field wherein the restriction rule specifies that modification operations on the at least one logical field are restricted to one of the two or more data locations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the two or more data locations comprise a primary key table and a foreign key table.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the logical fields represents two or more data locations in the physical data and wherein the abstract model further comprises a propagate rule for the at least one logical field wherein the propagate rule specifies that modification operations on the at least one logical field are propagated to all of the two or more data locations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the two or more data locations comprise a primary key table and a foreign key table.

12. A method for performing operations for modifying physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities and having a particular physical data representation in a database, the method comprising:

receiving user input via a user interface, the input logically describing a single abstract modification operation to modify the data;

building at least two physical modification operations corresponding to the single abstract modification operation, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data;

ordering the at least two physical modification statements; and

executing modification operations according to the ordered physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the single abstract modification operation is defined according to a plurality of logical fields and wherein building the at least two physical modification operations is done according to mapping rules which map the logical fields to corresponding physical entities.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the ordering comprises accessing a physical entity relationships specification defining interrelationships between physical entities of the data to ensure integrity of the data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the ordering comprises determining a primary-secondary relationship between corresponding physical entities of the at least two physical modification statements to ensure integrity of the data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two physical modification statements are insert statements and further comprising placing the at least two physical modification statements in a list after the building, and wherein the ordering comprises:

for a given one of the at least two physical modification statements, determining a corresponding physical entity affected by the given one physical modification statement;

for each of the other physical modification statements of the at least two physical modification statements which are at a position after the given one physical modification statement in the list;

determining whether the corresponding physical entity affected by the given one physical modification statement and a corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement of the at least two physical modifications are related as secondary and primary, respectively;

if so, moving the given one physical modification statement to a position after the corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement of the at least two physical modifications.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising repeating the ordering for each of the at least two physical modification statements until the list can be traversed without encountering a physical modification statement having a corresponding entity which is secondary with respect to a corresponding entity of a subsequent physical modification statement in the list.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two physical modification statements are delete statements and further comprising placing the at least two physical modification statements in a list after the building, and wherein the ordering comprises:

for a given one of the at least two physical modification statements, determining a corresponding physical entity affected by the given one physical modification statement;

for each of the other physical modification statements of the at least two physical modification statements which are at a position after the given one physical modification statement in the list;

determining whether the corresponding physical entity affected by the given physical modification statement and a corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement of the at least two physical modifications are related as primary and secondary, respectively;

if so, moving the given one physical modification statement to a position after the corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement of the at least two physical modifications.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising repeating the ordering for each of the at least two physical modification statements until the list can be traversed without encountering a physical modification statement having a corresponding entity which is primary with respect to a corresponding entity of a subsequent physical modification statement in the list.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two physical modification statements are update statements, and wherein the ordering comprises:

determining which of the at least two physical modification statements affect physical data having keys defined thereon;

placing those of the at least two physical modification statements affecting physical data having keys defined thereon in a first list;

placing those of the at least two physical modification statements not affecting physical data having keys defined thereon in a second list;

for a given one of those of the at least two physical modification statements in the first list, determining a corresponding physical entity affected by the given one physical modification statement;

for each of the other physical modification statements in the first list which are at a position after the given one physical modification statement in the first list;

determining whether the corresponding physical entity affected by the given one physical modification statement and a corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement in the first list are related as secondary and primary, respectively;

if so, moving the given one physical modification statement to a position in the first list after the corresponding physical entity affected by the other physical modification statement.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising repeating the ordering for each of the at least two physical modification statements until the first list can be traversed without encountering a physical modification statement having a corresponding entity which is secondary with respect to a corresponding entity of a subsequent physical modification statement in the first list.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising appending the physical statements contained in the second list to the physical statements in the first list.

23. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs operations causing modification of physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities and having a particular physical data representation in a database, the operation comprising:

generating a single abstract modification specification abstractly defining modification operations to modify the data, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical fields corresponding to physical entities of the database;

transforming the abstract modification specification into at least two physical modification statements consistent with the particular physical data representation according to mapping rules which map the logical fields corresponding to the physical entities, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data;

ordering the at least two physical modification statements; and

executing the modification operations according to the physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the ordering is performed according to a physical entity relationships specification defining interrelationships between the physical entities of the data.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises at least two logical fields corresponding to at least two physical entities to be modified and selection criteria for locating the at least the two physical entities.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each logical field of the abstract modification specification, the access method describing a physical location of a physical entity.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the modification operations are insert operations and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying at least two logical seed fields;

determining required logical fields for performing the insert operations based on the at least two logical seed fields; and

receiving values for each of the required logical fields.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein each required field is a field requiring input because no default value is defined for the field, no algorithm to generate a value for the field is provided and the value for the field cannot be null.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein determining required logical fields based on the logical seed fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical fields, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field name to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising:

determining optional logical fields for performing the insert operations based on the at least two logical seed fields;

formatting a user interface to visually distinguish between the required logical fields and the optional logical fields

receiving values for at least each of the required logical fields.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising determining optional logical fields for performing the insert operations based on the at least two logical seed fields.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising formatting a user interface to visually distinguish between the required logical fields and the optional logical fields.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the optional logical fields comprise fields which do not require input from a requesting entity responsible for requesting generation of the single abstract modification specification.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the logical seed fields.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the logical seed fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical fields, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the modification operation is an update operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying at least two logical fields to update and corresponding values;

creating an abstract update expression using the specified logical field to update and the corresponding value;

specifying a selection condition for selecting data to update; and

adding the selection condition to the abstract update expression.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for each of the specified logical fields.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical field is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a logical field specification for each of the specified logical fields, wherein the logical field specification relates the specified logical field to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the modification operation is a delete operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying at least two logical seed fields to delete;

creating an abstract delete expression using the specified logical seed fields;

specifying a selection condition for selecting data to delete; and

adding the selection condition to the abstract delete expression.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical seed fields.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a logical field specification for the specified logical fields, wherein the logical field specification relates the specified logical fields to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

42. A computer-readable medium containing a user interface program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation for creating an abstract modification specification abstractly defining modification operations to modify physical data in a database containing a plurality of physical entities, comprising:

displaying a selection field;

populating the selection field with a plurality of logical fields from which a user selects two or more logical fields to be used as seed fields in determining related logical fields, wherein each logical field corresponds to a physical entity in the database;

receiving a selection of at two logical fields from the selection field, wherein each of the two logical fields corresponds to a separate physical entity in the database;

based on the selection of the at two logical fields, determining related logical fields for each of the at two logical fields; and

displaying input fields for each of the selected logical fields and the related logical fields, wherein the input fields include required fields necessary to perform the abstract modification specification.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, the operation further comprising:

receiving values for at least the required fields;

generating the abstract modification specification;

transforming the abstract modification specification into at least two physical modification statements consistent with a particular physical data representation of the data according to mapping rules which map the logical fields corresponding to the physical entities, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data;

ordering the at least two physical modification statements; and

executing the modification operations according to the physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified.

44. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, provides a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data, the program comprising:

an abstract model for defining an abstract modification specification logically describing operations to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

(i) a plurality of logical fields;

(ii) a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map the plurality of logical fields to physical entities of the data; and

(iii) a physical entity relationships specification defining interrelationships between the physical entities of the data; and

a run-time component configured to;

(i) transform the abstract modification specification into at least two physical modification statements consistent with the physical data, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data; and

(ii) order the at least two physical modification statements according to the physical entity relationships specification.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names and corresponding values.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the at least two physical modification statements are selected from one of insert, update and delete statements.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each of the plurality of logical fields, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.

48. A computer comprising a memory and at least one processor, and further comprising a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data, the logical framework comprising:

an abstract model for defining an abstract modification specification logically describing an operation to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

(i) a plurality of logical fields;

(ii) a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map the plurality of logical fields to physical entities of the data; and

(iii) a physical entity relationships specification defining interrelationships between the physical entities of the data; and

a run-time component to transform the abstract modification specification into at least two physical modification statements consistent with the physical data and to order the at least two physical modification statements according to the physical entity relationships specification, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data.

49. The computer of claim 48, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names.

50. The computer of claim 48, wherein the at least two physical modification statements are selected from one of insert, update and delete statements.

51. The computer of claim 48, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each of the plurality of logical fields, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.