Using viewtypes for accessing instance data structured by a base model

• US 20060136805A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Silberbauer, Amy Marie, Conn, Sharon T., Boyer, Philip L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for manipulating instance data of a base model. A ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation are received. Whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible is determined. When the ViewType and the root object are compatible, the operation is applied to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data.

Claims

1. A method for manipulating instance data described by a base model, comprising:

receiving a ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation;

determining whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible; and

when the ViewType and the root object are compatible, applying the operation to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is applied in a root-to-leaf order.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is applied in a leaf-to-root order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the instance data comprises one or more objects.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

traversing an attribute of an object where the attribute maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType; and

traversing an association of the object where the association maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType and wherein the association mapped by the ViewElem has a target object with a type that is compatible with the object type represented by the nested ViewList of the ViewElem.

6. An article of manufacture including a program for manipulating instance data described by a base model, wherein the program is capable of causing operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

receiving a ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation;

determining whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible; and

when the ViewType and the root object are compatible, applying the operation to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the operation is applied in a root-to-leaf order.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the operation is applied in a leaf-to-root order.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the instance data comprises one or more objects.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the program is capable of causing operations further comprising:

traversing an attribute of an object where the attribute maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType; and

traversing an association of the object where the association maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType and wherein the association mapped by the ViewElem has a target object with a type that is compatible with the object type represented by the nested ViewList of the ViewElem.

11. A system for manipulating instance data described by a base model, comprising:

circuitry capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation;

determining whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible; and

when the ViewType and the root object are compatible, applying the operation to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operation is applied in a root-to-leaf order.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operation is applied in a leaf-to-root order.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the instance data comprises one or more objects.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the circuitry is capable of causing operations further comprising:

traversing an attribute of an object where the attribute maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType; and

traversing an association of the object where the association maps to a ViewElem in a ViewList representing the object in the ViewType and wherein the association mapped by the ViewElem has a target object with a type that is compatible with the object type represented by the nested ViewList of the ViewElem.