XML application framework

• US 20060248451A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wittenberg, Craig, Williams, Antony S., Szyperski, Clemens A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

The present invention relates to an XML application framework (XAF). XAF applications are data driven such that all operations with the computer system are data focused. In addition, the components used in the XAF application are instantiated and connected according to how the data is displayed and what type of data is used. Applications within XAF comprise a user interface (UI) connector, an action module, and a data connector. UI connectors receive UI events and connect the UI event to an action module. The action module generates a standard format action from the UI event and sends it to the data connector. The data connector translates the standard format action into a data-specific action that changes data in a data store. A data connector then sends a standard format data representation corresponding to the changed data back to the UI connector to provide the changed data to the UI.

Claims

1. A computer program product encoding a computer system for executing an application within a computer, comprising:

at least one UI connector that receives one or more UI events and translates the UI event into a data event and receives standard format data representations corresponding to changed data and connects with a UI to provide the changed data to the UI;

at least one action module connected to the UI connector that receives and transforms the data event into a standard format action; and

at least one data connector connected to both the action module and the UI connector that receives the standard format action and connects to a data store to complete the standard format action on the data and sends the standard format data representation to the UI connector.

2. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, the computer system further comprising at least one accessor that manipulates the standard format action into a standard format data-customized action.

3. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, the computer system further comprising at least one transformer that manipulates the standard format data representation into a UI-customized format.

4. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, the computer system further comprising a Static Application Description that provides declarative rules for composing and structuring the application.

5. A computer program product as defined in claim 4, the computer system further comprising an XAD engine that retrieves components from a component library, instantiates the components, and connects the components that form the application according to the declarative rules provided by the Static Application Description.

6. A computer program product as defined in claim 5, wherein the XAD engine reconfigures the application in runtime.

7. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein the data connector translates the standard format action into a data-specific action.

9. A computer program product as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising

translating the received UI event into a data event;

and

generating the standard format action based on the data event.

10. A computer program product as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising:

translating the standard format action into a data-specific action; and

changing data in a data store according to the data-specific action.

12. A computer program product as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising receiving the changed data from the data store.

13. A computer program product as defined in claim 6, wherein generating the standard format data representation further comprises:

transforming the changed data into a standard format data representation; and

transforming the standard format data representation into a UI event.

15. A computer program product a defined in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an event from an UI;

translating the UI event into a data event; and

generating the standard format action based on the data event.

16. A computer program product a defined in claim 12, further comprising:

retrieving the changed data from the data store as a standard format data representation; and

receiving the standard format data representation at an XAD engine.

8. A computer program product encoding computer instructions for executing a computer implemented method for acting upon an event in an application within a computer, comprising:

receiving an incoming Ul event from an UI;

generating a standard format action based on the UI event changing data in a data store according to the standard format action;

generating a standard data representation for the changed data;

providing an outgoing Ul event, based on the standard data representation, to the UI for presentation of the changed data.

11. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, the method further comprising:

transforming the standard format action into a standard format, data-customized action; and

translating the standard format, data-customized action into a data-specific action.

14. A computer program product encoding computer instructions for executing a computer implemented method for reconfiguring components of an application having one or more existing components within a computer, comprising:

changing data in a data store according to a standard format action;

parsing one or more rules from a Static Application Description based on the changed data, wherein the changed data directs a reconfiguration of the application;

instantiating one or more components retrieved from a component library;

connecting existing components with the retrieved components to reconfigure the application; and

providing one or more UI events to the UI for presentation of the reconfigured application.

17. A computer program product a defined in claim 14, wherein the XAD engine parses the Static Application Description, instantiates the retrieved components, and connects the existing components to the retrieved components.

18. A computer program product a defined in claim 14, further comprising:

the XAD engine providing one or more standard format data representations; and

transforming the one or more standard format data representations into one or more UI events.