Structured object model merge tool with static integrity constraint observance

• US 20080028003A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Brueggemann, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/495,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/838 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees

Abstract

An object-based merge tool for structured object models encapsulates data in files, such as metadata in XML files, as model objects in accordance with an underlying model, all of which can be graphically represented to a user. Graphical representation of files also allows the user to see how the files have been changed and allow for the observation of static integrity constraints. The differences between files or file sets can be graphically represented to the user, such as through markings of the model objects in the tree structure, and the differences can be explained in an additional view. Related apparatus, computer program products and computer systems are also described.

Claims

1. An article comprising a machine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in operations comprising:

identifying at least two transactional units during a merging of at least two versions of a file, the transactional units including members requiring uniform handling to avoid violation of one or more static integrity constraints;

receiving user-generated input selecting one of the transactional units in a first version of the file; and

copying the members of the selected transactional unit to a second version of the file.

2. An article as in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying differences that require uniform handling to form a transactional unit.

3. An article as in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying each member of a transactional unit in response to user-generated input.

4. An article as in claim 3, wherein the displaying comprises:

visually differentiating each member associated with a conflict

5. An article as in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information characterizing a conflict among members in different transactional units.

6. An article as in claim 5, wherein the displayed conflict information characterizes a conflicting attribute.

7. An article as in claim 1, wherein each file version includes at least one transactional unit.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying at least two transactional units during a merging of at least two versions of a file, the transactional units including members requiring uniform handling to avoid violation of one or more static integrity constraints;

receiving user-generated input selecting one of the transactional units in a first version of the file; and

copying the members of the selected transactional unit to a second version of the file.

9. A method as in claim 8, further comprising:

identifying differences that require uniform handling to form a transactional unit.

10. A method as in claim 8, further comprising:

displaying each member of a transactional unit in response to user-generated input.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the displaying comprises:

visually differentiating each member associated with a conflict

12. A method as in claim 8, further comprising:

displaying information characterizing a conflict among members in different transactional units.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the displayed conflict information characterizes a conflicting attribute.

14. A method as in claim 8, wherein each file version includes at least one transactional unit.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for identifying at least two transactional units during a merging of at least two versions of a file, the transactional units including members requiring uniform handling to avoid violation of one or more static integrity constraints;

means for receiving user-generated input selecting one of the transactional units in a first version of the file; and

means for copying the members of the selected transactional unit to a second version of the file.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, further comprising:

means for obtaining a plurality of model objects to represent a plurality of metadata of a selected file;

means for associating each obtained model object with a corresponding one of a plurality of tree nodes; and

means for displaying the associated tree nodes in a tree structure.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, further comprising:

means for obtaining a plurality of model objects; and

means for assigning a plurality of attributes to each obtained model object, wherein each attribute comprises a property and a value.

18. An apparatus as in claim 15, further comprising:

means for obtaining a first model of a first file, a second model of a second file and a third model of a third file;

means for determining one or more differences between the first model and the third model;

means for determining one or more differences between the second model and the third model; and

means for displaying the first model, the second model and at least one determined difference.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, further comprising:

means for displaying a first tree containing a plurality of hierarchically arranged model objects of the first model;

means for displaying a second tree containing a plurality of hierarchically arranged model objects of the second model; and

means for displaying at least one determined difference.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, further comprising:

means for obtaining a plurality of model objects of the first model to represent a plurality of metadata of the first file;

means for associating each obtained model object with a corresponding one of a plurality of tree nodes;

means for arranging the associated tree nodes corresponding to a structure of the plurality of metadata of the first file; and

means for displaying the arranged tree nodes in a tree structure.