EXTENSIBILITY OF METAOBJECTS

• US 20120005179A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Thimmel, Bernhard, Polly, Adam, Schlarb, Uwe, Baeuerle, Stefan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system may include acquisition of metadata defining a first object model including extensible entities, the first object model comprising an instance of a metaobject, acquisition of metadata defining an extension object model, the extension object model to extend at least one of the extensible entities of the first object model, and merging of the object model and the extension object to create metadata defining an extended object model, the extended object model comprising an instance of the metaobject.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computer in response to execution of program code by a processor of said computer, comprising:

acquiring metadata defining a first object model including extensible entities, the first object model comprising an instance of a metaobject;

acquiring metadata defining an extension object model, the extension object model to extend at least one of the extensible entities of the first object model; and

merging the object model and the extension object model to create metadata defining an extended object model, the extended object model comprising an instance of the metaobject.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for data associated with an instance of the first object model; and

retrieving data associated with the instance of the first object model based on the metadata defining the extended object model.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein merging the object model and the extension object model to create metadata defining the extended object model comprises:

identifying a node of the extension object model pointing to a node of the first object;

determining whether the node of the extension object model is an addressing node;

if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is not an addressing node, adding the node to the first object model, wherein the added node points to the node of the first object model; and

if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is an addressing node, not adding the node to the first object model.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein a namespace of the added node is different from a namespace of the node of the first object model.

7. A computer-readable medium having program code stored thereon, the program code comprising:

code to acquire metadata defining a first object model including extensible entities, the first object model comprising an instance of a metaobject;

code to acquire metadata defining an extension object model, the extension object model to extend at least one of the extensible entities of the first object; and

code to merge the object model and the extension object to create metadata defining an extended object model, the extended object model comprising an instance of the metaobject.

8. A computer-readable medium according to claim 7, further comprising:

code to receive a request for data associated with an instance of the first object model; and

code to retrieve data associated with the instance of the first object model based on the metadata defining the extended object model.

9. A computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

10. A computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

11. A computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the code to merge the object model and the extension object model to create metadata defining the extended object model comprises:

code to identify a node of the extension object model pointing to a node of the first object model;

code to determine whether the node of the extension object model is an addressing node;

code to add the node to the first object model if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is not an addressing node, wherein the added node points to the node of the first object model; and

code to not add the node to the first object model if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is an addressing node.

12. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein a namespace of the added node is different from a namespace of the node of the first object model.

13. A computer-implemented metadata repository comprising:

at least one storage devices storing;

first metadata defining a first object model including extensible entities, the first object model comprising an instance of a metaobject;

second metadata defining an extension object model, the extension object model to extend at least one of the extensible entities of the first object model; and

executable program code of a service to merge the object model and the extension object model to create metadata defining an extended object model, the extended object model comprising an instance of the metaobject; and

a processor to execute the executable program code.

14. A computer-implemented metadata repository according to claim 13, the executable program code of the service further to:

receive a request for data associated with an instance of the first object model; and

retrieve data associated with the instance of the first object model based on the metadata defining the extended object model.

15. A computer-implemented metadata repository according to claim 14, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

16. A computer-implemented metadata repository according to claim 13, wherein the extension object model comprises an instance of the metaobject.

17. A computer-implemented metadata repository according to claim 13, wherein merging of the object model and the extension object model to create metadata defining the extended object model comprises:

identification of a node of the extension object model pointing to a node of the first object model;

determination of whether the node of the extension object model is an addressing node;

addition of the node to the first object model if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is not an addressing node, wherein the added node points to the node of the first object model; and

determination not to add the node to the first object model if it is determined that the node of the extension object model is an addressing node.

18. A computer-implemented metadata repository according to claim 17, wherein a namespace of the added node is different from a namespace of the node of the first object model.