DATA MODELS CONTAINING HOST LANGUAGE EMBEDDED CONSTRAINTS

• US 20150074686A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Baeuerle, Stefan, Falter, Timm, Hutzel, Daniel, Schejter, Lior
• Granted Patent: US 9,354,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Techniques are described for expressing a constraint in a host language. A constraint can be defined in the host language as an event handler. The event handler can be registered to a built-in event associated with an object of the database that the constraint is intended to validate. When the object triggers the built-in event, the event handler is called to execute the constraint. Exemplary built-in events include onSave (trigger the event when the object is saved), onValidate (trigger the event when an explicit call to validate the object is detected), onInsert (trigger the event when the object is inserted), onUpdate (trigger the event when the object is updated), and onCheckBeforeSave (trigger the event when the object is checked prior to saving).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, on a computer, a first event handler containing code configured to validate an object defined in a database, wherein an application configured to manage the database and the first event handler are in a host language;

identifying, by the computer and according to the first event handler, a built-in event associated with the object; and

registering, by the computer, the first event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the first event handler when the built-in event is triggered.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, on the computer, a second event handler configured to validate the object, wherein the second event handler is in the host language;

identifying, by the computer and according to the second event handler, the built-in event associated with the object; and

registering, by the computer, the second event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the second event handler when the built-in event is triggered, and

wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed in parallel.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed on separate threads.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the calling the first event hander comprises executing the first event handler on a separate thread than the application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the built-in event is detecting that the object is modified.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the built-in event is detecting an explicit call to the built-in event.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the explicit call is a built-in validate action belonging to the object.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

receiving, on a computer, a first event handler containing code configured to validate an object defined in a database, wherein an application configured to manage the database and the first event handler are in a host language;

identifying, by the computer and according to the first event handler, a built-in event associated with the object; and

registering, by the computer, the first event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the first event handler when the built-in event is triggered.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, on the computer, a second event handler configured to validate the object, wherein the second event handler is in the host language;

identifying, by the computer and according to the second event handler, the built-in event associated with the object; and

registering, by the computer, the second event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the second event handler when the built-in event is triggered, and

wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed in parallel.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed on separate threads.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 8, wherein the calling the first event hander comprises executing the first event handler on a separate thread than the application.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the built-in event is detecting that the object is modified

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the built-in event is detecting an explicit call to the built-in event.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the explicit call is a built-in validate action belonging to the object.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon one or more programs, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

receive a first event handler containing code configured to validate an object defined in a database, wherein an application configured to manage the database and the first event handler are in a host language;

identify according to the first event handler, a built-in event associated with the object; and

register the first event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the first event handler when the built-in event is triggered.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs, which when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive a second event handler configured to validate the object, wherein the second event handler is in the host language;

identify according to the second event handler, the built-in event associated with the object; and

register the second event handler to the built-in event,

wherein the application automatically calls the second event handler when the built-in event is triggered, and

wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed in parallel.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the first event handler and the second event handler are executed on separate threads.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the calling the first event hander comprises executing the first event handler on a separate thread than the application.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the built-in event is detecting that the object is modified.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the built-in event is detecting an explicit call to the built-in event.