Electronics assembly engineering system employing naming and manipulation functions for user defined data structures in a data system using transaction service

• US 6,865,583 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems LLC (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Dematic Electronics Assembly Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Stockley, Brian Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US09/805,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 707/202, 707/203, 707100-103, 715/511, 715/530, 717/110, 369/30.05, 369/47.12, 369/47.13, 369/83
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention provides novel naming and manipulation functions for user defined data structures in a data system using transaction service. In particular, in an electronics assembly engineering system having a computer subsystem in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to the data structures rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, the invention provides a method for permitting naming and manipulation of the data structures. The method includes the steps of (i) providing close, discard and rename functions for the data structures in the case where a newly-created data structure is being edited; (ii) providing close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited; and (iii) excluding a save-as function for the data structures.

Claims

1. In a computer subsystem, in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity, and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to the data structures rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, a method for permitting naming and manipulation of the data structures, the method comprising the steps of:

providing close, discard and rename functions for the data structures, if a newly-created data structure is being edited;

providing close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited;

ensuring that a save-as function for the data structures is entirely excluded so as to be incapable of being executed, and

employing the computer subsystem in an electronics assembly engineering system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data structures comprise objects.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data structures comprise mark-up language documents.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data structures comprise XML documents.

5. In a system, a computer subsystem in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity, and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to the data structures rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, the subsystem comprising:

a computer-readable media having stored on it instructions for performing naming and manipulation functions for the data structures, the functions comprising (i) close, discard and rename functions for the data structures, if a newly-created data structure is being edited; and

(ii) close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited; and

the functions entirely excluding a save-as function for the data structures so as to be incapable of being executed.

6. The subsystem according to claim 5, wherein the data structures comprise objects.

7. The subsystem according to claim 5, wherein the data structures comprise mark-up language documents.

8. The subsystem according to claim 7, wherein the data structures comprise XML documents.

9. The subsystem according to claim 5, wherein the computer-readable media is removable from the subsystem.

10. A computer-readable media of a computer subsystem in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity, and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to the data structures rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, the media having stored on it instructions for performing a method for permitting naming and manipulation of the data structures, the method comprising the steps of:

providing close, discard and rename functions for the data structures, if a newly-created data structure is being edited;

providing close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited; and

ensuring that a save-as function for the data structures is entirely excluded so as to be incapable of being executed.

11. A computer-readable media of a computer subsystem in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity, and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to the data structures rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, the media having

stored instructions for performing naming and manipulation functions for the data structures, the functions comprising (i) close, discard and rename functions for the data structures, if a newly-created data structure is being edited;

and (ii) close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited; and

the functions entirely excluding a save-as function for the data structures so as to be incapable of being executed.

12. In a computer system in which user-defined data structures accessible to editor software have referential integrity, and in which user modifications to the data structures during editing are made directly to them rather than indirectly by way of a temporary file, a method for permitting naming and manipulation of the data structures, the method comprising the steps of:

providing close, discard and rename functions for the data structures, if a newly-created data structure is being edited;

providing close and copy functions for the data structures if an existing data structure is being edited; and

ensuring that a save-as function for the data structures is entirely excluded so as to be incapable of being executed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data structures comprise objects.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data structures comprise mark-up language documents.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the data structures comprise XML documents.

16. A method for enabling data structure naming and manipulation functions in a computer system coupled to a display and employing transacted service, wherein the data structures have referential integrity and temporary copies of data structures are not created during editing of the data structures, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting on the display a representation of a plurality of data structures; and

providing a plurality of functions for either or both of naming and manipulation of data structures, the plurality of functions entirely excluding a save-as function so as to be incapable of being executed.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of manipulation functions comprises providing close, discard and rename functions if a newly-created data structure is being edited.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of manipulation functions comprises providing close and copy functions if an existing data structure is being edited.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of presenting on the display a representation of a plurality of data structures comprises presenting a graphical representation of a plurality of data structures.

20. A method for enabling naming and manipulation functions for data structures in a computer subsystem, the computer subsystem coupled to a display and also employing transacted service, wherein the data structures have referential integrity and temporary copies of data structures are not created during editing of the data structures, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting on the display a representation of a plurality of data structures; and

providing a plurality of functions for either or both of naming and manipulation of data structures, the plurality of functions entirely excluding a save-as function so as to be incapable of being executed.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of manipulation functions comprises providing close, discard and rename functions if a newly-created data structure is being edited.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of manipulation functions comprises providing close and copy functions if an existing data structure is being edited.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of presenting on the display a representation of a plurality of data structures comprises presenting a graphical representation of a plurality of data structures.