Data object generator and method of use

• US 7,020,660 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Woodring, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Application Number:
  US10/167,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/103.Y, 707/104.1, 717/100, 717/122
• US Class Current: 717/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention creates source code that can be used by an application program to manipulate a relational database management system. An executable procedure for use in accessing a database management system (DBMS) by other software, e.g. application software, is created by dynamically obtaining a set of data representative of and useful in manipulating the DBMS and a table within the DBMS from a preexisting DBMS system catalog; merging the set of data with pre-existing source code comprising a predetermined object source code template that comprises object methods and object properties useful in manipulating the table; and generating a source file containing the merged template object source code to create the executable procedure. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for providing an executable procedure for use in accessing a database management system (DBMS), comprising the steps of:

a. dynamically obtaining a set of data from a preexisting DBMS system catalog, the data being representative of and usable in manipulating the preexisting DBMS and a table within the preexisting DBMS;

b. merging the set of data with source code comprising predetermined template object source code, the template object source code comprising an object method and an object property useful in manipulating the table; and

c. generating a source file containing the merged object source code useful in creation of an executable procedure for updating data in the preexisting DBMS.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the preexisting DBMS system catalog further comprises information relating to fields within a table of the preexisting DBMS.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

a. the template object source code is at least one of a (a) query template, (b) load table template, (c) insert record template, (d) update record template, and (e) delete record template.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

a. the set of data is merged with query template source code; and

b. the merged query object source code further comprises an object method useful in populating private data members in an object derived from the query object source code with data from the set of data obtained from the preexisting DBMS.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

a. the set of data is merged with insert record template source code; and

b. the merged insert record object source code further comprises an object method for verifying that fields required by the table are present.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

a. the set of data is merged with update record template source code; and

b. the merged update record object source code further comprises an object method for selectively updating table fields whose data have changed.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of;

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for verifying that data are correct for a data type of a desired field.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for performing predetermined edit checks.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for removing undesired spaces from predetermined text fields.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for converting empty fields to database nulls.

11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for handling special characters imbedded in text fields.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. generating merged object source code comprising an object method for converting a predetermined programming language'"'"'s data types into data types specific to the preexisting DBMS.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the method of claim 1 is performed during a development phase of a project to produce a merged object source code for a selected table in the preexisting DBMS.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is created for at least one of (i) C, (ii) C++, (iii) C#, (iv) Visual Basic, (v) COBOL, and (vi) Java.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the preexisting DBMS is at least one of a (i) relational database, (ii) comma delimited file, (iii) a flat file, and (iv) a spreadsheet.

30. A computer program embodied within a computer-readable medium created using the method of claim 1.

16. A system for generating an executable procedure for accessing a database management system (DBMS), comprising:

a. an interrogation processor for interrogating system information associated with a DBMS and deriving DMBS characteristics from the interrogated system information;

b. a source of a template object source code, the template abject source code being useful for updating the DBMS; and

c. a code generator, operatively in communication with the interrogation processor and the source of template abject source code, the code generator being useful for merging the template object source code with the derived characteristics of DBMS to provide a merged object source code for use deriving an executable procedure for updating data in the DBMS.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the template object source code includes template object source code for a plurality of template objects; and

b. the code generator merges template object source code for a selected one of the plurality of template objects with the derived characteristics of the DBMS.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the template object source code comprises predetermined object methods and object properties supporting manipulation of data from at least one of a (i) field, (ii) record, (iii) database object, (iv) table, and (v) DBMS.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the system information comprises at least one of (i) a name of a data field, (ii) a data field type, (iii) a data field data length, (iv) a null character indicator, and (v) an index indicator.

20. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for manipulating data from a predetermined portion of the DBMS comprising at least one of (i) a record, (ii) a DBMS table, (iii) a DBMS object, and (iv) information from database system catalog.

21. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for at least one of (i) opening a DBMS, (ii) opening a table, (iii) loading a table, (iv) retrieving a record, (v) querying a DBMS, (vi) inserting a new record in a table, (vii) updating an existing record in a table, (viii) deleting a record in a table, (ix) closing a table, and (x) closing a DBMS.

22. A system according to claim 16, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for at least one of (i) updating only changed database data fields, (ii) verifying data in a record is consistent with a predetermined data type (iii) processing empty data field portions in accordance with requirements of the DBMS, and (iv) converting data type to be compatible with requirements of the DBMS.

23. A method for generating an executable procedure for accessing a database management system (DBMS), comprising the steps of:

a. interrogating system information associated with a DBMS at an interrogation processor;

b. deriving DBMS characteristics from the interrogated system information at the interrogation processor; and

c. merging template object source code, at a code generator, from a source of template object source code, the template object source code being useful for updating the DBMS, with the derived DBMS characteristics to provide a merged object source code for use in updating data in the DBMS.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

a. merging the derived DBMS characteristics by the code generator with specific template object source code selected from a plurality of template object source code.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

a. the template object source code comprises source code supporting manipulation of data from at least one of a (i) field, (ii) record, (iii) database object, (iv) table, and (v) DBMS.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

a. the system information comprises at least one of (i) a name of a data field, (ii) a data field type, (iii) a data field data length, (iv) a null character indicator, and (v) an index indicator.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for manipulating data from a predetermined portion of the DBMS comprising at least one of (i) a record, (ii) a table, (iii) a database object, and (iv) information from a database system catalog.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for at least one of (i) opening a DBMS, (ii) opening a table, (iii) loading a table, (iv) retrieving a record, (v) querying a DBMS, (vi) inserting a new record in a table, (vii) updating an existing record in a table, (viii) deleting a record in a table, (ix) closing a table, and (x) closing a DBMS.

29. A method of claim 23, wherein:

a. the merged object source code is used for at least one of (i) updating only changed database data fields, (ii) verifying record data is consistent with a predetermined data type, (iii) processing empty data field portions in accordance with requirements of the DBMS, and (iv) converting data type to be compatible with requirements of the DBMS.