Application description language

• US 8,418,132 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Antony S., Danton, Stephen M., Gittelman, Arye, Hackmann, Christopher D., Spencer, Sam, Jayadevan, Siddharth, Hristov, Vladimir H., Aitken, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Marina
• Application Number:
  US11/360,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20060248112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,602 Days
• Field of Search: 717/105, 717110-113, 717/125, 719/313, 719/315, 719/332
• US Class Current: 717/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method and system for creating and modifying computer applications using an application description language based on a markup language is provided. An engine creates, connects, and initializes objects corresponding to entities, and specified by entity tags. A factory may be specified by an entity tag and used to create a plurality of entities. Applications are specified in a plaintext descriptive language using a markup language such as XML, enabling applications to be easily developed using object oriented techniques and abstraction. Altering preexisting applications is also simplified. Finally, an application may be dynamically reconfigured when the application'"'"'s data changes. Type checking and conditional creation of entities is supported.

Claims

1. A method for computationally configuring an application, the method comprising:

receiving a description identifying at least one entity tag corresponding to at least two entities, at least one framework tag corresponding to at least one user interface, and at least one specification of relationship between the at least two entities;

creating a plurality of objects corresponding to the at least one entity tag;

connecting the plurality of objects to each other according to the relationship;

creating at least one user interface object associated with the at least one framework tag;

connecting the at least one user interface object to the plurality of objects corresponding to the at least one entity tag;

detecting, during application runtime, a change in a state of data associated with at least one of the at least two entities identified by the at least one entity tag; and

reconfiguring a connection associated with the at least one user interface object and the plurality of objects corresponding to the change in the state of the data associated with the at least one entity tag.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

initializing the plurality objects for use.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting comprises processing at least one tag parameter corresponding to the at least one entity tag.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising type checking the at least one tag parameter.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein connecting the at least one user interface object further comprises creating a graph of connections between the at least one user interface object and the plurality of objects.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein connecting the at least one user interface object further comprises checking for circular dependencies and eliminating circular dependencies.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting comprises processing the at least one entity tag for creating at least one factory to provide on-demand instantiation of an entity.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting comprises processing the at least one entity tag for creating at least one factory to handle branching.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein visibility of a new data value is scheduled to enable out-of-order execution of instructions.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one entity tag specifies a factory for creating a plurality of objects.

11. A method for computationally configuring an application, the method comprising:

providing a configuration service of an application having at least an entity tag corresponding to at least an entity;

creating at least one object corresponding to the entity;

connecting the at least one object to the configuration service;

initializing the at least one object for use;

receiving a framework tag corresponding to a user interface object;

creating a user interface object associated with the framework tag;

connecting the user interface object to the configuration service;

receiving a notification of a change in a state of data associated with the entity;

reconfiguring, during application runtime, the user interface object connected to the configuration service in response to the change in the state of data associated with the entity.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 further comprising:

receiving parameters values; and

finding data based on parameter values to the initialized object.

13. A method as defined in claim 11 further comprising:

receiving an event notification; and

reconfiguring the object in response to the event notification.