Incremental data conversion using a synchronization information record

A method for maintaining a record of incremental conversions of data items of a source repository that maintains a computer aided design (CAD) description according to a first storage format to data items of an output repository that maintains the CAD description according to a second storage format, the method comprising:

• comparing, by a converter executing on an electronic device, current condition information for data items of the source repository that maintains the CAD description according to the first storage format with condition information as of a last successful conversion in a synchronization information record maintained as a relational database separate from the source repository, the condition information of the synchronization information record including at least
• identities of the data items of the source repository as of the last successful conversion,
• mappings of the data items of the source repository to corresponding data items of the output repository produced from conversion thereof, and
• state of the data items of the source repository as of the last successful conversion;
• in response to the comparing, determining, by the converter, one or more new or changed data items in the source repository since the last successful conversion;
• and
• updating the synchronization information record to include the current condition information for data items in the source repository.

A non-transitory electronic device-readable medium containing executable instructions to incrementally convert data items of a first storage format used to maintain a computer aided design (CAD) description to data items of a second storage format used to maintain the CAD description, the executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device operable to:

• gather data items of the first storage format, the data items of the first storage format including at least one of models, elements or levels of the CAD description;
• compare current condition information for data items of the first storage format with condition information as of a last successful conversion in a synchronization information record;
• determine one or more new or changed data items of the first storage format since the last successful conversion;
• convert the one or more new or changed data items of the first storage format to the second storage format, while skipping any unchanged data items of the first storage format, the data items of the second storage format including at least one of models, elements, categories or subcategories of the CAD description;
• and
• update the synchronization information record to include the current condition information for data items in the first storage format,
• wherein identifiers (IDs) of one or more of the data items in the first storage format are different than IDs of one or more data items of the second storage format produced from conversion thereof, or the IDs of one or more of the data items of the first storage are unstable IDs such that at least one ID of a data item of the first storage format is changed since the last successful conversion, and the synchronization information record tracks the different or unstable IDs.