Compiling graph-based program specifications

A computer-readable medium storing software in non-transitory form, for processing a graph-based program specification, the software including instructions for causing a computing system to:

• receive the graph-based program specification, the graph-based program specification including:
• a plurality of components, each corresponding to a processing task and including one or more ports, each port having a port type that is selected from the group consisting of a scalar port, which can be utilized to send or receive a single data element, and a collection port, which can be utilized to send or receive multiple data elements;
• and
• one or more links, each of which connects link of the one or more links connecting an output port of an upstream component of the plurality of components to an input port of a downstream component, both the upstream component and the downstream component being components from the plurality of components
• wherein each link has either a first link type or a second link type, wherein the first link type can be utilized for connections between different port types;
• and
• process the graph-based program specification to generate prepared code representing subsets of the plurality of components of the graph-based program specification, wherein processing the graph-based specification includes, the processing including:
• identifying one or more subset boundaries, including identifying one or more links having the first link type, said one or more links connecting a collection data port of a component to a scalar data port of a component, wherein identifying the one or more subset boundaries links includes identifying one or more subset entry points;
• forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries;
• and
• generating prepared code for each formed subset that when used for execution by a runtime system causes processing tasks corresponding to the components in each formed subset to be performed;
• wherein the one or more subset boundaries include the one or more subset entry points, and forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries includes forming the subsets based on identified subset entry points.

A computing system for processing a graph-based program specification, the computing system including:

• at least one input device or port configured to receive the graph-based program specification, the graph-based program specification including:
• a plurality of components, each corresponding to a processing task and including one or more ports, each port having a port type that is selected from the group consisting of a scalar port, which can be utilized to send or receive a single data element, and a collection port, which can be utilized to send or receive multiple data elements the ports including scalar data ports and collection data ports;
• and
• one or more links, each of which connects link of the one or more links connecting an output port of an upstream component of the plurality of components to an input port of a downstream component, both the upstream component and the downstream component being components from the plurality of components,
• wherein each link has either a first link type or a second link type, wherein the first link type can be utilized for connections between different port types;
• and
• at least one processor configured to process the graph-based program specification to generate prepared code representing subsets of the plurality of components of the graph-based program specification, wherein processing the graph-based specification includes:
• identifying one or more subset boundaries, including identifying one or more links having the first link type, said one or more links connecting a collection data port of a component to a scalar data port of a component, wherein identifying the one or more subset boundaries links includes identifying one or more subset entry points;
• forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries;
• and
• generating prepared code for each formed subset that when used for execution by a runtime system causes processing tasks corresponding to the components in each formed subset to be performed;
• wherein the one or more subset boundaries include the one or more subset entry points, and forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries includes forming the subsets based on identified subset entry points.

A computing system for processing a graph-based program specification, the computing system including:

• means for receiving the graph-based program specification, the graph-based program specification including:
• a plurality of components, each corresponding to a processing task and including one or more ports, each port having a port type that is selected from the group consisting of a scalar port, which can be utilized to send or receive a single data element, and a collection port, which can be utilized to send or receive multiple data elements the ports including scalar data ports and collection data ports;
• and
• one or more links, each of which connects link of the one or more links connecting an output port of an upstream component of the plurality of components to an input port of a downstream component, both the upstream component and the downstream component being components from the plurality of components,
• wherein each link has either a first link type or a second link type, wherein the first link type can be utilized for connections between different port types;
• and
• means for processing the graph-based program specification to generate prepared code representing subsets of the plurality of components of the graph-based program specification, wherein processing the graph-based specification includes the processing including:
• identifying one or more subset boundaries, including identifying one or more links having the first link type, said one or more links connecting a collection data port of a component to a scalar data port of a component, wherein identifying the one or more subset boundaries links includes identifying one or more subset entry points;
• forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries;
• and
• generating prepared code for each formed subset that when used for execution by a runtime system causes processing tasks corresponding to the components in each formed subset to be performed;
• wherein the one or more subset boundaries include the one or more subset entry points, and forming the subsets based on the identified subset boundaries includes forming the subsets based on identified subset entry points.