Version-insensitive serialization and deserialization of program objects

A method of serializing an initial program object using a computer system, said initial program object including initial field names and corresponding initial field data, said initial program object further including an object identifier, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• (a) creating a persistent object;
• (b) writing a program object identification to said persistent object based upon said object identifier;
• and
• (c) determining whether said corresponding initial field data includes non-default data for each initial field name, and, if said corresponding initial field data is non-default data, writing said initial field name and said corresponding initial field data to said persistent object.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for directing a data processing system to reconstitute a program object from a persistent object using a computer system, said persistent object being stored on a storage media, said persistent object including a program object identification and field information, said field information including at least one field name and corresponding field data for each field name, the computer executable instructions comprising:

• (a) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to parse said persistent object to obtain said program object identification and to obtain said field names and their corresponding field data;
• (b) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to create a blank program object based upon said program object identification, said blank program object having a set of fields, each blank object field having a blank object field name and a blank object field data location, wherein said blank object field data locations are initialized with default values;
• and
• (c) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to search said blank program object for a matching blank object field name for each obtained field name form said persistent object, and if said matching blank object field name is found, copy said corresponding field data for said obtained field name into said blank object field location corresponding to said matching blank object field name.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for directing a data processing system to serialize an initial program object using a computer system, said initial program object including initial field names and corresponding initial field data, said initial program object further including an object identifier, wherein said computer executable instructions comprise:

• (a) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to create a persistent object;
• (b) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to write a program object identification to said persistent object based upon said object identifier;
• and
• (c) computer executable instructions for directing the data processing system to determine whether said corresponding initial field data includes non-default data for each initial field name, and, if said corresponding initial field data is non-default data, write said initial field name and said corresponding initial field data to said persistent object.

A data processing system for reconstituting a program object from a persistent object using a computer system, said persistent object being stored on a storage media, said persistent object including a program object identification and field information, said field information including at least one field name and corresponding field data for each field name, the data processing system comprising:

• (a) means for parsing said persistent object to obtain said program object identification and to obtain said field names and their corresponding field data;
• (b) means for creating a blank program object based upon said program object identification, said blank program object having a set of fields, each blank object field having a blank object field name and a blank object field data location, wherein said blank object field data locations are initialized with default values;
• and
• (c) means for searching said blank program object for a matching blank object field name for each obtained field name from said persistent object, and if said matching blank object field name is found, copying said corresponding field data for said obtained field name into said blank object field location corresponding to said matching blank object field name.

A data processing system for serializing an initial program object using a computer system, said initial program object including initial field names and corresponding initial field data, said initial program object further including an object identifier, wherein said data processing system comprises:

• (a) means for creating a persistent object;
• (b) means for writing a program object identification to said persistent object based upon said object identifier;
• and
• (c) means for determining whether said corresponding initial field data includes non default data for each initial field name, and, if said corresponding initial field data is non default data, writing said initial field name and said corresponding initial field data to said persistent object.

An article including a computer readable signal bearing medium, and including means in the medium for directing a data processing system to reconstitute a program object from a persistent object using a computer system, said persistent object being stored on a storage media, said persistent object including a program object identification and field information, said field information including at least one field name and corresponding field data for each field name, said article comprising:

• means in the medium for parsing said persistent object to obtain said program object identification and to obtain said field names and their corresponding field data;
• means in the medium for creating a blank program object based upon said program object identification, said blank program object having a set of fields, each blank object field having a blank object field name and a blank object field data location, wherein said blank object field data locations are initialized with default values;
• and
• means in the medium for searching said blank program object for a matching blank object field name for each obtained field name from said persistent object, and if said matching blank object field name is found, copying said corresponding field data for said obtained field name into said blank object field location corresponding to said matching blank object field name.

An article including a computer readable signal bearing medium, and including means in the medium for directing a data processing system to serialize an initial program object using a computer system, said initial program object including initial field names and corresponding initial field data, said initial program object further including an object identifier, said article comprising:

• means in the medium for creating a persistent object;
• means in the medium for writing a program object identification to said persistent object based upon said object identifier;
• and
• means in the medium for determining whether said corresponding initial field data includes non-default data for each initial field name, and, if said corresponding initial field data is non-default data, writing said initial field name and said corresponding initial field data to said persistent object.