Techniques for Integrating Parameterized Information Requests into a System for Collaborative Work

A method for collaboratively accessing information resources in a computer network by specifying a class of parameterized information requests and making instances of parameterized information requests that belong to the class, the method implemented by a processor having access to a data storage, the method, comprising:

• accessing, by the processor, objects in the data storage including a connector object in the data storage, the connector object representing the class of parameterized information requests;
• providing, by the processor, a request parameter object in the data storage that defines a request parameter for parameterized information requests belonging to the class;
• providing, by the processor, a bind parameter and a bind parameter value;
• using the request parameter in an instance of a parameterized information request, comprising replacing the bind parameter with the bind value;
• and
• providing, by the processor, an information source access object in the data storage that specifies attributes of an information source which will receive the instances of the parameterized information request that belong to the class, the processor responding to an input specifying creation of an instance of the class of parameterized information requests represented by the connector by using the request parameter defined in the request parameter object and the attributes of the source of information to make the instance of the class.

A method for managing objects in a database, comprising:

• specifying a class of parameterized information requests, comprising:
• accessing, by the processor, objects in the database including a connector object representing the class of parameterized information requests,
• providing, by the processor, a request parameter object in the database that defines a request parameter for parameterized information requests belonging to the class,
• providing, by the processor, a bind parameter and a bind parameter value, and
• using the request parameter in an instance of a parameterized information request, comprising replacing the bind parameter with the bind value;
• and
• generating instances of parameterized information requests that belong to the class, comprising:
• providing, by the processor, an information source access object in the database that specifies attributes of an information source which will receive the instances of the parameterized information request that belong to the class, and
• the processor responding to an input specifying creation of an instance of the class of parameterized information requests represented by the connector by using the request parameter defined in the request parameter object and the attributes of the source of information to make the instance of the class.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including machine instructions for collaboratively accessing and managing objects in a data store of a communications network by specifying a class of parameterized information requests and generating instances of parameterized information requests that belong to the class, wherein when executed, the machine instructions cause a processor to:

• access the objects in the data store, the objects including a connector object in the data store, the connector object representing the class of parameterized information requests;
• provide a request parameter object in the data store that defines a request parameter for parameterized information requests belonging to the class;
• provide a bind parameter and a bind parameter value;
• use the request parameter in an instance of a parameterized information request, comprising replacing the bind parameter with the bind value;
• provide an information source access object in the data store that specifies attributes of an information source which will receive the instances of the parameterized information request that belong to the class;
• respond to an input specifying creation of an instance of the class of parameterized information requests represented by the connector by using the request parameter defined in the request parameter object and the attributes of the source of information to generate the instance of the class.

A computerized method for requesting information from an information source, comprising:

• receiving, by a processor, an information request to obtain information from the information source, comprising:
• receiving a request parameter in the information request, comprising:
• receiving an indication as to the information that is to be obtained from the information source, the indication expressed in a specific language;
• and
• receiving a bind parameter,
• interpreting, by the processor, the indication expressed in the specific language,
• receiving, by the processor, a bind value for the bind parameter,
• replacing, by the processor, the bind parameter with the bind value, and
• executing, by the processor, the information request using the bind value and the interpreted indication.