Object relationship management system

A method for copying entities from a plurality of entities in a computer system, and for copying relationships between the entities, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining an entity of the plurality of entities to copy, the entity including a set of nodes from a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, a plurality of predicate nodes, and a plurality of copy semantic nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relationship, each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relationship;
• determining a domain of interest from the entity and the plurality of entities in response to relationships of the set of nodes, the plurality of entities including nodes from the plurality of nodes;
• duplicating each entity in the domain of interest to form a set of entities;
• and
• establishing relationships among nodes in the set of entities.

A method for deleting entities from a plurality of entities in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining an entity of the plurality of entities to delete, the entity including references to a set of nodes from a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, a plurality of predicate nodes, and a plurality of delete semantic nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relationship, each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relationship;
• determining a domain of interest from the entity and the plurality of entities in response to relationships of the set of nodes, the plurality of entities including nodes from the plurality of nodes;
• and
• disconnecting entities in the domain of interest from the plurality of entities.

A method for reestablishing relationships between nodes in a plurality of entities in a computer system, each entity having a plurality nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a list of commands for a transaction;
• maintaining a batch list of nodes from a plurality of nodes affected by each of the list of commands, the plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, and a plurality of predicate nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relationship, each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relationship;
• creating a first set of relationships that were deleted between nodes;
• modifying a second set of relationships that were modified between nodes;
• and
• deleting a third set of relationships that were created between nodes.

A method for creating, maintaining, and deleting relationships among a plurality of nodes within entities in a computer system, the plurality of nodes including value nodes, function nodes, predicate nodes, delete semantic nodes, and copy semantic nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first entity;
• providing a second entity;
• establishing relationships between a plurality of nodes in the first entity;
• establishing relationships between the plurality of nodes in the first entity and a plurality of nodes in the second entity;
• deleting nodes in the first entity according to delete semantic nodes in the first entity;
• and
• copying nodes in the second entity according to copy semantic nodes in the second entity.

A computer system including a processor for storing and maintaining relationships between entities, each entity having a plurality nodes, the computer system comprising:

• a computer memory including:
• code that directs the processor to modify a node in a first entity;
• code that directs the processor to search for a plurality of dependent nodes from a plurality of nodes in a plurality of second entities coupled to the node, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, and a plurality of predicate nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relation, each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relation;
• code that directs the processor to order the plurality of dependent nodes into an evaluation order;
• and
• code that directs the processor to evaluate the plurality of dependent nodes in the evaluation order.

A computer program product for a computer system including a processor, for copying an entity from a plurality of entities while maintaining a set of relationships of the entity, the computer program product comprising:

• code for directing the processor to determine an entity of the plurality of entities to copy, the entity including a set of nodes from a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, a plurality of predicate nodes, and a plurality of copy semantic nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relationship each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relationship;
• code for directing the processor to determine a domain of interest from a the entity and the plurality of entities in response to relationships of the set of nodes, the plurality of entities including nodes from the plurality of nodes;
• code for directing the processor to duplicate each entity in the domain of interest to form a set of entities;
• and
• code for directing the processor to establish the set of relationships among each entity in the set of entities.

A computer system for storing and deleting an entity from a plurality of entities in a computer system, the computer system comprising:

• a determining processor for determining an entity of the plurality of entities to delete, the entity including references to a set of nodes from a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of value nodes, a plurality of function nodes, a plurality of predicate nodes, and a plurality of delete semantic nodes, each of the plurality of function nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relationship, each of the plurality of predicate nodes having associated value nodes in an equivalence relationship;
• a domain processor for determining a domain of interest from the entity and the plurality of entities in response to relationships of the set of nodes, the plurality of entities including nodes from the plurality of nodes;
• and
• a disconnecting processor for disconnecting entities in the domain of interest from the plurality of entities.

An apparatus for creating, maintaining, and deleting relationships among a plurality of nodes within entities in a computer system, the plurality of nodes including value nodes, function nodes, predicate nodes, delete semantic nodes, and copy semantic nodes, the apparatus comprising:

• means for providing a first entity;
• means for providing a second entity;
• means for establishing relationships between a plurality of nodes in the first entity;
• means for establishing relationships between the plurality of nodes in the first entity and a plurality of nodes in the second entity;
• means for deleting nodes in the first entity according to delete semantic nodes in the first entity;
• and
• means for copying nodes in the second entity according to copy semantic nodes in the second entity.