US 6,604,109 B1Granted

Object graph editing context and methods of use

AssigneeNeXT Software, Inc.

InventorsCraig Federighi, Dan Willhite, Eric Noyau

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Abstract

The present invention comprises a novel system for managing changes to a graph of data bearing objects. In one embodiment, an object graph manager object referred to as an editing context is used to identify changes made to data bearing enterprise objects and to notify other interested objects when changes occur. As a result, data bearing objects need not themselves contain code necessary for monitoring changes. In another embodiment of the invention, the editing context is used to provide event-based “undo” capabilities. In another embodiment of the invention, each enterprise object has a primary key that is used to maintain the identification between an enterprise object instance and a corresponding database row. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple levels of editing contexts are used to provide multiple isolated object graphs, each of which allows independent manipulation of the underlying data bearing objects.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for monitoring changes made to an object graph comprising a plurality of data bearing objects containing data from a database, said method steps comprising the steps of:

prior to making any change to a first data bearing object in said object graph, in response to an event that initiates execution of application code, transmitting a message indicating that said first data bearing object expects to undergo a change from said first data bearing object to an object graph manager;
taking a snapshot of said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said message indicating said expected change;
making one or more changes to said first data bearing object during said execution of application code in response to said event;
transmitting a message indicating.an end of said execution of application code in response to said event to said object graph manager;
and
identifying said change made to said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said message indicating said end of execution by comparing said data bearing object after said change has been made to said snapshot of said object.

3 more elements

A computer system comprising:

a processor;
a memory coupled to said processor;
object code executed by said processor that provides at least one method for monitoring changes made to an object graph comprising a plurality of data bearing objects containing data from a database;
said object code configured to:
prior to making any change to a first data bearing object in said object graph in response to an event that initiates execution of application code, transmit a message indicating that said first data bearing object expects to undergo a change from said first data bearing object to an object graph manager;
take a snapshot of said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said message indicating said expected change;
make one or more changes to said first data bearing object during said execution of application code in response to said event;
transmit a message indicating an end of said execution of application code in response to said event to said object graph manager.

5 more elements

A computer system comprising:

a processor;
a memory coupled to said processor;
object code executed by said processor that provides at least one method for modifying a database in accordance with changes made to an object graph comprising a plurality of data bearing objects containing data from said database;
said object code configured to:
prior to making any change to a first data bearing object in said object graph, transmit a message indicating an expected change to said first data bearing object to an object graph manager;
take a snapshot of said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said message indicating said expected change;
make one or more changes to said first data bearing object;
transmit a commit message to said object graph manager requesting that changes made to said first data bearing object be committed to said database;
take a second snapshot of said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said commit message;
detect said one or more changes to said first data bearing object by comparing said second snapshot to said first snapshot;
store data corresponding to said detected one or more changes in said database.

8 more elements

A computer system comprising:

a processor;
a memory coupled to said processor;
object code executed by said processor that provides at least one method for undoing changes made to an object graph comprising a plurality of data bearing objects containing data from a database;
said object code configured to:
prior to making any change to a first data bearing object in said object graph in response to an event that initiates execution of application code, transmit a message indicating that said first data bearing object expects to undergo a change from said first data bearing object to an object graph manager;
take a snapshot of said first data bearing object upon said object graph manager receiving said message indicating said expected change;
make one or more changes to said first data bearing object during said execution of application code in response to said event;
transmit a message indicating an end of said execution of application code in response to said event to said object graph manager;
record said snapshot on an undo stack.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/607,870Filed 30 Jun 2000 · continuation
Priority: 17 Jul 1996
Granted: 5 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G06F 8/24
Software design: object-oriented
G06F 16/217
Design, administration or maintenance of databases: database tuning
G06F 16/2358
Updating: change logging, detection, and notification
G06F 16/258
Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems: data format conversion from or to a database

Family

Application08/682,198Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Jul 1996
Application09/167,522Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Oct 1998
US 6,085,197 AParent of this continuation
US 5,956,728 AParent of this continuation
US 6,604,109 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.