Method and system for supporting object oriented programming class replacement
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJames Edward Carey, Marybeth Gurski, Michael Terry Payne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for accessing a home object in an object oriented programming (OOP) environment using a locator object capable of locating a home object for a class or a subclass. The locator object supports inheritance for itself, and is capable of locating a home for either an OOP superclass or subclass. By providing a mechanism for locating the home for either the superclass or subclass, preferably in a static manner, client code may be reused with subclasses without having to change code.
Claims12
A computer-implemented method for accessing a home object in an object oriented programming (OOP) environment, said method comprising;
- accessing a first home locator, said first home locator being an object capable of locating a first home object, said first home object being capable of providing a software environment for managing a first class that is capable of supporting inheritance;
- locating said first home object with said first home locator;
- accessing a second home locator, said second home locator being a subclass of said first home locator, said second home locator being capable of locating a second home object, said second home object being capable of providing a software environment for a second class, said second class being a subclass of said first class;
- and
- accessing said second home locator to locate said second home object.
A computer network comprising:
- means for accessing a first home locator, said first home locator being an object capable of locating a first home object, said first home object being capable of providing a software environment for managing a first class that is capable of supporting inheritance;
- means for locating said first home object with said first home locator;
- means for accessing a second home locator, said second home locator being a subclass of said first home locator, said second home locator being capable of locating a second home object, said second home object being capable of providing a software environment for a second class, said second class being a subclass of said first class;
- and
- means for accessing said second home locator to locate said second home object.
A computer program product, residing on a computer usable medium, for accessing a home object in an object oriented programming (OOP) environment said computer program product comprising:
- program code means for accessing a first home locator, said first home locator being an object capable of locating a first home object, said first home object being capable of providing a software environment for managing a first class that is capable of supporting inheritance;
- program code means for locating said first home object with said first home locator;
- program code means for accessing a second home locator, said second home locator being a subclass of said first home locator, said second home locator being capable of locating a second home object, said second home object being capable of providing a software environment for a second class, said second class being a subclass of said first class;
- and
- program code means for accessing said second home locator to locate said second home object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.