Parameterized graphs with conditional components

US7164422B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Ab Initio Software LLC · US

Inventors

• Joseph Skeffington Wholey, III · Belmont, US
• Brond Larson · Holliston, US
• Glenn John Allin · Arlington, US
• Tim Wakeling · Andover, US
• Martin Anthony Serrano · Andover, US
• Craig W. Stanfill · Lincoln, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 28, 2000
• Grant date: Jan 16, 2007
• Expiry date: Dec 7, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F9/4494
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method, system, and program for providing runtime graph parameters and conditional components for data flow graphs. Runtime parameters allow an application builder to defer the value of a parameter setting to runtime. The values of runtime parameters may be supplied by the end user or be derived from a combination of other runtime parameters or objects stored in an object repository. A developer may specify a prompt for each parameter and the conditions for displaying the prompt, which are used to determine a graphical user interface control for receiving the parameter value. A conditional components mechanism permits changes to a graph structure based on parameter values and computed metadata. Each component of a graph has a condition which controls whether or not that component will appear in the graph at runtime. The condition can be computed directly or indirectly through runtime parameters.