Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Lars Hammer

Thomas Hejlsberg

Esben Nyhuus Kristoffersen

Heinrich Hoffmann Clausen

Michael Riddersholm Petersen

Christian Vibe Scheller

Morten Nielsen

Christian Heide Damm

Pavel Hruby

Peter Sorensen

Jens Jensen

A testing framework extension may be provided. An application comprising a form may be created within a modeling framework. A variable associated with the form may be defined and an application programming interface (API) may be created according to the form. A test case may be efficiently executed without rendering a physical UI using the variable by making at least one call to the API thus exercising (at least one part of) the form logic and a result of executing the test case may be reported to a user.

Test framework extension for testing logic on a modeled user interface

Modeled Types allow a developer to define attributes and/or code when defining a new type. When the Modeled Type is used, specific values may be assigned to the attributes. The consumer of the values of the attributes can be the type itself by executing the logic during application execution, or the consumer may be the runtime framework or the application using the values by querying the meta-data of the Modeled Type. Modeled Type Aliasing defines a Modeled Type based on another Modeled Type allowing both a new unique name but at the same time optionally supplying specific values to one or more of the attributes of the base Modeled Type. Context-aware Modeled Types provide a description of how to determine the value for the attribute.

Modeled types-attributes, aliases and context-awareness

Concepts and technologies are described herein for exposing and using metadata and for exposing meta-metadata in a tabularized format. Metadata associated with one or more ERP services is collected, parsed, and loaded into one or more sets of tables. The tables of metadata are exposed to software and/or devices to provide various functionality. The tables of metadata and meta-metadata data exposed in tabularized format are used at runtime, design time and/or at other times, and are used to provide various functionality. The tables of metadata and meta-metadata also are used to identify and track modifications made to one or more application objects associated with the ERP services, and to apply the modifications to new versions of metadata associated with the application objects.

Exposing and using metadata and meta-metadata

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to implementation of textual names as the actual identifiers of elements of models. A structured system provided for constructing the textual names so as to be unique in a specific context. In one embodiment, namespaces are added to a name as a mechanism for ensuring uniqueness across multiple development sources. In one embodiment, upon deployment to a runtime environment, alternate names are assigned to support efficient processing.

Name-based identifiers of model elements

A system and method directed to capturing the structure of data models using entity patterns is provided wherein an entity pattern is an abstraction, for example in the MICROSOFT BUSINESS FRAMEWORK&#xae; (MBF), that surfaces in the model editor of the framework at the root level and consists of one or more entity roles that together define a structural pattern of a model. The entity pattern may be considered as an &#xfc;ber-model, or a model template for a model. Prescriptive rules are added to the design of entities, required properties and relations to other entities (entity roles). Applications of the entity patterns are validated at design time. The runtime framework supports any applied pattern and invokes the pattern specific code. It is a general advantage that the runtime operation is model driven and interprets the model data at runtime. The application and usage of a pattern is part of the model of the application/software program.

System and methods for capturing structure of data models using entity patterns

A system and method directed to capturing the structure of data models using entity patterns is provided wherein an entity pattern is an abstraction, for example in the MICROSOFT BUSINESS FRAMEWORK&#xae;(MBF), that surfaces in the model editor of the framework at the root level and consists of one or more entity roles that together define a structural pattern of a model. The entity pattern may be considered as an &#xfc;ber-model, or a model template for a model. Prescriptive rules are added to the design of entities, required properties and relations to other entities (entity roles). Applications of the entity patterns are validated at design time. The runtime framework supports any applied pattern and invokes the pattern specific code. It is a general advantage that the runtime operation is model driven and interprets the model data at runtime. The application and usage of a pattern is part of the model of the application/software program.

A significant challenge in modern computing is to provide a user interface that as starting point takes the end user's goals. A taskoriented user interface addresses this issue and presents and guides the enduser through useful and relevant tasks that map directly to the tasks the enduser needs to carry out. The present invention discloses a method and a system for automatic generation of a task sequence by use of a computer system. a generic task sequence is configured for a variety of business objects at design time. At runtime the task sequence is initiated by a task presented in the user interface (UI) to a user of the application. An input in response hereto makes the computer system start querying whether the elements of the relevant Business Object are in a state where they can complete the task. If not so, identify by use of the computer system what needs to be completed in order to bring element in a state where it can participate. The result of the query is obtained by functionality available on the element.

Auto-generated task sequence

The present invention discloses a system and method supporting high-level configuration of Business Object Types during development of an application. More specifically an application developer is supported with predefined pieces of functionality and meta-data, so called Aspect Types, during the configuration of Business Object Types. An Aspect Type may operate across one or more Business Object Types depending on the functionality of the Aspect Type, e.g. an Aspect Type 'Relation' Aspect Type comprises functionality that provides for connection between two or more Business Objects. The functionality comprised in an Aspect Type may be configured with an Event Type so runtime an Event Instance of the Event Type may be triggered either by the functionality of the configured Aspect Type or by e.g. a user of the application.

Growing community of inventors

Frederiksberg, Denmark

Lars Hammer