Database and operating system independent copying/archiving of a web base application
View Patent ↗A web based application having non-file system structures is copied or archived by first initializing a file to store the web based application, including creation of a root directory within the file. Then, data directories are created under the root directory, and a number of storage data objects under the data directories are initialized for all non-file system structures of the web based application. Thereafter, the non-file system structures are copied and stored into the storage data objects. In embodiments where the web based application further includes files that are part of a file system, the files are stored as additional storage data objects under the root directory. Accordingly, database and operating system independence is achieved.
1. A computer implemented method of copying an application that comprises a plurality of parts, wherein the parts comprise non-file system structures including a data table and corresponding schema, the method comprising:
initializing a resulting file;
creating a root directory within the resulting file;
creating an application level data directory under the root directory;
creating one or more storage objects under the application level directory;
storing a structural description of the application in a first storage object, wherein the structural description comprises a listing of the plurality of parts of the application;
creating one or more data table directories under the application level data directory based on the structural description, wherein at least one of the data table directories is a directory to a first data table data storage object and a first data table schema storage object; and
copying, from the application, the data table to the first data table data storage object and the schema to the first data table schema storage object;
wherein the application is a web based application and the structural description, data table, and schema are each an XML file.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said initializing comprises initializing a compressible file.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-file system structures further comprising:
initializing a user list storage object under said application level data directory to store a user description describing users of the application; and
copying and storing said user description in said user list storage object.
4. The method of claim 1 , the application comprising files and an application control list, the method further comprising copying the files under the root directory.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising converting the application control list into an XML format.
6. An apparatus comprising:
a storage medium having stored therein programming instructions, when executed, operate the apparatus to copy an application that comprises a plurality of parts, wherein the parts comprise non-file system structures including a data table and corresponding schema by:
initializing a resulting file; creating a root directory within the resulting file;
creating an application level data directory under the root directory;
creating one or more storage objects under the application level directory;
storing a structural description of the application in a first storage object, wherein the structural description comprises an enumeration of the plurality of parts of the application;
creating one or more data table directories under the application level data directory based on the structural description, wherein at least one of the data table directories is a directory to a first data table data storage object and a first data table schema storage object; and
copying, from the application, the data table to the first data table data storage object and the schema to the first data table schema storage object;
wherein the application is a web based application and the structural description, data table, and schema are each an XML file.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said programming instructions, when executed, operate the apparatus to initialize a compressible file to store said application.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said programming instructions, when executed, operate the apparatus to:
initializing a user list storage object under said application level data directory to store a user description describing users of the application; and copying and storing said user description in said user list storage object.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , the application comprising files and an application control list, the apparatus further comprising copying the files under the root directory.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising converting the application control list into an XML format.
11. A computer-readable medium having programming instructions executable by a processor stored thereon that cause the processor to:
copy an application that comprises a plurality of parts, wherein the parts comprise non-file system structures including a data table and corresponding schema, the copying comprising:
initializing a resulting file; creating a root directory within the resulting file; creating an application level data directory under the root directory; creating one or more storage objects under the application level directory;
storing a structural description of the application in a first storage object, wherein the structural description comprises a listing of the plurality of parts of the application;
creating one or more data table directories under the application level data directory based on the structural description, wherein at least one of the data table directories is a directory to a first data table data storage object and a first data table schema storage object; and
copying, from the application, the data table to the first data table data storage object and the schema to the first data table schema storage object;
wherein the application is a web based application and the structural description, data table, and schema are each an XML file.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said programming instructions, when executed, operate the processor to:
initializing a user list storage object under said application level data directory to store a user description describing the users of the application; and copying and storing said user description in said user list storage object.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , the application comprising files and an application control list, the processor further comprising copying the files under the root directory.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising converting the application control list into an XML format.