API schema language and transformation techniques
View Patent ↗An API schema language and transformation techniques allow an application programming interface to be defined in a markup language. This interface definition can then be transformed into a non-markup language source file. Examples of transformation techniques include techniques to transform the interface definition into a component object model (COM) header file, a documentation file that describes the contents of the non-markup language source file, and a proxy object code file.
1. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a transformation engine comprising a series of instructions executed by one or more processors, causes the transformation engine to:
access a plurality of constructs in an application programming interface description, wherein the description is written in an extensible markup language (XML) format; and
transform each of the plurality of constructs into computer executable instructions and declarations for a component object module (COM) application programming interface header file, wherein to transform one or more of the plurality of constructs is to:
check an attribute of a declare enumeration construct of the plurality of constructs to determine whether the declare enumeration construct is to be transformed into a series of manifest constants or into a component object model enumeration declaration; and
transform the declare enumeration construct into the component object model enumeration declaration if the attribute has a first value, and otherwise transform the declare enumeration construct into the series of manifest constants.
2. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions include instructions to transform a declare function construct into a component object model function declaration.
3. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions include instructions to transform a declare class object construct into a component object model class object ID declaration.
4. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions include instructions to transform a declare interface construct into a component object model forward class declaration.
5. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions include instructions to transform a declare data structure construct into a component object model data structure declaration.
6. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions include instructions to transform a declare macro construct into a component object model manifest constant.
7. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the COM application programming interface header file comprises a C/C++ header file.
8. A method, implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:
accessing a plurality of constructs in an application programming interface description, wherein the description is written in an extensible markup language (XML) format; and
transforming each of the plurality of constructs into computer executable instructions and declarations for a component object module (COM) application programming interface header file, wherein transforming one or more of the plurality of constructs comprises:
checking an attribute of a declare enumeration construct of the plurality of constructs to determine whether the declare enumeration construct is to be transformed into a series of manifest constants or into a component object model enumeration declaration; and
transforming the declare enumeration construct into the component object model enumeration declaration if the attribute has a first value, and otherwise transforming the declare enumeration construct into the series of manifest constants.
9. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein transforming at least one of the plurality of constructs comprises transforming a declare function construct into a component object model function declaration.
10. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein transforming at least one of the plurality of constructs comprises transforming a declare class object construct into a component object model class object ID declaration.
11. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein transforming at least one of the plurality of constructs comprises transforming a declare interface construct into a component object model forward class declaration.
12. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein transforming at least one of the plurality of constructs comprises transforming a declare data structure construct into a component object model data structure declaration.
13. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein transforming at least one of the plurality of constructs comprises transforming a declare macro construct into a component object model manifest constant.
14. A computing device comprising:
a processor; and
one or more computer readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
access a plurality of constructs in an application programming interface description, wherein the description is written in an extensible markup language (XML) format; and
transform each of the plurality of constructs into computer executable instructions and declarations for a component object module (COM) application programming interface header file, wherein to transform one or more of the plurality of constructs is to:
check an attribute of a declare enumeration construct of the plurality of constructs to determine whether the declare enumeration construct is to be transformed into a series of manifest constants or into a component object model enumeration declaration; and
transform the declare enumeration construct into the component object model enumeration declaration if the attribute has a first value, and otherwise transform the declare enumeration construct into the series of manifest constants.
15. A computing device as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions include instructions to transform a declare function construct into a component object model function declaration.
16. A computing device as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions include instructions to transform a declare class object construct into a component object model class object ID declaration.
17. A computing device as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions include instructions to transform a declare interface construct into a component object model forward class declaration.
18. A computing device as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions include instructions to transform a declare data structure construct into a component object model data structure declaration.
19. A computing device as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions include instructions to transform a declare macro construct into a component object model manifest constant.