Dynamic validation using reflection

1 . A method for validating an object, the method comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of the object using reflection;

using the characteristics to identify a validator capable of validating the object; and

executing the validator to validate the object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a data object.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data object comprises a component manifest.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a software object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the characteristics to identify a validator capable of validating the object comprises:

searching a policy library for a policy file corresponding to the characteristics; and

in response to locating a policy file corresponding to the characteristics, identifying the validator for validating the object from data stored in the policy file.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the validator is stored in a validator library.

7 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive an identity of an object to be validated;

determine one or more characteristics of the object to be validated through reflection;

select a validator capable of validating the object by searching a policy library for a policy file referencing the characteristics; and to

execute the validator to validate the object.

8 . The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the object comprises a software object.

9 . The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the object comprises a data object.

10 . The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the object comprises two or more sub-components.

11 . The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein determining one or more characteristics of the object to be validated through reflection comprises determining one or more characteristics of each of the sub-components through reflection.

12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein selecting a validator capable of validating the object by searching a policy library for a policy file referencing the characteristics comprises selecting a validator capable of validating each sub-component by searching a policy library for a policy file referencing the characteristics of a sub-component.

13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein executing the selected validator to validate the object comprises executing the validators for each of the sub-components to validate the object.

14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the object is valid if each of the sub-components is valid.

15 . A method for validating an object having two or more sub-components, the method comprising:

identifying one or more structural or behavioral characteristics for each of the sub-components using reflection;

for each sub-component, using the characteristics to identify a validator capable of validating the sub-component; and

executing the validator for each sub-component to validate the object.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the object comprises a software object.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the object comprises a data object.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the object is valid if each sub-component is determined to be valid.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein identifying a validator capable of validating each sub-component comprises:

searching a policy library for a policy file corresponding to the characteristics for each sub-component; and

in response to locating a policy file corresponding to the characteristics for a sub-component, identifying the validator for validating the sub-component from data stored in the policy file.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein each validator is stored in a validator library.