Integrating object-oriented design software with record-based CAD software
Implementations of the present invention allow a user to work within a record-based design environment while achieving the advantages provided by an object-oriented database. In particular, the user of components in accordance with the present invention can create designs within a record-based application program, within an object-oriented application program, or within a third application program linked by the object-oriented program, and still have the graphical representation thereof visibly displayed in the record-based application program.
1. A method of providing object-oriented entity manipulations through a user interface of a Computer-Aided Design (“CAD”) application program that utilizes a record-based linear database, comprising the acts of:
recognizing one or more selections to create or manipulate a design entity in the CAD user interface;
identifying a data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database;
creating a second, object-based data model of the design entity;
storing the object-based data model within an object oriented database; and
linking the data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database to the object-based data model of the design entity stored in the object oriented database.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an act of providing one or more object status items in a CAD user interface, wherein selection thereof results in a change in object state for one or more design entities.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising an act of relating one or more linear records of the one or more design entities to one or more object blocks in an object-oriented database for the one or more design entities.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the act of creating an object-based data model of the design entity comprises an act of copying data of one or more linear records corresponding to the a data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database to one or more object blocks in the object-oriented database.
5. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising an act of creating one or more object blocks in the object-oriented database upon detecting a change in the object state for the one or more design entities.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an act of receiving one or more selections to change the design entity.
7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising the acts of:
in response to the one or more selections, manipulating one or more linear records corresponding to the data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database; and
subsequently sending one or more requests from the record-based database to the object-oriented database to update one or more object blocks of the object-based data model of the design entity.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising an act of any of the one or more object blocks of the object-based data model of the design entity determining that at least one request of the one or more requests is physically impractical in a real-world environment.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising an act of the any of the one or more object blocks of the object-based data model of the design entity sending one or more responses to the record-based database to modify or deny the at least one request.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more responses include an instruction to change a linear record to reflect a physically-practical solution for a real-world environment.
11. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising the acts of:
in response to the one or more selections, manipulating one or more object blocks of the object-based data model of the design entity; and
subsequently sending one or more requests from the object-oriented database to the record-based database to update one or more linear records corresponding to the data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database.
12. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising an act of receiving one or more requests through the CAD user interface to open a three-dimensional view of the design entity.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the one or more selections are made to the design entity via the requested three-dimensional view.
14. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising an act of the CAD user interface passing the one or more requests for the three-dimensional view to the object-oriented design application program.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the object-oriented design application program performs the acts of:
opening the requested three-dimensional view of the design entity; and
manipulating one or more object blocks of the object-based data model of the design entity in accordance with the one or more selections.
16. A system configured to provide a record-based application program with functionality of an object-oriented design application program through a record-based application program interface, comprising:
one or more record-based application programs having one or more Computer-Aided Design (“CAD”) user interfaces for receiving user input and providing display of the user input;
a linear database configured to store one or more linear data model records corresponding to one or more design entities created through the one or more CAD user interfaces;
an object-oriented design application program having one or more intermediate interface components configured to interact with the one or more record-based application programs; and
an object-oriented database configured to store one or more object-based data models corresponding to any of the one or more design entities;
wherein the one or more intermediate interface components are configured to correlate changes in one or more linear data model records corresponding to a design entity with one or more object-based data models of the design entity, and to correlate changes in the one or more object-based data models of the design entity with the one or more linear data model records corresponding to the design entity.
17. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the one or more CAD user interfaces comprise one or more selectable object status items that, when selected, cause activation of the object-oriented design application program.
18. The system as recited in claim 17 , further comprising one or more additional user interfaces provided by the object-oriented design application program in response to a selection of one of the one or more selectable object status items through the one or more CAD user interfaces.
19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the one or more additional user interfaces provide one or more dialog boxes configured to, upon request by a user, display a three-dimensional view, or modify a three-dimensional version of a design entity that was originally displayed in the one or more CAD user interfaces.
20. A computer-program storage product comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors at a computerized design environment comprising a Computer-Aided Design (“CAD”) application program to perform a method comprising:
recognizing one or more selections to create or manipulate a design entity in a CAD user interface that utilizes a record-based linear database;
identifying a data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database;
creating a second, object-based data model of the design entity;
storing the object-based data model within an object oriented database; and
linking the data model of the design entity stored in the record-based linear database to the object-based data model of the design entity stored in the object oriented database.