Method and apparatus for transforming legacy software applications into modern object-oriented distributed systems

1. A method comprising:

transforming a procedural program using a processor into object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

partitioning the object-oriented, intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program;

transforming a first portion of the procedural program into a first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

suspending transformation of a second portion of the procedural program when a predetermined segment of the second portion of the procedural program is detected; and

modifying the first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code based on the predetermined segment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N-tier application program includes a thin client and a plurality of server-based components.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thin client includes user interface components, and the server-based components include business logic components.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the business logic components include web services.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the server-based components include a DBMS server component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning the intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program includes separating user interface logic from application code logic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning the intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program includes adding application state management.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning the intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program includes separating interface logic from transactional logic.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning the intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program includes implementing a browser-enabled, thin client interface.

10. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a program storage memory device readable by the computer system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform the method claimed in claim 1 .

11. A program storage memory device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method claimed in claim 1 .

12. Logic encoded in a tangible computer-readable memory comprising:

means for transforming a procedural program into object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

means for partitioning the object-oriented, intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program;

means for transforming a first portion of the procedural program into a first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

means for suspending transformation of a second portion of the procedural program when a predetermined segment of the second portion of the procedural program is detected; and

means for modifying the first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code based on the predetermined segment.

13. A method comprising:

transforming a procedural program into object-oriented, intermediate client-server code using a processor;

separating user interface from application code logic of a source procedural program;

adding application state management to a target distributed software system;

separating interface logic from business logic of the source procedural program;

implementing a browser-enabled, thin client interface for the target distributed software system;

presenting the business logic as server-side components for the target distributed software system;

transforming a first portion of the procedural program into a first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

suspending transformation of a second portion of the procedural program when a predetermined segment of the second portion of the procedural program is detected; and

modifying the first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code based on the predetermined segment.

14. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a program storage memory device readable by the computer system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform the method claimed in claim 13 .

15. A program storage memory device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method claimed in claim 13 .

16. Logic encoded in a tangible computer-readable memory comprising:

means for transforming a procedural program into object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

means for separating user interface from application code logic of a source procedural program;

means for adding application state management to a target distributed software system;

means for separating interface logic from business logic of the source procedural program;

means for implementing a browser-enabled, thin client interface for the target distributed software system;

means for presenting the business logic as server-side components for the target distributed software system;

means for transforming a first portion of the procedural program into a first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

means for suspending transformation of a second portion of the procedural program when a predetermined segment of the second portion of the procedural program is detected; and

means for modifying the first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code based on the predetermined segment.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage memory having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to transform a procedural program using a processor into object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

computer readable program code configured to partition the object-oriented, intermediate client-server code into an N-tier application program;

computer readable program code configured to transform a first portion of the procedural program into a first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code;

computer readable program code configured to suspend transformation of a second portion of the procedural program when a predetermined segment of the second portion of the procedural program is detected; and

computer readable program code configured to modify the first portion of object-oriented, intermediate client-server code based on the predetermined segment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the thin client includes user interface components, and the server-based components include business logic components.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the business logic components include web services.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the N-tier application program includes a thin client and a plurality of server-based components.