System and method for transforming information between data formats

1. A computer-implemented method for transforming source code of a software application in a plurality of input data formats to a distinct output data format in a markup language, consisting essentially of:

scanning the source code to automatically identify without user intervention the plurality of input data formats in the software application, wherein the source code is of an object oriented programming language;

identifying for each input data format an input transformation program configured to transform a portion of the source code containing the input data format to a standard format;

displaying in an interactive user interface the identified input transformation programs and a list of granularity levels, each granularity level specifying a level of detail of at least one distinct output format;

displaying in the interactive user interface a list of output transformation programs, each output transformation program in the list configured to transform data from the standard format to the distinct output format;

receiving a selection of more than one input transformation program from the displayed identified input transformation programs and at least one granularity level;

receiving a selection of at least one output transformation program from the displayed list of output transformation programs;

utilizing the selected input transformation programs to transform the respective portion of the source code to data in the standard format; and

for each selected output transformation program, utilizing the selected output transformation program to further transform the data from the standard format to the distinct output format of the selected output transformation program at the selected granularity level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of programming class information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the programming class information includes class files of an object oriented programming language.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the programming class information includes local classes of an object oriented programming language.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the programming class information includes global classes, of an object oriented programming language.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of function module information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the function module information includes function pools, of an object oriented programming language.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of application programming interface (API) information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the API information includes customer relationship management object information.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of object repository information.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the object repository information includes customer relationship management object information.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of database table information.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standard format is based on a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the output data format is for an integrated development environment.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of HTML documentation information.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the HTML documentation information includes Javadoc output.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the HTML documentation information includes ABAPdoc output.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output data format is based on a metadata Markup Language.

20. An apparatus for transforming source code of a software application in a plurality of input data formats to a distinct output format in a markup language, consisting essentially of:

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor according to the method of:

scanning the source code to automatically identify without user intervention the plurality of input data formats in the software application, wherein the source code is of an object oriented programming language;

identifying for each input data format an input transformation program configured to transform a portion of the source code containing the input data format to a standard format;

displaying in an interactive user interface the identified input transformation programs and a list of granularity levels, each granularity level specifying a level of detail of at least one distinct output format;

displaying in the interactive user interface a list of output transformation programs, each output transformation program in the list configured to transform data from the standard format to the distinct output format;

receiving a selection of more than one input transformation program from the displayed identified input transformation programs;

receiving a selection of at least one output transformation program from the displayed list of output transformation programs and at least one granularity level;

utilizing the selected input transformation programs to transform the respective portion of the source code to data in the standard format; and

for each selected output transformation program, utilizing the selected output transformation program to further transform the data from the standard format to the distinct output format of the selected output transformation program at the selected granularity level.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of programming class information.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of database table information.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the standard format is based on a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of HTML documentation information.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the output data format is based on a metadata Markup Language.

27. A computer system for transforming source code of a software application in a plurality of input data formats to a distinct output format in a markup language, consisting essentially of:

means for scanning the source code to automatically identify without user intervention the plurality of input data formats in the software application, wherein the source code is of an object oriented programming language;

means for identifying for each input data format an input transformation program configured to transform a portion of the source code containing the input data format to a standard format;

means for displaying in an interactive user interface the identified input transformation programs and a list of granularity levels, each granularity level specifying a level of detail of at least one distinct output format;

means for displaying in the interactive user interface a list of output transformation programs, each output transformation program in the list configured to transform data from the standard format to a distinct output format;

means for receiving a selection of more than one input transformation program from the displayed identified input transformation programs;

means for receiving a selection of at least one output transformation program from the displayed list of output transformation programs and at least one granularity level;

means for utilizing the selected input transformation programs to transform the respective portion of the source code to data in the standard format; and

for each selected output transformation program, means for utilizing the selected output transformation program to further transform the data from the standard format to the distinct output format of the selected output transformation program at the selected granularity level.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of programming class information.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the input data format defines an arrangement of database table information.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the standard format is based on a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of a general-purpose modeling language that includes a graphical notation.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the output data format defines an arrangement of HTML documentation information.

33. The system of claim 27 , wherein the output data format is based on a metadata Markup Language.

34. The method of claim 1 , where the selected granularity level suppresses the display of private methods and attributes.

35. The apparatus of claim 20 , where the selected granularity level suppresses the display of private methods and attributes.

36. The computer system of claim 27 , where the selected granularity level suppresses the display of private methods and attributes.