Technical White Paper (page 7)

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Chapter 3 - The Generator

The Generator is the "black box" that takes all the data in the Designer and converts it into Java™ program code for the application server, and SQL scripts for the database. In practice, the Business Analyst needs to know nothing about any of these applications.

This section mirrors the Designer's illustrative blocks to show, at a technical level, how the Designer's data ends up in code.

Database Build Script

This comprises a build script that creates the database and builds both the project and the system tables and their indexes. It is run through a standard SQL interface. The following databases are currently supported:

• Informix
• Sybase
• Oracle
• Ingres
• Cloudscape
• SQLServer
• MySQL
• DB2

System Manager Data

A series of flat database files and scripts are produced to populate the system tables in the database. These are as follows:

• Element Dictionary - element row descriptions and column headings
• List Boxes - elements with list boxes
• Error Messages - Error message definitions
• Menus - User menu definitions
• Help Text

The generator also provides scripts to load/unload this data and any project data to facilitate database regeneration. Sample Style Sheets and GIF's/JPG's are also provided which the Business Analyst can change.

Data Access Beans

Database access is controlled in three layers. An entity bean is generated for each table. These contain the properties and set/get methods for each element in the table. They are generated as EJB's.

For each entity bean generated, a number of access methods are also generated a number of access methods are also generated to build the SQL statements that modify the database table (INSERT, DELETE UPDATE, etc.)

A container of core function/methods accepts calls from these methods to perform the database access, update and caching. Each generated access method uses the same core functional methods. These methods accept standard JDBC SQL commands to manipulate the database and populate query data sets.

System Bean Data

This bean contains properties for all user-tailorable elements in the system. They fall in three categories:

• Global elements
• Personalization elements
• System Elements

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