Differencing of executable dataflow graphs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10802945-B2
Application number	US-201715587987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A method for displaying differences between a first executable dataflow graph and a second executable dataflow graph includes comparing a specification of the first executable dataflow graph and a specification of the second executable dataflow graph, including at least one of identifying a particular node or link of the first dataflow graph that does not correspond to any node or link of the second dataflow graph; and identifying a first node or link of the first dataflow graph that corresponds to a second node or link of the second dataflow graph, and identifying a difference between the first node or link and the second node or link. The method includes formulating and displaying a graphical representation of at least some of the nodes or links of the first dataflow graph or the second dataflow graph, the graphical representation including a graphical indicator of at least one of the identified particular node or link the identified difference between the first node or link and the second node or link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for displaying the differences between a first executable dataflow graph and a second executable dataflow graph, each dataflow graph executable to process data records received by the dataflow graph, each dataflow graph including one or more nodes representing data processing components and one or more links representing flows of data records between components, the method including:
by a computer, comparing a specification of the first executable dataflow graph and a specification of the second executable dataflow graph to identify one or more differences between the first dataflow graph and the second dataflow graph,
wherein the specification of a given executable dataflow graph defines one or more nodes each representing a source of data records to be processed by the dataflow graph, one or more nodes each representing a data processing component configurable to define an operation to be performed to process the data records from the source of data records, and one or more nodes each representing a destination for data records processed by the dataflow graph, wherein the dataflow graph is configured to, when executed, (1) receive and process data records from a data source indicated by the source of data records and (2) provide processed data records to a data sink indicated by the destination;

the comparing of the specification of the first dataflow graph and the second dataflow graph including at least one of:
(1) identifying a particular node of the first dataflow graph that does not correspond to any node of the second dataflow graph, the identified particular node representing a data processing component configurable to define an operation to be performed to process data records,
(2) identifying a particular link of the first dataflow graph that does not correspond to any link of the second dataflow graph, the identified particular link representing a flow of data records between components represented by nodes of the first dataflow graph,
(3) identifying a first node of the first dataflow graph that corresponds to a second node of the second dataflow graph, the identified first node representing a data processing component configurable to define an operation to be performed to process data records, and identifying a difference between the first node and the second node, and
(4) identifying a first link of the first dataflow graph that corresponds to a second link of the second dataflow graph, the identified first link representing a flow of data records between components represented by nodes of the first dataflow graph, and identifying a difference between the first link and the second link; and

formulating a graphical representation of at least some of the nodes or links of the first dataflow graph or the second dataflow graph, the graphical representation including a graphical indicator of at least one of (1) the identified particular node or link (1) the identified difference between the first node or link and the second node or link; and
displaying the graphical representation in a graph editing interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the first dataflow graph is a first version of a particular dataflow graph and in which the second dataflow graph is a second version of the particular dataflow graph.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying a difference between the first node or link and the second node or link includes identifying a difference between a resolved parameter of the first node or link and a resolved parameter of the second node or link.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying a difference between the first node or link and the second node or link includes identifying a difference between an expression for a parameter of the first node or link and an expression for a parameter of the second node or link.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which the graphical indicator is a color of the first, second, or particular node or link in the graphical representation.

6. The method of claim 5 , in which the color of the graphical indicator is indicative of a type of the identified difference between the first node or link and the second node or link.

7. The method of claim 1 , in which the graphical indicator is a shading or fill of the first, second, or particular node or link in the graphical representation.

8. The method of claim 1 , in which the graphical indicator includes a symbol positioned near the first, second, or particular node or link.

9. The method of claim 1 , in which the graphical indicator is responsive to user interaction.

10. The method of claim 9 , including enabling access to information indicative of the identified difference responsive to user interaction with the graphical indicator.

11. The method of claim 1 , in which the first dataflow graph contains a first dataflow subgraph and in which the second dataflow graph contains a second dataflow subgraph, and including:
comparing a specification of the first dataflow subgraph and a specification of the second dataflow subgraph; and
based on the comparing, identifying one or more differences between the first dataflow subgraph and the second dataflow subgraph.

12. The method of claim 11 , in which the graphical representation includes a graphical representation of at least a portion of the first dataflow subgraph or at least a portion of the second dataflow subgraph, the graphical representation including a graphical indicator of at least one of the identified differences between the first dataflow subgraph and the second dataflow subgraph.

13. The method of claim 11 , in which the graphical representation includes a hierarchical representation of at least one of the identified differences between the first dataflow graph and the second dataflow graph and at least one of the identified differences between the first dataflow subgraph and the second dataflow subgraph.

14. The method of claim 1 , in which comparing the specification of the first dataflow graph and the specification of the second dataflow graph includes comparing a first file referenced by the first dataflow graph and a second file referenced by the second dataflow graph.

15. The method of claim 14 , in which the graphical representation includes a graphical representation of one or more differences between the first file and the second file.

16. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying a first node or link that corresponds to a second node or link includes identifying the first node based on one or more of (1) a name of the first node or link and second node or link and (2) an identifier of the first node or link and second node or link.

17. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying a first node or link that corresponds to a second node or link includes identifying the first node based on information associated with a flow of data records into or out of the first node and second node.

18. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying a first node or link that corresponds to a second node or link includes identifying the first node or link based on nodes or links that are upstream or downstream of the first node or link and second node or link.

19. The method of claim 1 , including:
preparing the first dataflow graph and the second dataflow graph for execution; and
comparing the specifications of the prepared first and second dataflow graph.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for causing a computer to display the differences between a first executable dataflow graph and a secon

Assignees

• Ab Initio Technology Llc

Inventors

• Rozenberg Ilya
• Weiss Adam

Classifications

• G06F8/34 Primary

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06F9/4494

  data driven · CPC title

• G06F8/10

  Requirements analysis; Specification techniques · CPC title

• G06F8/71

  Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management · CPC title

• G06F11/3612 Primary

  by runtime analysis (performance monitoring G06F11/3466) · CPC title