1. A computer-implemented method for creating an object for data access, the method comprising:
defining at least one function-expression in source code using an object-oriented programming language;
exposing the at least one defined function-expression in a graphical user interface of a development tool used to create the object;
receiving a selection of at least one field among a list of available fields for data access; and
wherein exposing the defined function-expression in the graphical user interface includes displaying the defined at least one function-expression in the list of available fields.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, and further comprising combining multiple fields defined as function-expressions to build the object for data access.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one function-expression is stored with the object for data access.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one function-expression includes an indication that the at least one function-expression should be displayed in the graphical user interface.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the indication is selected from the group consisting of a signature, a source code attribute, and a property.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, and further comprising storing the object for data access in a metadata store.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining the at least one function-expression includes receiving object-oriented source code in a code editor of the development tool.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, and further comprising converting the object for data access into a string and transmitting the string to a target data source.
9. An integrated development environment comprising:
a processor;
a metadata store coupled to the processor and configured to store object metadata;
a metadata object modeler configured to allow creation of an object for data access; and
a code editor configured to receive object oriented source code indicative of at least one function-expression that is displayed as a menu element in a graphical user interface of the integrated development environment; and
wherein the displayed function-expression is selectable for inclusion in the object for data access.
10. The integrated development environment of claim 9, wherein the code editor is configured to receive an indication that the function-expression should be displayed as a menu element in the graphical user interface.
11. The integrated development environment of claim 10, wherein the indication is a return type of the function-expression.
12. The integrated development environment of claim 9, and further comprising a user interface element component configured to generate the graphical user interface of the integrated development environment.
13. The integrated development environment of claim 12, wherein the graphical user interface includes a model portion where the object is defined.
14. The integrated development environment of claim 12, wherein the graphical user interface includes a code editor window.
15. The integrated development environment of claim 12, wherein the graphical user interface includes a data source selector to receive an indication of at least one data source on which the object will operate.
16. The integrated development environment of claim 12, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a portion allowing association between fields of the object and the function-expression.
17. The integrated development environment of claim 12, wherein the integrated development environment is embodied on a single computer.
18. The integrated development environment of claim 9, wherein the integrated development environment is embodied in a cloud computing architecture.
19. The integrated development environment of claim 9, and further comprising:
a controller;
a metadata-to-query object converter; and
a query translator, wherein the controller, metadata-to-query object converter and query translator cooperate to translate the object into a string that is operable against a target data source.
20. A computer-implemented method for creating an object for data access, the method comprising:
defining a function-expression in a graphical user interface of a development environment using an object-oriented programming language, wherein the function expression is attributed to surface as a menu element in the graphical user interface;
surfacing the defined function-expression in the graphical user interface of a development tool used to create the object;
including the function-expression in the object for data access;
storing the object in a metadata store; and
retrieving, at run-time, the object from the metadata store;
converting the object to a string that is operable against a target data source; and
executing the string against the target data source to access data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An arrangement for generating a print image for franking and postmarking machines, comprising:
a printer adapted to print on a postal item;
a storage unit for storing data representing information to be printed by said printer; and
a control unit connected to said storage unit for accessing the data stored therein, and for controlling said printer for printing postal information characterizing a private mail carrier at a second position on said postal item next to and to the left of a first position on said postal item.
2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit causes said printer to print a date, a marking for a selected privateregional mail carrier, and an identifier for the postal item in said postal information at said second position.
3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a selection unit allowing selection of a private mail carrier or a federal mail carrier, said control unit being connected to said selection unit and causing information characterizing the selected privateregional mail carrier or the selected federaluniversal mail carrier to be printed at a fixed, predetermined position on said postal item by said printer.
4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said control unit controls said printer to cause said printer to print information characterizing a federaluniversal mail carrier at said first position and information characterizing said privateregional mail carrier at said second position.
5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said control unit causes information characterizing the selected privateregional mail carrier to be printed at said second position.
6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a selection unit connected to said control unit allowing selection of a logo and sorting information, and wherein said control unit controls said printer dependent on said selection for printing said logo and said sorting information at said first position.
7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said printer prints said logo and said sorting information with an ink characteristic for said privateregional mail carrier.
8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a selection unit, connected to said control unit, allowing selection of at least one of a product code or a shipping type, and wherein said control unit controls said printer to print said at least one of said product code or said shipping type in a third position on said postal item, to the left of and next to said second position.
9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said printer prints said postal information on said postal item with an ink characteristic of said privateregional mail carrier.
10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a mail processor connected to said control unit for determining data from said information printed on said postal item enabling processing and sorting of said postal item.
11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mail processor comprises a computer and stations of a franking system operationally connected with each other, said computer comprising an address evaluation unit for evaluating an address associated with said postal item.
12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 wherein said stations include a scanner module, a transport module and a franking machine, said scanner module and said transport module being disposed upstream of said franking machine, said scanner module, said transport module and said franking machine being connected to and controlled by said computer dependent on said address evaluation.
13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 10 wherein said stations include a transport module and a sorting module and a franking machine, said transport module and said sorting module being disposed downstream from said franking machine, said transport module, said sorting module and said franking machine being connected to said computer and being controlled by said computer dependent on said address evaluation.
14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mail processor comprises a scanner module, a transport module and a sorter module connected to and controlled by said computer dependent on said address evaluation.
15. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14 wherein said scanner module is an OCR scanner for scanning a pre-printed address in an address region of said postal item, and wherein said address evaluation unit evaluates said address information for producing sorting information, and wherein said transport module includes a two-level superimposed speed regulation for transport of said postal item, dependent on the address evaluation time.
16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein said transport module sets said two-level superimposed speed regulation dependent on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of available computing power, calculation time for address correction, and amount of data to be printed.