Abstract: A system to enables Rapid Application Development (“RAD”) is provided. The system provides an object model of an ERP application, which enables software developers to customize the ERP applications. The object model provides a base class that is inherited by each object class. The base class provides an invoke function that is implemented by each object class. During compilation, the RAD system compiles each invocation of a function of an object into a call to a dynamic component passing an identifier of the object, an identifier of the function to be invoked, and the parameters to be passed to the function. The RAD system dynamically compiles, assembles, and instantiates object classes as needed. Because objects are bound at runtime, rather than at compile time, when the source code of an object is modified, the entire ERP application does not need to be recompiled into monolithic IL code and the compilation of object classes is deferred until an object of that class is needed during runtime.

Abstract: A system for extending an enterprise resource planning application is provided. The system employs “Add-ins” that each have a functional behavior that is independent of the client on which it executes and a user interface behavior that is dependent on the characteristics of the display, and other characteristics, of the client (i.e., a display target). When a user attempts to invoke an Add-in via the client runtime, the client runtime determines whether the Add-in is available at the user's computer. If not, the client runtime downloads the appropriate artifact for execution at the user's computer. In this environment, neither the client runtime nor the server-side business logic contains the logic used to implement a particular Add-in behavior on the supported display targets. Instead, this logic is contained within separate artifacts associated with a single Add-in having a particular behavior, each artifact implementing the behavior for a specific display target.

Abstract: A checkpoint system is provided to quickly identify differences or deltas between a baseline version and a modified version of a database and to quickly restore the database to the baseline version using the deltas. The checkpoint system identifies the deltas between versions of the database by a rapid comparison of the rows of each table within a baseline version and a modified version of the database. The checkpoint system can use the rapid comparison when testing to identify sets of deltas resulting from performing an old procedure on a test database and a new procedure on the test database. The rapid comparison can be applied to these sets of deltas to identify differences resulting from the new procedure. The deltas can also be used to rapidly restore a database from a modified version to a baseline version.

Abstract: A system for extending an enterprise resource planning application is provided. The system employs “Add-ins” that each have a functional behavior that is independent of the client on which it executes and a user interface behavior that is dependent on the characteristics of the display, and other characteristics, of the client (i.e., a display target). When a user attempts to invoke an Add-in via the client runtime, the client runtime determines whether the Add-in is available at the user's computer. If not, the client runtime downloads the appropriate artifact for execution at the user's computer. In this environment, neither the client runtime nor the server-side business logic contains the logic used to implement a particular Add-in behavior on the supported display targets. Instead, this logic is contained within separate artifacts associated with a single Add-in having a particular behavior, each artifact implementing the behavior for a specific display target.

Abstract: A method and system for hierarchical caching of objects of an ERP system is provided. A caching system comprises a server cache component that is executed by a server and a client cache component that is executed by each client of the server. The server cache component maintains a server cache at the server, and the client cache component maintains a client cache at each client. The client cache components also cache the objects in local client caches. Upon opening an object, the client cache component checks its local client cache to determine whether the object is cached. If so, then the client cache component need not retrieve the object from the server. Thus, the caching system is hierarchical in that each server and client maintains its own cache.

Abstract: A system for extending an enterprise resource planning application is provided. The system employs “Add-ins” that each have a functional behavior that is independent of the client on which it executes and a user interface behavior that is dependent on the characteristics of the display, and other characteristics, of the client (i.e., a display target). When a user attempts to invoke an Add-in via the client runtime, the client runtime determines whether the Add-in is available at the user's computer. If not, the client runtime downloads the appropriate artifact for execution at the user's computer. In this environment, neither the client runtime nor the server-side business logic contains the logic used to implement a particular Add-in behavior on the supported display targets. Instead, this logic is contained within separate artifacts associated with a single Add-in having a particular behavior, each artifact implementing the behavior for a specific display target.

Abstract: A system to enables Rapid Application Development (“RAD”) is provided. The system provides an object model of an ERP application, which enables software developers to customize the ERP applications. The object model provides a base class that is inherited by each object class. The base class provides an invoke function that is implemented by each object class. During compilation, the RAD system compiles each invocation of a function of an object into a call to a dynamic component passing an identifier of the object, an identifier of the function to be invoked, and the parameters to be passed to the function. The RAD system dynamically compiles, assembles, and instantiates object classes as needed. Because objects are bound at runtime, rather than at compile time, when the source code of an object is modified, the entire ERP application does not need to be recompiled into monolithic IL code and the compilation of object classes is deferred until an object of that class is needed during runtime.

Abstract: A checkpoint system is provided to quickly identify differences or deltas between a baseline version and a modified version of a database and to quickly restore the database to the baseline version using the deltas. The checkpoint system identifies the deltas between versions of the database by a rapid comparison of the rows of each table within a baseline version and a modified version of the database. The checkpoint system can use the rapid comparison when testing to identify sets of deltas resulting from performing an old procedure on a test database and a new procedure on the test database. The rapid comparison can be applied to these sets of deltas to identify differences resulting from the new procedure. The deltas can also be used to rapidly restore a database from a modified version to a baseline version.