Patent ID: 6678887
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for modifying a software package by customizing an implementation of a target method defined within an application programming interface for the software package, comprising:receiving additional code to be integrated into the target method defined within the application programming interface; wherein the application programming interface defines a plurality of methods that operate on objects associated with the software package; receiving a command to integrate the additional code into the target method; wherein the command is received through a pre-defined code integration method that already exists within the application programming interface and is used for integrating additional code into the target method within the application programming interface; wherein the integrating of the additional code into the target method includes a step selected from a group consisting of: (i) adding preprocessing code before default code for the target method, (ii) adding post-processing code after the default code for the target method, and (iii) adding code to specify a new data source for the target method; and linking the additional code into the target method within the application programming interface so that the additional code is executed when the target method is invoked.