Patent ID: 8756407

Claim:
A computer implemented method for automatically creating configuration rule build files, the computer implemented method comprising: receiving, by a data processing system, an input to create a new workspace from an existing workspace as a reference to prototype configuration rules for a particular hardware configuration of a new machine prototype; receiving, by the data processing system, one or more hardware part number inputs from a developer according to requirements of the particular hardware configuration of the new machine prototype, wherein the one or more hardware part number inputs are source data in a first file format; receiving, by the data processing system, a selection of a function from a list of functions defined for a configuration rule prototyping tool; receiving, by the data processing system, a selection of one or more build types that are keys to a type of build process that is triggered prior to generation of a configuration rule build file; performing, by the data processing system, a configuration rule build process based on the function and the one or more build types selected to format the source data in the first file format into a second file format using the configuration rule prototyping tool; transforming, by the data processing system, the source data in the first file format into the second file format using a configurable transformation macro that reads an environment setup file associated with the configurable transformation macro containing information regarding an environment the configurable transformation macro is run in and connections the configurable transformation macro has to external function paths, database connections, server uniform resource locators, temporary folders, and initial parameters for the configurable transformation macro, wherein the configurable transformation macro utilizes a transformation macro script to control transformation of the source data in the first file format into the second file format and a transformation template containing source input data, default values, and logic used by the configurable transformation macro; generating, by the data processing system, the configuration rule build file for the particular hardware configuration of the new machine prototype using the source data in the second file format; outputting, by the data processing system, the configuration rule build file to a test client that tests the particular hardware configuration of the new machine prototype using the configuration rule build file to reflect how the configuration rule build file is used in a production environment; and providing, by the data processing system, configuration rule recommendations for the particular hardware configuration of the new machine prototype.