Patent ID: 8150659

Claim:
A computer-implemented method in a computer modeling environment having generative component features forming a model, the method comprising: creating a generative component (GC) feature; receiving user input modifying an aspect of the model that affects the GC feature; dynamically determining an update method for the GC feature based on the user input, properties of the GC feature and input properties of available update methods to obtain a selected update method; updating the GC feature based on the selected update method to obtain an updated GC feature, including determining a mandatory input property for the selected update method that does not have a value in the properties of the GC feature and providing a value of the property of the feature from a prior call to the selected update method, or to an other update method to which the property has previously served as an input, to be used for the mandatory property; and storing the updated GC feature in a computer readable medium.