Importance

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Abstract

A data conversion system and method which converts data between different software and hardware platforms. The DCLE of the present invention converts data from any number of different types or formats from any of various platforms to a single common data standard having a pre-defined generic data type, and the data is then converted from this generic type to a new desired format or type and stored on an existing or new destination platform. Thus, the system and method of the present invention allows for multiple database conversions to be created easily and efficiently. The data conversion process begins by first defining a complete data map of the input and output data environments, as well as zero or more intermediate environments. Data objects referred to as data bridges and streams are created to logically connect or associate the input and output environments as well as the tables in the input and output data environments. In response to user input, the data conversion system and method creates an association between fields or parts in the tables (units) in the input environment and the fields in the output environment. This essentially involves creating user specified mappings between fields in the input data environment and fields in the output data environment. When an execute command is received, the data conversion system and method accesses data from the first input environment, i.e., accesses data from the storage medium storing the data to be converted, and converts the data from the first input data environment to data having a pre-defined generic data type. Converting the data first to a pre-defined generic data type greatly simplifies the conversion process, since conversion code is only required to and from the generic data type and is not required between every possible data format. Thus, the development of conversion code is much simpler and more efficient. Once data has been converted to the generic data object, the associations are executed to convert the data from the pre-defined genetic data type to the output data using the second data format.

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First Claim