Issue 706:  Internalizing roles-IDL optimization (externalization)
Source:  (, )
Nature:  Uncategorized
Severity: 
Summary: Summary: The IDL for internalizing roles could be optimized to reduce the size of the externalized data as well as simplifying the implementation

Resolution: 
Revised Text: 
Actions taken:
August 25, 1997: received issue
Discussion: 

End of Annotations:=====
Return-Path: <msample@opentext.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 15:03:18 -0700
From: Mike Sample <msample@opentext.com>
To: externalization@omg.org
Subject: Internalizing roles - IDL optimization?

It seems that the IDL for internalizing roles could be optimized
to reduce the size of the externalized data as well as simplifying
the implementation.

The original IDL for a Externalization Role is:

module CosCompoundExternalization {
 ...

  interface Role : ::CosGraphs::Role {
    void externalize_role (in ::CosStream::StreamIO sio);
    void internalize_role (in ::CosStream::StreamIO sio); 
    ::CosGraphs::PropagationValue externalize_propagation (
       in RelationshipHandle rel,
       in ::CosRelationships::RoleName toRoleName,
       out boolean sameForAll);
  };
};

Changing internalize_role as follows allows some optimization:

    void internalize_role (in ::CosStream::StreamIO sio
                           in Node related_object); 


CosCompoundExternalization::Node is responsible for externalizing
and internalizing its associated Role objects (eg. its 
internalize_node implementation is expected to call internalize_role
on each of its associated roles).  The node simply has to pass itself
along to the internalize_role thus allowing the role to set it's 
related object and skip saving a reference to it. 

This optimization should save the streamIO object from detecting that
the roles' call to write_object is a reference to a previously 
externalized object & writing the reference to it.

So, what have I missed?

Mike Sample
Open Text Corp.