System and method for managing web page components
First Claim
1. A method for creating a web page source file in a programmed computer, the method comprising:
- a) inserting an instance of a client object into a web page;
b) permitting the client object instance to obtain from a switchboard a list of available reusable software components;
c) receiving from an author selection information identifying a selected one of the available components;
d) displaying a customizer interface and permitting an author to specify properties for the selected available component;
e) generating runtime text corresponding to the selected available component; and
, f) providing the runtime text to the client object.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus facilitate the creation and maintenance of web pages which include reusable, upgradeable components. The apparatus provides a simple client object which can identify and contain properties for reusable components from a library. The client object does not itself need to be upgraded when components are upgraded and therefore it is not necessary to re-specify all of the properties for a component when a component is upgraded. An upgrade tool reads the properties of instances of the client object which is present in the source for a web publishing software, identifies an upgraded version of a component identified by the client object, reads the properties specified for the component by the client object and reconfigures the instance of the client object to identify the upgraded component and to specify corresponding properties for the upgraded component. Use of the invention facilitates rapid upgrading of web pages.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for creating a web page source file in a programmed computer, the method comprising:
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a) inserting an instance of a client object into a web page;
b) permitting the client object instance to obtain from a switchboard a list of available reusable software components;
c) receiving from an author selection information identifying a selected one of the available components;
d) displaying a customizer interface and permitting an author to specify properties for the selected available component;
e) generating runtime text corresponding to the selected available component; and
,f) providing the runtime text to the client object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26)
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13. A method for updating a web page comprising one or more reusable software components, the method comprising:
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a) providing a web page comprising one or more instances of a client object, each instance of the client object having selection information identifying an original reusable software component having one or more configurable properties;
b) providing an updated set of software components;
c) reading from an instance of the client object the selection information and determining whether a newer version of the reusable software component identified by the selection information is available; and
,d) if a newer version of the reusable software component identified by the selection information is available, replacing the selection information with new selection information identifying the newer version of the reusable software component.
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16. A method for updating source code for a web page, the source code comprising one or more blocks of runtime text each corresponding to a configurable reusable component, each block of runtime text comprising a default indicator indicating whether or not the corresponding configurable reusable component was in a default configuration, the method comprising:
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a) selecting a block of runtime text for which the default indicator indicates that the corresponding configurable reusable component was in a default configuration;
b) identifying a configurable reusable component corresponding to the selected block of runtime text;
c) determining whether there is a newer version of the configurable reusable component;
d) if there is a newer version of the configurable reusable component, generating runtime text corresponding to the newer version of the configurable reusable component; and
,e) replacing the block of runtime text in the source code with the runtime text corresponding to the newer version of the component.
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19. Apparatus for creating web pages, the apparatus comprising a computer system having:
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a) a client software object, the client software object capable of retrieving a list of one or more available reusable software components, identifying a selected one of the available reusable software components selected by an author, and receiving runtime text corresponding to the selected reusable software component;
b) web publishing software capable of incorporating runtime text from one or more instances of the software client object in a source file for a web page; and
,c) switchboard software capable of generating runtime text corresponding to the selected reusable component and providing the runtime text to a corresponding instance of the client software object for inclusion in the runtime file.
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23. Apparatus for creating web pages, the apparatus comprising a computer system providing:
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a) one or more available reusable software components, each comprising rules for the generation of corresponding runtime text;
b) a means for providing a list of available reusable components;
c) a means for configuring properties of a selected reusable component;
d) a client software object, adapted to receive the list of available reusable components, to allow an author to select one of the available reusable components and to receive runtime text from the selected one of the available reusable components.
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Specification