Enabling easy generation of XML documents from XML specifications

• US 20030074636A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ensoftek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ensoftek, Inc.
• Inventors: Manepalli, Harish
• Application Number:
  US10/269,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074636A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Generating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) from XML DTD files. A user selects the DTD file for which a GUI is to be generated. The DTD file is parsed to identify the different elements present in the DTD file. The identified elements are represented in the form of a binary tree-like data structure referred to as a DTD binary object. The DTD binary object can be used at run-time to quickly construct the GUI forms. The GUI forms contain several edit fields where the user can enter data. The DTD binary object extracts the data entered by the user and saves the GUI form in XML format.

Claims

1. A method of creating XML documents, said method comprising:

parsing using a computer system a Document Type Definition (DTD) to determine a plurality of elements comprised in said DTD;

providing in said computer system a graphical user interface (GUI) which enables a user to enter a plurality of data elements associated with said plurality of elements; and

generating in said computer system an XML document according to said DTD and said plurality of data elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating comprises creating an intermediate form representing a parent-child relationship between each of said plurality of elements, wherein said GUI is generated by examining said intermediate form.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said DTD specifies a cardinality of each of said plurality of elements, wherein said creating includes data representing said cardinality in said intermediate form, and said generating generates said GUI according to said cardinality.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said cardinality indicates whether a first element comprised in said plurality of elements is a repeating element, wherein said providing includes an add button and a delete button associated with said first element, wherein said add button enables said user to an instance of said first element in said GUI and said delete button enables said user to delete said instance of said first element in said GUI.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said cardinality indicates whether a second element comprised in said plurality of elements is a mandatory element, an optional element or a choice element.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said parsing indicates whether a third element comprised in said plurality of elements is a leaf node not having any children, wherein said includes an edit field associated with said third element if said third element is a leaf node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said providing displays a string associated with said edit field, wherein said string is formed by concatenation of names of nodes in the path from a root to said third element, wherein said names are contained in said DTD.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said intermediate form comprises a binary object.

9. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for causing a computer system to create XML documents, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said system causes said one or more processors to perform the actions of:

parsing a Document Type Definition (DTD) to determine a plurality of elements comprised in said DTD;

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) which enables a user to enter a plurality of data elements associated with said plurality of elements; and

generating an XML document according to said DTD and said plurality of data elements.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said generating comprises creating an intermediate form representing a parent-child relationship between each of said plurality of elements, wherein said GUI is generated by examining said intermediate form.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said DTD specifies a cardinality of each of said plurality of elements, wherein said creating includes data representing said cardinality in said intermediate form, and said generating generates said GUI according to said cardinality.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said cardinality indicates whether a first element comprised in said plurality of elements is a repeating element, wherein said providing includes an add button and a delete button associated with said first element, wherein said add button enables said user to an instance of said first element in said GUI and said delete button enables said user to delete said instance of said first element in said GUI.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said cardinality indicates whether a second element comprised in said plurality of elements is a mandatory element, an optional element or a choice element.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said parsing indicates whether a third element comprised in said plurality of elements is a leaf node not having any children, wherein said includes an edit field associated with said third element if said third element is a leaf node.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said providing displays a string associated with said edit field, wherein said string is formed by concatenation of names of nodes in the path from a root to said third element, wherein said names are contained in said DTD.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said intermediate form comprises a binary object.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising enabling said user to edit an existing XML document formed according to said DTD, wherein said intermediate form is used to enable said user to edit said existing XML document.

18. A computer system for creating XML documents, said computer system comprising:

means for parsing using a Document Type Definition (DTD) to determine a plurality of elements comprised in said DTD;

means for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) which enables a user to enter a plurality of data elements associated with said plurality of elements; and

means for generating an XML document according to said DTD and said plurality of data elements.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating creates an intermediate form representing a parent-child relationship between each of said plurality of elements, wherein said GUI is generated by examining said intermediate form.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said DTD specifies a cardinality of each of said plurality of elements, wherein said creating includes data representing said cardinality in said intermediate form, and said generating generates said GUI according to said cardinality.