Structured document transformation method, structured document transformation apparatus, and program product

• US 20030084078A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Torii, Osamu, Kimura, Tetsuro, Segawa, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document and a second structured document is disclosed. A transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document is prepared. A forward transformation is performed, which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule. At that time, a transformation record is created. The record contains which primitive rules were applied and which paths were transformed in the forward transformation. The transformed second structured document may be edited by an application-side. After that, a backward transformation is performed, which transforms the second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

Claims

1. A structured document transforming method for performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document and a second structured document, wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, comprising:

preparing a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document;

performing a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

creating a transformation record wherein which primitive rules were applied and which paths were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded;

editing the second structured document; and

performing a backward transformation which transforms the second structured document into the first structured document while referring to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

controlling said forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important node during the forward transformation.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

invalidating the primitive rules that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the fist structured document.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elements is applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.

8. A structured document transforming apparatus which performs bidirectional transformation between a first structured document and a second structured document, wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, comprising:

a storage configured to store a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document;

a forward transformer configured to perform a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

a creating device configured to create a transformation record wherein which primitive rules were applied and which paths were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded; and

a backward transformer configured to perform a backward transformation which transforms the second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a detector configured to detect an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

a controller configured to control said forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important node during the forward transformation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a detector configured to detect an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

an invalidator configured to invalidate the primitive rules that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the fist structured document.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a defining device configured to define an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the elements is applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.

15. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document and a second structured document, wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, and wherein the bidirectional transformation uses a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document, comprising:

a code segment that performs a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

a code segment that creates a transformation record wherein which primitive rules were applied and which paths were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded; and

a code segment that performs a backward transformation which transforms the second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising:

a code segment that detects an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

a code segment that controls said forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important node during the forward transformation.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising:

a code segment that detects an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination; and

a code segment that invalidates the primitive rules that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the fist structured document.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising:

a code segment that defines an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

21. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the elements is applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.