Providing a server-side scripting language and programming tool

• US 20030140045A1
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Browz LLC (Avetta LLC)
• Original Assignee: Browz LLC (Avetta LLC)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Rama, Heninger, Troy
• Application Number:
  US10/191,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Server side scripting language and programming tool that includes an inventive script that is added to a normal text-based document can benefit from a dynamic document architecture. The document is processed by an interpreter to access database or other information. When a browser requests a document enhanced by the present invention, the interpreter processes the document by scanning for the inventive script commands. When a script command is encountered, the interpreter executes the script command, returns the result to the web page, and strips the executable script command from the resulting “pure-format” document. Once all executable script commands have been executed and stripped, the resulting document is in a “pure-format” form, which is sent by the server to the client computer, whose browser initiated the document request. Due to the text-based format of the present invention, the novel script commands may be added, deleted or edited from a typical HTML or Web page editor or from a word processor or text editor.

Claims

1. In a system that includes a computer device, a method for facilitating the creation of a web page using a script command and a database, the method comprising the steps for:

creating a text-based document;

adding a server-side script command to the text-based document to create a mixed-format scripted document, wherein the server-side script command provides increased functionality to the web page;

using an interpreter to process the scripting command;

selectively accessing a database when the text-based document is requested by a browser; and

providing the web page on a display device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreter is a Java servlet.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the text-based document is a one of:

(i) an HTML document;

(ii) a spreadsheet; and

(iii) a word-processing document.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step for using an interpreter to process the scripting command comprises the step for using the interpreter to scan the text-based document for the server-side script command.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step for using an interpreter to process the scripting command further comprises the step for using the interpreter to execute the server-side script command upon encountering the server-side script command.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step for using an interpreter to execute the server-side script command initiates the step for selectively accessing a database.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the step for selectively accessing a database comprises the steps for:

(i) processing information from the database;

(ii) returning a result to the browser; and

(iii) stripping the script command from a resulting document.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the resulting document is an HTML document without an extraneous tag.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the browser and the display device are at a client computer.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step for adding a server-side script command is performed using one of:

(i) an HTML editor;

(ii) a word processor; and

(iii) a text editor.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreter is a Java servlet.

11. In a networked system that includes a client and a server, a method for facilitating creation of a web page for display at the client, the method comprising the steps for:

initiating a request from a client computer device to a web server for information corresponding to a web page, wherein the web page is represented by a URL address that is located on the web server;

using the web server to locate a document associated with the URL address;

using the web server to check the file extension of the document to determine whether a script command is located in the document;

if the script command is located in the document, sending the document to an interpreter to execute the script command;

using the interpreter to selectively accessing a database; and

sending results to the client computer device for display of the web page on a display device.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step for initiating a request is performed by a web browser of the client computer device.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the document is a text-based document that includes a server-side script command to create a mixed-format scripted document that provides increased functionality to the web page.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the text-based document is a one of:

(i) an HTML document;

(ii) a spreadsheet; and

(iii) a word-processing document.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step for sending the document to an interpreter to execute the script command comprises the step for loading and parsing the script command.

17. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for facilitating the creation of a web page using a script command and a database, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium for providing computer program code means utilized to implement the method, wherein the computer program code means is comprised of executable code for implementing the steps for;

creating a text-based document;

adding a server-side script command to the text-based document to create a mixed-format scripted document, wherein the server-side script command provides increased functionality to the web page;

using an interpreter to process the scripting command;

selectively accessing information from a database; and

providing the web page on a display device.

18. A computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the step for using an interpreter to process the scripting command comprises the steps for

using the interpreter to scan the text-based document for the server-side script command;

and

using the interpreter to execute the server-side script command upon encountering the server-side script command.

19. A computer program product as recited in claim 18, wherein the step for using an interpreter to execute the server-side script command initiates the step for selectively accessing a database.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the step for selectively accessing a database comprises the steps for:

processing information from the database;

returning a result to the browser; and

stripping the script command from a resulting document.