Validation framework for validating markup page input on a client computer

• US 20040024842A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Witt, Evan
• Application Number:
  US10/207,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A server computer with an application and a client computer with a browser communicate over a network, such as the Internet. The server computer sends a behavior rule file to the client computer. The server computer also sends a markup language page (such as an HTML page) to the client computer. The page has at least one input field code. The client computer identifies a rule in the rule file from attributes in the input field code, applies the rule to the input field, and provides a message to the user of the client computer depending on a result of the rule application.

Claims

1. A method for operating a server computer and a client computer, the method comprising:

sending a validation rule file from the server computer to the client computer;

sending a markup language page from the server computer to the client computer;

receiving a first input value by the client computer, the first input value corresponding to a first input field represented in the page by first input field code;

receiving a second input value by the client computer, the second input value corresponding to a second input field represented in the page by second input field code;

identifying a rule in the validation rule file from attributes in the first input field code and in the second input field code;

applying the rule to the first input value and the second input value; and

providing a message to a user of the client computer depending on the result of applying the rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a validation rule file is performed prior to sending a markup language page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving first and second input values comprises receiving values from a user of the client computer who operates a keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a rule in the rule file comprises reading a JavaScript file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule comprises validating input values of each input field separately.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule comprises validating input values for both input fields in combination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the input field code is markup code and the attributes are part of the markup code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the message comprises providing a message with an indication of the input field to which the rule has been applied.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second input field code comprise further attributes to cross-reference the first and second input values.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input field code and the second input field code are represented in the page by code that causes a browser in the client computer to generate code upon receiving the page.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule file binds the rules to functions in libraries.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule is triggered upon the occurrence of an event.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule is triggered upon a predetermined user interaction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined user interaction comprises one of:

operating submit button;

operating a predetermined key on a computer keyboard; and

leaving the input field.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value and second value are first and second calendar dates, and wherein applying the rule comprises determining an error condition, the error condition comprising one of:

the first date antecedes the second date;

the first date precedes the second date;

the first date and the second date coincide;

an input number for a day is larger than 31 or smaller than 1; and

an input number for a month is larger than 12 or smaller than 1.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the server computer and the client computer communicate by TCP/IP and wherein the page is a HTML page.

17. A method for operating a server computer and a client computer, the method comprising:

sending a behavior rule file from the server computer to the client computer;

sending a markup language page from the server computer to the client computer, the page including at least one input field code;

identifying a rule in the behavior rule file from attributes in the input field code;

applying the rule to the input field; and

providing a message to a user of the client computer depending on the result of applying the rule.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein sending a behavior rule file comprises sending a validation rule file.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing a message comprises providing a message indicating a change in the behavior of the input fields.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying a rule in the behavior rule file comprises reading a JavaScript file.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the rule is triggered upon a predetermined user interaction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predetermined user interaction comprises one of:

operating submit button;

operating a predetermined key on a computer keyboard; and

leaving the input field.

23. A computer program product embodied on a computer usable medium, for operating a server computer and a client computer, the computer program product comprising:

instructions to the server computer for sending a validation rule file to the client computer;

instructions to the server computer for sending a markup language page to the client computer;

instructions to the client computer for receiving a first input value, the first input value corresponding to a first input field represented in the page by first input field code;

instructions to the client computer for receiving a second input value by the client computer, the second input value corresponding to a second input field represented in the page by second input field code;

instructions to the client computer for identifying a rule in the validation rule file from attributes in the first input field code and in the second input field code;

instructions to the client computer for applying the rule to the first input value and to the second input value; and

instructions to the client computer for providing a message to the user of the client computer depending on the result of applying the rule.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for receiving first and second input values are provided to receive values from a user who operates a keyboard of the client computer.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for identifying a rule in the rule file comprise instructions to read a JavaScript file.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for applying the rule comprise instructions to validate input values of each input field separately.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for applying the rule comprise instructions to validate input values for both input fields in combination.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions for providing a message comprise instructions to provide an indication of the input field to which the rule has to be applied.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the first input field code and the second input field code are represented in the page by code that causes a browser in the client computer to generate code upon receiving the page.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the first value and second value are first and second calendar dates, and wherein applying a rule comprises determining an error condition, the error condition comprising one of:

the first date antecedes the second date;

the first date precedes the second date;

the first date and the second date coincide;

an input number for a day is larger than 31 or smaller than 1; and

an input number for a month is larger than 12 or smaller than 1.

31. A computer-readable medium on which is stored instructions, which when executed performs steps in a method for operating a server computer and a client computer, the steps comprising:

sending a validation rule file from the server computer to the client computer;

sending a markup language page from the server computer to the client computer;

receiving a first input value by the client computer, the first input value corresponding to a first input field represented in the page by first input field code;

receiving a second input value by the client computer, the second input value corresponding to a second input field represented in the page by second input field code;

identifying a rule in the validation rule file from attributes in the first input field code and in the second input field code;

applying the rule to the first input value and to the second input value; and

providing a message to (a user of the client computer depending on the result of applying the rule.

32. A computer system of server computer and client computer that communicate to provide a presentation on the client computer, wherein:

the server computer is adapted to send a validation rule file to the client computer;

the server computer is adapted to send a markup language page to the client computer;

the client computer is adapted to receive a first input value, the first input value corresponding to a first input field represented in the page by first input field code;

the client computer is adapted to receive a second input value, the second input value corresponding to a second input field represented in the page by second input field code;

the client computer is adapted to identify a rule in the validation rule file from attributes in the first input field code and in the second input field code;

the client computer is adapted to apply the rule to the first input value and to the second input value; and

the client computer is adapted to provide a message to the user of the client computer depending on the result of rule application.

33. A computer program product for controlling the operation of a server computer and a client computer, the program comprising the following code portions:

code for sending a behavior rule file from the server computer to the client computer;

code for sending a markup language page from the server computer to the client computer, the page including at least one input field code;

code for identifying a rule in the behavior rule file from attributes in the input field code;

code for applying the rule to the input field; and

code for providing a message to a user of the client computer depending on a result of applying the rule.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for sending a behavior rule file comprises code for sending a validation rule file.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for providing a message comprises code for providing a message indicating a change in the behavior of the input fields.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for identifying a rule in the behavior rule file comprises code for reading a JavaScript file.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for applying the rule is triggered upon a predetermined user interaction.

38. The computer program product of claim, 33, wherein the predetermined user interaction comprises one of:

operating submit button;

operating a predetermined key on a computer keyboard; and

leaving the input field.

39. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising code for sending a plurality of markup language pages from the server computer to the client computer, each page including at least one input field code.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, further wherein the code for applying the rule comprises code for applying the rule consistently to the plurality of markup language pages.