Method and apparatus for extensible stylesheet designs

• US 20040205592A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xmlcities
• Original Assignee: Xmlcities
• Inventors: Huang, Evan S.
• Application Number:
  US10/224,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets

Abstract

Techniques for extensible stylesheet (XSL) design using composite definition association are disclosed. The designed stylesheets are for transferring content-oriented markup language files into a target file so as to support various presentations and information exchange. In the XSL design case, at least document definition files, such as document type definitions (DTD) or schema, for the source XML, the target makeup language file, and XSL are provided. An element can be selected in the XSL file or its corresponding document definition files. Subsequently, a composite child list is generated or obtained from the definition files. The composite child element list is used to restrict or suggest the possible child element for the selected element for the XSL design.

Claims

1. A method for designing an extensible stylesheet, the method comprising:

providing a first type of document definitions files pertaining to a target presentation, an extensible stylesheet file for the extensible stylesheet and a second type of document definitions files pertaining to the extensible stylesheet;

obtaining a child element list for a selected element in the extensible stylesheet file, wherein the selected element belongs to either the first type or the second type of document definitions files;

obtaining an associate child element list for an associate element if the associate child element exists; and

creating a composite child element list by combining the child element list for the selected element and the associate child element list for the associate element if there is one.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising allowing a new element to be inserted in the extensible styesheet file from the composite child element list.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the new element pertains to information to be entered in the extensible stylesheet.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the associate child element list for the associate element comprises finding the associate element for the selected element by propagating back parent elements of the selected element to reach a first element belonging to a different type of document definition file.

5. The method as cited in claim 1 further comprising importing one or more XML files that are intended to be converted to files for the target presentation via the stylesheet.

6. The method as cited in claim 5, wherein the files for the target presentation are in a markup language.

7. The method as cited in claim 6, wherein the markup language is one of XML, WML, and HTML.

8. The method as cited in claim 5, wherein the obtaining of the associate child element list for the associate element comprises finding the associate element for the selected element by an indirect linking through elements in the one or more XML files.

9. The method as cited in claim 1, wherein the extensible stylesheet is in a markup language and allows editing to be made therein.

10. The method as cited in claim 9, wherein the editing can only be made in accordance with a new element that can be inserted in the extensible stylesheet from the composite child element list such that the editing can be effectuated in the target presentation.

11. A method for designing an extensible stylesheet, the method comprising:

displaying a graphic environment with at least a first display window and a second display window, the first display window displaying the extensible stylesheet, and the second display window displaying a first type of document definitions files pertaining to a target presentation, and a second type of document definitions files pertaining to the extensible stylesheet;

selecting an element by highlighting an element in the first display window, wherein the highlighted element belongs to either the first type or the second type of document definitions files;

obtaining a child element list for the selected element;

obtaining an associate child element list for an associate element if the associate child element exists; and

creating a composite child element list by combining the child element for the selected element and the associate child element list for the associate element if there is one.

12. A software product to be executable in a computing device for designing an extensible stylesheet, the software product comprising:

program code for providing a first type of document definitions files pertaining to a target presentation, an extensible stylesheet file for the extensible stylesheet and a second type of document definitions files pertaining to the extensible stylesheet;

program code for obtaining a child element list for a selected element in the imported extensible stylesheet file, wherein the selected element belongs to either the first type or the second type of document definitions files;

program code for obtaining an associate child element list for an associate element if the associate child element exists; and

program code for creating a composite child element list by combining the child element list for the selected element and the associate child element list for the associate element if there is one.

13. The software product as recited in claim 12 further comprising program code for allowing a new element to be inserted in the extensible stylesheet from the composite child element list.

14. The software product as recited in claim 13, wherein the new element pertains to information to be entered in the extensible stylesheet.

15. The software product as recited in claim 12, wherein the program code for obtaining the associate child element list for the associate element comprises program code for finding the associate element for the selected element by propagating back parent elements of the selected element to reach a first element belonging to a different type of document definition file.

16. The software product as cited in claim 12 further comprising program code for importing one or more XML files that are intended to be converted to files for the target presentation via the stylesheet.

17. The software product as cited in claim 16, wherein the files for the target presentation are in a markup language.

18. The software product as cited in claim 12, wherein the program code for obtaining the associate child element list for the associate element comprises program code for finding the associate element for the selected element by an indirect linking through elements in the one or more XML files.

19. The software product as cited in claim 12, wherein the extensible stylesheet is in a markup language and allows editing to be made therein.

20. The software product as cited in claim 19, wherein the editing can only be made in accordance with a new element that can be inserted in the composite child element list such that the editing can be effectuated in the target presentation.