System and method for reporting hierarchically arranged data in markup language formats

• US 20050005233A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Rahul, Whalen, William J., Shaji, Ullattil, Myburgh, Rhynier, Carlson, Nick, Hassel, Kenik, Cheng, Derek C.Y., Kays, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/80 of semi-structured data, e.g. markup language structured data such as SGML, XML or HTML content-based retrieval of web data G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/838 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion

Abstract

A system and method comprising a reporting mechanism for outputting an HMTL and XML document from a collection of hierarchically maintained settings such as group policy object settings or resultant set of policy data. The reporting mechanism provides a substantially complete view of which settings are configured (enabled) in a given group policy object, or a view for a resultant set of policy (that is applied to a given SOM), along with the values of the settings. The markup language format enables viewing a flat representation of the settings, and printing, saving and/or transporting of the settings. XML schemas describe a valid representation of group policy settings, and a valid representation of resultant set of policy.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

collecting settings data from a disparate set of stores; and

processing the settings into at least one markup language document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the disparate set of stores comprise containers for the settings data of a group policy object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a markup language document comprises a HTML-formatted document, and further comprising, rendering a visible representation of the HTML-formatted document.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein processing the settings into at least one markup language document comprises generating an HTML-formatted document.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, rendering a visible representation of the HTML-formatted document.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein generating the HTML-formatted document comprises mapping a type of property dialog to HTML content.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the HTML document includes headings and settings data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a set of settings data corresponds to a heading, and wherein the set of settings data is shown based on interaction with the corresponding heading.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the HTML document includes headings and settings data, and wherein one of the settings maps to a set of properties accessible via a property dialog.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the settings into at least one markup language document comprises serializing the settings into an XML-formatted document.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein serializing the settings comprises providing an XML schema and settings data to an XML serializer component.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

13. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

providing a schema that describes group policy object settings; and

applying the schema to output a formatted version of the group policy object settings.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 13.

16. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

providing a schema that describes resultant set of policy settings; and

applying the schema to output a formatted version of the resultant set of policy settings.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 16.