Web application generator

• US 20060294500A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gutenberg Printing LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chiang, Hiang-Swee
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for providing a web application or to generate the basis for a complete web application source code. Based on user interface input files provided by graphic designers, the web application or generates application framework code, an event handler skeleton and s logic foundation code. Web developers then prepare additional source code object-oriented programming language based on the event handler skeleton and business logic foundation code to create web application business logic objects and handler methods. Ultimately the graphical user interface input files prepared by the designers and web application source code prepared by the web developers dynamically bound at runtime.

Claims

1. A method for use by a web application generator in generating source code for a web application, comprising:

parsing at least one input file;

reviewing the parsed input file for one or more of a tag type, an attribute name and an attribute value; and

determining an event handler method based on one or more of the tag type, the attribute name and the attribute value.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the web application comprises graphical user interfaces (GUI) code, application framework code, application event handler code and application business logic code.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the application framework code provides instruction to an operating system of a web application server.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising permitting a graphic designer to modify a web application GUI at the same time that a web developer is preparing a web application business logic object and event handler method.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising automatically re-compiling modifications to input files that make up the GUI at runtime without affecting the parallel work of the web developer.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising providing a framework for finalizing the web application source code using an event handler skeleton, business logic code and GUI code.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said event handler code comprises said skeleton.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said skeleton comprises an event handler object that accepts requests from HTML <

input>

tags with JLMCIick name and submit type attributes.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising permitting a web developer to write appropriate source code into the event handler code skeleton to drive the application business logic in response to user interactions.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more input files are provided to a web application generator and said web application generator is operable to perform said parsing, reviewing and determining steps.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the web application generator determines if application framework code is available by searching for its existence in an application directory, said application framework code being specific for a particular web application.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising storing the application framework code in an application directory of an application web server, whereby said application framework code is made available for use by applications provided by graphic designers and business analysts in multiple input formats.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising employing the web application generator to determine if business logic foundation code has been generated for the web application.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising determining that application framework code is not stored in the application directory, and employing the web application generator to generate application framework code and business logic foundation code.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the application framework code is generated independent of the content of the input files, and provides a framework for the web application.

16. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the generation of business logic foundation code independent of the input files.

17. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising employing the web application generator to read at least one input file and parse said at least one input file to create an object representation of the input file for subsequent manipulation.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising, after parsing the input file, employing the web application generator to analyze the content of the parsed file and to identify at least one input tag selected from a prescribed group of input tags.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said prescribed group of input tags includes the following:

comment tag, password tag, LMShowView tag, include tag, ext area tag, JLMShowParentView tag, variable tag, select tag, repeat tag, output tag, checkbox tag, if else tag, frame tag, radio tag, anchor tag, hidden tag, form tag, JLMClick tag, text tag, and JLVDefauItClick tag.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising, after identifying the at least one input tag, employing the web application generator to search for specific attributes within the input tag, based on the input tag type.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising, after identifying each attribute within the input tag, employing the web application generator to identify an attribute value associated with the attribute name.

22. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising employing the web application generator to generate event handler code and GUI code.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the generation of event handler and GUI code is based on the input tag, attribute name(s) and associated attribute value(s), and a rule within web application server memory.

24. A computer readable medium comprising executable code for instructing a web application generator to perform a method for generating source code for a web application, said method comprising:

parsing at least one input file;

reviewing the parsed input file for one or more of a tag type, an attribute name and an attribute value; and

determining an event handler method based on one or more of the tag type, the attribute name and the attribute value.

25. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the web application comprises graphical user interfaces (GUI) code, application framework code, application event handler code and application business logic code.

26. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the application framework code provides instruction to an operating system of a web application server.

27. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 25, said method further comprising permitting a graphic designer to modify a web application GUI at the same time that a web developer is preparing a web application business logic object and event handler method.

28. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 27, said method further comprising automatically re-compiling modifications to input files that make up the GUI at runtime without affecting the parallel work of the web developer.

29. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 25, said method further comprising providing a framework for finalizing the web application source code using an event handler skeleton, business logic code and GUI code.

30. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 29, wherein said event handler code comprises said skeleton.

31. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein said skeleton comprises an event handler object that accepts requests from HTML <

input>

tags with JLMCIick name and submit type attributes.

32. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 30, further comprising permitting a web developer to write appropriate source code into the event handler code skeleton to drive the application business logic in response to user interactions.

33. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein one or more input files are provided to the web application generator and said web application generator is operable to perform said parsing, reviewing and determining steps.

34. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the web application generator determines if application framework code is available by searching for its existence in an application directory, said application framework code being specific for a particular web application.

35. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 34, said method further comprising storing the application framework code in an application directory of an application web server, whereby said application framework code is made available for use by applications provided by graphic designers and business analysts in multiple input formats.

36. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 33, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to determine if business logic foundation code has been generated for the web application.

37. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 36, said method further comprising determining that application framework code is not stored in the application directory, and employing the web application generator to generate application framework code and business logic foundation code.

38. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 37, wherein the application framework code is generated independent of the content of the input files, and provides a framework for the web application.

39. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 33, said method further comprising the generation of business logic foundation code independent of the input files.

40. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 33, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to read at least one input file and parse said at least one input file to create an object representation of the input file for subsequent manipulation.

41. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 40, said method further comprising, after parsing the input file, employing the web application generator to analyze the content of the parsed file and to identify at least one input tag selected from a prescribed group of input tags.

42. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, wherein said prescribed group of input tags includes the following:

comment tag, password tag, LMShowView tag, include tag, ext area tag, JLMShowParentView tag, variable tag, select tag, repeat tag, output tag, checkbox tag, if else tag, frame tag, radio tag, anchor tag, hidden tag, form tag, JLMCIick tag, text tag, and JLVDefauItClick tag.

43. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, said method further comprising, after identifying the at least one input tag, employing the web application generator to search for specific attributes within the input tag, based on the input tag type.

44. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 43, said method further comprising, after identifying each attribute within the input tag, employing the web application generator to identify an attribute value associated with the attribute name.

45. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 33, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to generate event handler code and GUI code.

46. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the generation of event handler and GUI code is based on the input tag, attribute name(s) and associated attribute value(s), and a rule within web application server memory.

47. A system comprising a computer and a computer readable medium coupled to the computer, the computer readable medium comprising executable code for instructing the computer to act as a web application generator, including:

parsing at least one input file;

reviewing the parsed input file for one or more of a tag type, an attribute name and an attribute value; and

determining an event handler method based on one or more of the tag type, the attribute name and the attribute value.

48. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein the web application comprises graphical user interfaces (GUI) code, application framework code, application event handler code and application business logic code.

49. A system as recited in claim 48, wherein the application framework code provides instruction to an operating system of a web application server.

50. A system as recited in claim 48, said method further comprising permitting a graphic designer to modify a web application GUI at the same time that a web developer is preparing a web application business logic object and event handler method.

51. A system as recited in claim 50, said method further comprising automatically re-compiling modifications to input files that make up the GUI at runtime without affecting the parallel work of the web developer.

52. A system as recited in claim 48, said method further comprising providing a framework for finalizing the web application source code using an event handler skeleton, business logic code and GUI code.

53. A system as recited in claim 52, wherein said event handler code comprises said skeleton.

54. A system as recited in claim 53, wherein said skeleton comprises an event handler object that accepts requests from HTML <

input>

tags with JLMCIick name and submit type attributes.

55. A system as recited in claim 53, further comprising permitting a web developer to write appropriate source code into the event handler code skeleton to drive the application business logic in response to user interactions.

56. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein one or more input files are provided to the web application generator and said web application generator is operable to perform said parsing, reviewing and determining steps.

57. A system as recited in claim 55, wherein the web application generator determines if application framework code is available by searching for its existence in an application directory, said application framework code being specific for a particular web application.

58. A system as recited in claim 57, said method further comprising storing the application framework code in an application directory of an application web server, whereby said application framework code is made available for use by applications provided by graphic designers and business analysts in multiple input formats.

59. A system as recited in claim 56, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to determine if business logic foundation code has been generated for the web application.

60. A system as recited in claim 59, said method further comprising determining that application framework code is not stored in the application directory, and employing the web application generator to generate application framework code and business logic foundation code.

61. A system as recited in claim 60, wherein the application framework code is generated independent of the content of the input files, and provides a framework for the web application.

62. A system as recited in claim 56, said method further comprising the generation of business logic foundation code independent of the input files.

63. A system as recited in claim 56, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to read at least one input file and parse said at least one input file to create an object representation of the input file for subsequent manipulation.

64. A system as recited in claim 63, said method further comprising, after parsing the input file, employing the web application generator to analyze the content of the parsed file and to identify at least one input tag selected from a prescribed group of input tags.

65. A system as recited in claim 64, wherein said prescribed group of input tags includes the following:

comment tag, password tag, LMShowView tag, include tag, ext area tag, JLMShowParentView tag, variable tag, select tag, repeat tag, output tag, checkbox tag, if else tag, frame tag, radio tag, anchor tag, hidden tag, form tag, JLMClick tag, text tag, and JLVDefauItClick tag.

66. A system as recited in claim 64, said method further comprising, after identifying the at least one input tag, employing the web application generator to search for specific attributes within the input tag, based on the input tag type.

67. A system as recited in claim 66, said method further comprising, after identifying each attribute within the input tag, employing the web application generator to identify an attribute value associated with the attribute name.

68. A system as recited in claim 56, said method further comprising employing the web application generator to generate event handler code and GUI code.

69. A system as recited in claim 68, wherein the generation of event handler and GUI code is based on the input tag, attribute name(s) and associated attribute value(s), and a rule within web application server memory.

70. A system comprising a computer and a computer readable medium coupled to the computer, and web application generator means, said web application generator means including:

means for parsing at least one input file;

means for reviewing the parsed input file for one or more of a tag type, an attribute name and an attribute value; and

means for determining an event handler method based on one or more of the tag type, the attribute name and the attribute value.

71. A method for web application development, comprising:

modifying graphical user interface files for a web application;

preparing at least one web application business logic objects and event handler methods in parallel with the modifying of the graphical user interface files; and

automatically recompiling input files that make up the graphical user interface while simultaneously permitting the preparation of the web application business logic objects or event handler methods.

72. A system web application development, comprising:

means for modifying graphical user interface files for a web application;

means for preparing at least one web application business logic objects and event handler methods in parallel with the modifying of the graphical user interface files; and

means for automatically recompiling input files that make up the graphical user interface while simultaneously permitting the preparation of the web application business logic objects or event handler methods.