Methods and systems for merging software-level objects with document-level objects in a document publishing environment

• US 20070033213A1
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kammerer, Matthias, Khandamirov, Ilya, Lieske, Christian, Bezrukov, Vladislav, Hirche, Andreas, Dhairyawan, Nikhil, Jensen, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for generating, managing, and publishing documents based on document level objects and software level objects . In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for managing documents in a computing system environment. The method may include identifying a placeholder object included in a document having a document level object, the placeholder object having metadata corresponding to a software level object. Further, the method includes generating a query message based on the placeholder object and identifying software level object content based on the query message. The software level object content may be in a first format based on a first set of constraints. The method may also include providing a response message including the software level object content and transforming the format of the software level object content included in the response message to a second format based on a second set of constraints. In one aspect, the document level object is configured in the second format. The transformed software level object content may be merged in the document based on the placeholder object in the document. Based on the transformed software level object, an output document may be generated such that the software level object content replaces the placeholder object in the output document.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing documents in a computing system environment, comprising:

identifying a placeholder object included in a document having a document level object, the placeholder object having metadata corresponding to a software level object;

generating a query message based on the placeholder object;

identifying software level object content based on the query message, the software level object content being in a first format based on a first set of constraints;

providing a response message including the software level object content;

transforming the format of the software level object content included in the response message to a second format based on a second set of constraints, wherein the document level object is configured in the second format;

merging the transformed software level object content in the document based on the placeholder object in the document; and

generating an output document based on the transformed software level object content and document level object such that the software level object content replaces the placeholder object in the output document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first process executed by a processor maintains and manages the document level object and a second process maintains the software level object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the query message includes:

inserting, based on the placeholder object, configuration information in the query message, the configuration information identifying a repository that stores the software level object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying software level object content includes:

analyzing the configuration information in the query message to locate the repository.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the response message includes:

collecting the software level object content from the repository; and

inserting the software level object content in the response message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the response message includes:

providing the response message as an XML stream of data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a first process generates the query message and a second process provides the response message to the first process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the software level object content includes executable code that is modifiable by the second process.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging step is performed by a first process and the method further includes:

modifying, by a second process, the software level object content;

receiving, by the second process, a second query message that includes the metadata associated with the software level object; and

providing, by the second process, the modified software level object content to the first process in a second response message such that the first process merges the modified software object content and the document level object into the document.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second query message includes configuration information that identifies a repository that stores the modified software level object content, and wherein providing the modified software level object content further includes:

collecting the modified software level object content from the repository, wherein a second repository stores the unmodified software level object content.

11. A system for managing documents, comprising:

a processor system; and

a memory system for storing processes including;

a first process executed by the processor system to retrieve a document including a document level object and a placeholder object associated with metadata corresponding to a software level object, provide a query message identifying the metadata, receive a response message including software level object content that is configured in a first format based on a first set of constraints, transform the format of software level object content included in the response message to a second format based on a second set of constraints, wherein the document level object is configured in the second format, and merge the software level object content and document level object into an output document; and

a second process executed by the processor system to create the software level object, identify the software level object content based on the metadata identified by the query message, and provide the response message to the first process in response to the query message,

wherein the first process generates the output document based on the transformed software level object content and document level object such that the software level object content replaces the placeholder object in the output document.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second process maintains the software level object in a repository identified by the metadata.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first process generates the query by inserting, based on the placeholder object, configuration information in the query message, the configuration information identifying a repository that stores the software level object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second process analyzes the configuration information in the query message to locate the repository.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second process provides the response message by collecting the software level object content from the repository and inserting the software level object content in the response message.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the second process provides the response message as an XML stream of data.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the software level object content includes executable code that is modifiable by the second process.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first process is configured to generate the output document based on the executable code included in the software level object content and without the document level object.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the second process modifies the software level object content, receives second query message that includes the metadata associated with the software level object, and provides the modified software level object content to the first process in a second response message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first process merges the modified software object content and the document level object into the output document such that the modified software level object content replaces the placeholder object in the output document.