Automated interactive visual mapping utility and method for validation and storage of XML data

• US 20070239749A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Farahbod, Farzad
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3604 Software analysis for verifying properties of programs byte-code verification G06F9/44589
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product is provided for automatic validation of Extensible Markup Language (XML) data through interactive visual mapping, before storing the validated XML data into a target destination. The method allows a user to interact with a graphic user interface (GUI) to obtain mapping of an XML source document or its fragment and the target destination through at least one XML validation schema, and to automatically obtain XML data validations. The GUI is menu-driven and displays the XML data in the native format and a selection of the XML validation schemas. Interactions with the GUI automatically generate an XML validation mapping definition document and a validation code. The target destination can be one or more XML columns, a web service call, a standalone application call, a function'"'"'s or stored procedure'"'"'s input parameter of XML type and it may be located in a heterogeneous RDBMS environment.

Claims

1. A method for automatic validation of Extensible Markup Language (XML) data through interactive visual mapping, before storing the validated XML data into a target destination, comprising:

a user interacting with a graphic user interface (GUI) to obtain mapping of an XML source document and the target destination through at least one XML validation schema, and automatic XML data validations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the XML validation schema is represented with its namespace.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the GUI is menu-driven.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the GUI displays a window with the XML data in native format and a selection of the XML validation schemas.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s interactions with the GUI automatically generate an XML validation mapping definition document, containing user'"'"'s validation mapping specifications, and a validation code for commanding the validation of the XML data.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the generated XML validation mapping definition document comprises a programming language of the validation code, a type and name of the XML source document and locations of the target destination and the XML validation schema.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the validation code programming language is selected from the group consisting of a Structured Query Language (SQL) script, C# code, Java code, Virtual Basic code, Hypertext Preprocessor code, and C++code.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the user'"'"'s interactions with the GUI automatically dissecting the XML data into XML fragments, and

selecting an appropriate XML validation schema for each XML fragment validation.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the user selecting the XML fragment by drawing a box around it, and

the GUI automatically calculating the XML fragment'"'"'s end tag, drawing an XML fragment block around the selected XML fragment and creating the XML fragment'"'"'s label and path.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the validated XML document is stored in the target destination selected from the group consisting of an XML column of a database table, a web service call, a standalone application call, a function'"'"'s input parameter of XML type, a stored procedure'"'"'s input or input/output parameter of XAL type, and a heterogeneous RDBMS environment.

11. A system for automatic validation of Extensible Markup Language (XML) data through interactive visual mapping, before storing the validated XML data into a target destination, comprising:

a user interactive validation utility having a graphic user interface (GUI) to obtain mapping of an XML source document and the target destination through at least one XML validation schema, and automatic XML data validations.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the XML validation schema is represented with its namespace.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the GUI is menu-driven.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the GUI displays a window with the XML data in native format and a selection of the XML validation schemas.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the user'"'"'s interactions with the GUI automatically generate an XML validation mapping definition document, containing user'"'"'s validation mapping specifications, and a validation code for commanding the validation of the XML data.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the generated XML validation mapping definition document comprises a programming language of the validation code, a type and name of the XML source document and locations of the target destination and the XML validation schema.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the validation code programming language is selected from the group consisting of a Structured Query Language (SQL) script, C# code, Java code, Virtual Basic code, Hypertext Preprocessor code, and C++ code.

18. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

the GUI automatically dissects the XML data into XML fragments, and

selects an appropriate XML validation schema for each XML fragment validation.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein:

the user selects the XML fragment by drawing a box around it, and

the GUI automatically calculates the XML fragment'"'"'s end tag, draws an XML fragment block around the selected XML fragment and creates the XML fragment'"'"'s label and path.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein:

the validated XML document is stored in the target destination selected from the group consisting of an XML column of a database table, a web service call, a standalone application call, a function'"'"'s input parameter of XML type, a stored procedure'"'"'s input or input/output parameter of XML type, and a heterogeneous RDBMS environment.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program for automatic validation of Extensible Markup Language (XML) data through interactive visual mapping, before storing the validated XML data into a target destination, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

obtain mapping of an XML source document and the target destination through at least one XML validation schema and automatic XML data validations, according to a user'"'"'s interactions with a graphic user interface (GUI).

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the XML validation schema is represented with its namespace.

23. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the GUI is menu-driven.

24. The computer program product according to claim 23, wherein the GUI displays a window with the XML data in native format and a selection of the XML validation schemas.

25. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the user'"'"'s interactions with the GUI automatically generate an XML validation mapping definition document, containing user'"'"'s validation mapping specifications, and a validation code for commanding the validation of the XML data.

26. The computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the generated XML validation mapping definition document comprises a programming language of the validation code, a type and name of the XML source document and locations of the target destination and the XML validation schema.

27. The computer program product according to claim 26, wherein the validation code programming language is selected from the group consisting of a Structured Query Language (SQL) script, C# code, Java code, Virtual Basic code, Hypertext Preprocessor code, and C++ code.

28. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

the user'"'"'s interactions with the GUI to automatically dissecting the XML data into XML fragments, and

selecting an appropriate XML validation schema for each XML fragment validation.

29. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein:

the user selecting the XML fragment by drawing a box around it, and

the GUI automatically calculating the XML fragment'"'"'s end tag, drawing an XML fragment block around the selected XML fragment and creating the XML fragment'"'"'s label and path.

30. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein:

the validated XML document is stored in the target destination selected from the group consisting of an XML column of a database table, a web service call, a standalone application call, a function'"'"'s input parameter of XML type, a stored procedure'"'"'s input or input/output parameter of XML type, and a heterogeneous RDBMS environment.