Method of creating and editing a web site in a client-server environment using customizable web site templates

• US 6,026,433 A
• Filed: 03/17/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: D'Arlach, Carmen Ximena, Kershner, Stephen Kenneth, Singh, Sameer Satyendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Asta, Frank J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C.
• Application Number:
  US08/819,598
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 707/501, 707/506, 707/104, 707/10, 707/9, 707/4, 709/203, 709/206, 709/231, 709/227, 709/230, 709/218, 709/219, 710/200
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2866 Architectures; Arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for creating and editing a Web site in a client-server computer network using customizable templates is provided. To create a Web site, the present embodiment first stores a plurality of templates in a storage device coupled to the client-server computer network. When a client computer generates a request to create a new Web site, the server computer transmits a list of templates to the client for display. The templates contain a multitude of editable objects or elements. A template is then selected upon which the new Web site will be based on. The new site is then customized according to a user'"'"'s preference by editing the objects or elements. The customized site is then published as a new Web site. To edit a Web site, a client computer generates a request to edit a Web site and passes the request on to the server computer. The server computer transmits the Web site to the client for display. The Web site contains a multitude of editable objects or elements. The elements of the Web site are then customized according to a user'"'"'s preference. The Web site with the customized elements is then published as a Web site.

Claims

1. A method for creating and editing a Web site in a client-server computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of Web site templates in a storage device coupled to the client-server computer network, wherein each of the Web site templates is for building an entire new Web site, wherein each of the Web site templates comprises a plurality of interlinking Web pages, and wherein each of the Web site templates comprises a plurality of customizable elements;

generating a request to create a Web site from a client computer to a server computer;

transmitting a list of available Web site templates from the server to the client for display;

selecting a Web site template from the list of Web site templates;

generating a copy of the selected Web site template;

customizing the copy of the selected Web site template;

publishing the customized copy of the selected Web site template as a new Web site, wherein the new Web site has same Web site structure as the selected Web site template'"'"'s Web site structure;

locking automatically said Web site from access by a different user such that said different user is prevented from editing said Web site at the same time as a current user; and

unlocking automatically said published Web site when said current user terminates editing said Web site such that said different user can edit said Web site.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said publishing step comprises the steps of:

generating a request to publish the Web site from a client to a server; and

in response, the server generating a plurality of files comprising the Web site and storing the files in a directory.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said elements are a plurality of buttons and text labels.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said elements are defined by a plurality of attributes.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said attributes are a graphic, a label, and a link.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said customizing step comprises the steps of:

receiving, by a server, a request to customize an element in the copy of the Web site template;

in response to the request, the server generating and transmitting, to the client for display, an element editing form for editing the attributes; and

in response to the previous step, the client selecting and transmitting to the server a desired attribute.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the Web site files include both a graphics version and a text only version such that a Web site is capable of being displayed in either a full graphics site or a full text site.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web site is indexed for key words immediately after publishing said created Web site, wherein a search page of said Web site is used to search said indexed keywords for an entire Web site search request.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web site template includes a present date element such that a present day and date is displayed on the Web site as an image file.

10. A method for editing a Web site in a client-server computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of published and unpublished Web sites;

generating a request to edit a Web site from a client to a server, wherein said Web site is selected from said list of Web sites;

locking automatically said Web site from access by a different user such that said different user is prevented from editing said Web site at the same time as a current user;

transmitting the Web site from the server to the client for display wherein the Web site is comprised of a plurality of elements;

selecting an element;

customizing the selected element;

publishing the Web site with the customized element; and

unlocking automatically said published Web site when said current user terminates editing said Web site such that said different user can edit said Web site.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said publishing step comprises the steps of:

generating a request to publish the Web site with the customized element from a client to a server; and

in response, the server generating a plurality of files comprising the Web site and storing the files in a directory.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said elements are a plurality of buttons and text labels.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said elements are defined by a plurality of attributes.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said attributes are a graphic, a label, and a link.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said customizing step comprises the steps of:

receiving, by a server, a request to customize an element in the copy of the Web site template;

in response to the request, the server generating and transmitting, to the client for display, an element editing form for editing the attributes; and

in response to the previous step, the client selecting and transmitting to the server a desired attribute.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the Web site files include both a graphics version and a text only version such that a Web site is capable of being displayed in either a full graphics site or a full text site.

17. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the Web site is indexed for key words immediately after publishing said edited Web site, wherein a search page of said Web site is used to search said indexed keywords for an entire Web site search request.

18. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the Web site template includes a present date element such that a present day and date is displayed on the Web site as an image file.