Automated creation of an XML dialect and dynamic generation of a corresponding DTD

• US 6,519,617 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wanderski, Michael C., Wesley, Ajamu A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US09/288,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 707/501, 707/500, 707/511, 707/523, 707/501.1
• US Class Current: 715/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable code for translating an input document into an Extensible Markup Language (XML) dialect which is well-formed, such that automated, dynamically-selected transformations (such as those that will indicate a user'"'"'s current context) can be applied to the document. The new XML dialect indicates dynamically-selected document transformations that are desired. Further, a novel technique is provided for dynamically generating a Document Type Definition (DTD) to describe the new XML dialect, so that the XML document created in this dialect can subsequently be processed by an XML parser. In the preferred embodiment, the desired transformations account for a user'"'"'s dynamic context, and this information is represented by the dynamically-generated XML dialect.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, computer readable code readable by a computer system in said environment, for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document to account for dynamic factors, comprising:

a subprocess for identifying an input document encoded in a well-formed notation, wherein said input document comprises (1) a plurality of elements conforming to a first Document Type Definition (DTD) and (2) a value for at least one of said elements;

a subprocess for programmatically determining current values for one or more factors, said factors representing dynamically-changeable information, wherein said factors are not represented by said plurality of elements in said input document;

a subprocess for programmatically generating, for each of said factors, an additional element representing said factor and programmatically including said current value of said factor as a value of said additional element;

a subprocess for programmatically inserting said additional elements and included values into said input document, thereby creating an output document which does not conform to said first DTD; and

a subprocess for programmatically generating a second DTD from said output document, such that said output document does conform to said second DTD.

2. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 1, wherein said well-formed notation is XML (Extensible Markup Language).

3. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 1, wherein said output document is encoded in XML (Extensible Markup Language).

4. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 1, wherein said factors represent a dynamically-changeable user context.

5. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 4, wherein said dynamically-changeable user context comprises one or more of:

one or more preferences of a user;

a network connection of said user;

a device type of said user; and

a browser type of said user.

6. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 1, wherein said subprocess for programmatically generating a second DTD further comprises:

a subprocess for programmatically creating element declarations for each detected element in said output document;

a subprocess for programmatically creating attribute declarations for each detected attribute in said output document; and

a subprocess for programmatically compacting said second DTD.

7. Computer readable code for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 6, wherein said subprocess for programmatically compacting said second DTD further comprises one or more of:

a subprocess for generating entity declarations to reduce a size of said output document or a size of said second DTD;

a subprocess for generating parameter declarations to reduce said size of said second DTD; and

a subprocess for generating attribute defaults for said attribute declarations.

8. A system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document to account for dynamic factors in a computing environment, comprising:

means for identifying an input document encoded in a well-formed notation, wherein said input document comprises (1) a plurality of elements conforming to a first Document Type Definition (DTD) and (2) a value for at least one of said elements;

means for programmatically determining current values for one or more factors, said factors representing dynamically-changeable information, wherein said factors are not represented by said plurality of elements in said input document;

means for programmatically generating, for each of said factors, an additional element representing said factor and programmatically including said current value of said factor as a value of said additional element;

means for programmatically inserting said additional elements and included values into said input document, thereby creating an output document which does not conform to said first DTD; and

means for programmatically generating a second DTD from said output document, such that said output document does conform to said second DTD.

9. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 8, wherein said well-formed notation is XML (Extensible Markup Language).

10. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 8, wherein said output document is encoded in XML (Extensible Markup Language).

11. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 8, wherein said factors represent a dynamically-changeable user context.

12. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 11, wherein said dynamically-changeable user context comprises one or more of:

one or more preferences of a user;

a network connection of said user;

a device type of said user; and

a browser type of said user.

13. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 8, wherein said means for programmatically generating a second DTD further comprises:

means for programmatically creating element declarations for each detected element in said output document;

means for programmatically creating attribute declarations for each detected attribute in said output document; and

means for programmatically compacting said second DTD.

14. The system for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 13, wherein said means for programmatically compacting said second DTD further comprises one or more of:

means for generating entity declarations to reduce a size of said output document or a size of said second DTD;

means for generating parameter declarations to reduce said size of said second DTD; and

means for generating attribute defaults for said attribute declarations.

15. A method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document to account for dynamic factors in a computing environment, comprising the steps of:

identifying an input document encoded in a well-formed notation, wherein said input document comprises (1) a plurality of elements conforming to a first Document Type Definition (DTD) and (2) a value for at least one of said elements;

means for programmatically determining current values for one or more factors, said factors representing dynamically-changeable information, wherein said factors are not represented by said plurality of elements in said input document;

means for programmatically generating, for each of said factors, an additional element representing said factor and programmatically including said current value of said factor as a value of said additional element;

means for programmatically inserting said additional elements and included values into said input document, thereby creating an output document which does not conform to said first DTD; and

programmatically generating a second DTD from said output document, such that said output document does conform to said second DTD.

16. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 15, wherein said well-formed notation is XML (Extensible Markup Language).

17. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 15, wherein said output document is encoded in XML (Extensible Markup Language).

18. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 15, wherein said factors represent a dynamically-changeable user context.

19. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 18, wherein said dynamically-changeable user context comprises one or more of:

one or more preferences of a user;

a network connection of said user;

a device type of said user; and

a browser type of said user.

20. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 15, wherein said programmatically generating a second DTD step further comprises the steps of:

programmatically creating element declarations for each detected element in said output document;

programmatically creating attribute declarations for each detected attribute in said output document; and

programmatically compacting said second DTD.

21. The method for enabling efficient automated transformation of an input document according to claim 20, wherein said subprocess for programmatically compacting said second DTD further comprises steps of one or more of:

generating entity declarations to reduce a size of said output document or a size of said second DTD;

generating parameter declarations to reduce said size of said second DTD; and

generating attribute defaults for said attribute declarations.