Method for producing composite XML document object model trees using dynamic data retrievals

• US 6,635,089 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Telford, Richard Dean, Unger, Jay, Burkett, Charles, Lection, David Bruce, Hind, John Raithel, Tidwell, Leonard Douglas II
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US09/231,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 707/523, 707/501, 707/511, 707/501.1, 715/513, 715/523, 715/501.1, 715/511
• US Class Current: 715/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable code for a technique with which files encoded according to the Extensible Markup Language (XML) notation can be marked up to indicate that the content of the file (or some portion thereof) is dynamic in nature and is to be updated automatically to reflect changing information. The proposed technique provides a novel way to specify that a data repository should be accessed as the source of the updates. Techniques are defined for specifying that this data repository access occurs once, and for specifying that it occurs when a set of conditions are satisfied (which may include periodically repeating the data repository access and content update). In one aspect, the data repository is a database; in another aspect, the data repository is a file system. Preferably, the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is used as an access method when the data repository being accessed is a database storing an LDAP directory.

Claims

1. In a computing environment having a connection to a network, computer readable code readable by a computer system in said environment, for periodically refreshing Document Object Model (DOM) trees, comprising:

a subprocess for reading an input file encoded in a derivative of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML);

a subprocess for creating a DOM tree from said encoded file during said reading;

a subprocess for traversing said created DOM tree to search for repeatable refresh tags therein, each of which specifies one or more conditions for dynamically refreshing data in said DOM tree;

a subprocess for invoking a dynamic data retrieval for each of said detected repeatable refresh tags when said one or more conditions specified on said each tag evaluate to true, wherein said dynamic data retrieval uses one or more parameters specified in said encoded file; and

a subprocess for revising said DOM tree to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals, wherein said subprocess for revising leaves each of said detected repeatable refresh tags intact in said DOM tree in order that they may trigger subsequent refreshes.

2. Computer readable code for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 1, further comprising a subprocess for updating said encoded file to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals.

3. Computer readable code for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 1, further comprising a subprocess for detecting one or more error-handling tags that may be specified with each of said detected repeatable refresh tags;

and

wherein said subprocess for revising said DOM tree further comprises a subprocess for revising said DOM tree to incorporate default content specified in said encoded file for said detected error-handling tags when said invoked dynamic data retrieval returns an error condition.

4. Computer readable code for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 1, wherein said derivative is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

5. Computer readable code for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 1, wherein said detected repeatable refresh tags specify a database query retrieval.

6. Computer readable code for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 1, wherein said specified conditions for dynamically refreshing data include a condition specifying a periodic time interval, and wherein said subprocesses for invoking and for revising are repeated at said specified periodic time interval.

7. A system for periodically refreshing Document Object Model (DOM) trees, comprising:

means for reading an input file encoded in a derivative of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML);

means for creating a DOM tree from said encoded file during said reading;

means for traversing said created DOM tree to search for repeatable refresh tags therein, each of which specifies one or more conditions for dynamically refreshing data in said DOM tree;

means for invoking a dynamic data retrieval for each of said detected repeatable refresh tags when said one or more conditions specified on said each tag evaluate to true, wherein said dynamic data retrieval uses one or more parameters specified in said encoded file; and

means for revising said DOM tree to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals, wherein said means for revising leaves each of said detected repeatable refresh tags intact in said DOM tree in order that they may trigger subsequent refreshes.

8. The system for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 7, further comprising means for updating said encoded file to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals.

9. The system for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 7, further comprising means for detecting one or more error-handling tags that may be specified with each of said detected repeatable refresh tags;

and

wherein said means for revising said DOM tree further comprises means for revising said DOM tree to incorporate default content specified in said encoded file for said detected error-handling tags when said invoked dynamic data retrieval returns an error condition.

10. The system for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 7, wherein said derivative is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

11. The system for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 7, wherein said detected repeatable refresh tags specify a database query retrieval.

12. The system for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 7, wherein said specified conditions for dynamically refreshing data include a condition specifying a periodic time interval, and wherein said subprocesses for invoking and for revising are repeated at said specified periodic time interval.

13. A method for periodically refreshing DOM trees, comprising the steps of:

reading an input file encoded in a derivative of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML);

creating a DOM tree from said encoded file during said reading;

traversing said created DOM tree to search for repeatable refresh tags therein, each of which specifies one or more conditions for dynamically refreshing data in said DOM tree;

invoking a dynamic data retrieval for each of said detected repeatable refresh tags when said one or more conditions specified on said each tag evaluate to true, wherein said dynamic data retrieval uses one or more parameters specified in said encoded file; and

revising said DOM tree to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals, wherein said revising step leaves each of said detected repeatable refresh tags intact in said DOM tree in order that they may trigger subsequent refreshes.

14. The method for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 13, further comprising the step of updating said encoded file to incorporate data retrieved with each of said invoked dynamic data retrievals.

15. The method for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 13, further comprising the step of detecting one or more error-handling tags that may be specified with each of said detected repeatable refresh tags;

and

wherein said revising step further comprises the step of revising said DOM tree to incorporate default content specified in said encoded file for said detected error-handling tags when said invoked dynamic data retrieval returns an error condition.

16. The method for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 13, wherein said derivative is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

17. The method for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 13, wherein said detected repeatable refresh tags specify a database query retrieval.

18. The method for periodically refreshing DOM trees according to claim 13, wherein said specified conditions for dynamically refreshing data include a condition specifying a periodic time interval, and wherein said subprocesses for invoking and for revising are repeated at said specified periodic time interval.