Publishing/republishing data tables in HTML documents while maintaining formatting and functionality for restoring back the data tables
First Claim
1. A method for using an application program in which data having a format and a functionality specific to the application program are created, to publish a portion of the data into an HTML document such that when changes to the original data are made in the application program, those changes may be readily republished into the HTML document to replace the previously published data, and so that all data published into an HTML document retains any formatting information specific to the application program to enable any published data to be reintroduced into the application program with all its original format and functionality intact, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) using the application program to select the portion of the original data to be published;
(b) translating the original data selected into translated original data having an HTML compatible format, while preserving parameters that define the format and functionality of the data within the application program used to create the data and including a unique identifier (ID) tag so that all of the translated original data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(c) automatically inserting the translated original data selection into the HTML document;
(d) modifying the original data selection within the application program, to be republished into the HTML document;
(e) translating the modified data selection into translated modified data having an HTML compatible format, the translated modified data preserving parameters that define the format and functionality of the modified data within the application program used to create the data and including a unique ID tag so that all of the translated modified data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(f) parsing the HTML document until the unique ID tag for all of the translated original data that were published is found; and
(g) replacing all of the translated original data with all of the translated modified data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spreadsheet program directly publishes a data table or chart into an HTML document. The table or chart is published to a predefined location within the HTML document and a user is enabled to readily update the published table or chart to include changes made in the spreadsheet program by republishing the data table or chart. Furthermore, the published or republished data can be imported back into the parent spreadsheet program from the HTML document without loss of functionality or formatting that it had in the parent spreadsheet program. In addition, the data may be published in a form that can be used by ActiveX web components in order to provide spreadsheet functionality from within the browser application. A unique marker tag or identification tag within the HTML document indicates where the data table or chart has been inserted.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for using an application program in which data having a format and a functionality specific to the application program are created, to publish a portion of the data into an HTML document such that when changes to the original data are made in the application program, those changes may be readily republished into the HTML document to replace the previously published data, and so that all data published into an HTML document retains any formatting information specific to the application program to enable any published data to be reintroduced into the application program with all its original format and functionality intact, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) using the application program to select the portion of the original data to be published;
(b) translating the original data selected into translated original data having an HTML compatible format, while preserving parameters that define the format and functionality of the data within the application program used to create the data and including a unique identifier (ID) tag so that all of the translated original data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(c) automatically inserting the translated original data selection into the HTML document;
(d) modifying the original data selection within the application program, to be republished into the HTML document;
(e) translating the modified data selection into translated modified data having an HTML compatible format, the translated modified data preserving parameters that define the format and functionality of the modified data within the application program used to create the data and including a unique ID tag so that all of the translated modified data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(f) parsing the HTML document until the unique ID tag for all of the translated original data that were published is found; and
(g) replacing all of the translated original data with all of the translated modified data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for enabling data from a spreadsheet to be published into an HTML document, and subsequently republished into the HTML document to include changes made in the data within the spreadsheet, comprising the steps of:
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(a) specifying an original data selection that is to be published, within the spreadsheet;
(b) translating the original data selection into a translated data having an HTML compatible format, said translated data including a unique identifier (ID)) tag so that the translated data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(c) incorporating the translated data into the HTML document;
(d) modifying the original data selection within the spreadsheet, producing modified data that are to be republished into the HTML document;
(e) translating the modified data to produce translated republished data having an HTML compatible format, said translated republished data including the unique ID tag;
(f) parsing the HTML document until the unique ID tag for the translated data is found; and
(g) replacing the translated data with the translated republished data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for enabling data from a spreadsheet to be published into an HTML document, such that the data published into the HTML document are restorable back into the spreadsheet without loss of formatting and functionality within the spreadsheet, comprising the steps of:
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(a) specifying a data selection within the spreadsheet that is to be published into the HTML document;
(b) translating the data selection into translated data having an HTML compatible format, but including information required for maintaining formatting and functionality of the data selection when the translated data are restored in the spreadsheet, said information being retained within a comment section of the HTML document; and
(c) automatically incorporating the translated data into the HTML document. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
(a) enabling a user to change the data selection within the spreadsheet after it has been published into the HTML document;
(b) translating the data selection as changed into translated republish data having an HTML compatible format; and
(c) using the unique ID tag to locate the translated data within the HTML document, replacing the translated data in the HTML document with the translated republish data.
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23. An article of manufacture adapted for use with a computer, comprising:
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(a) a memory media; and
(b) a plurality of machine instructions stored on the memory media, said plurality of machine instructions, when executed by a computer, implementing a plurality of functions, including;
(i) enabling a user to specify an original data selection to be published as original translated data into an HTML document;
(ii) translating the data selection into the original translated data having an HTML compatible format, said original translated data including a unique identifier (ID) tag so that the original translated data may be readily located within the HTML document;
(iii) incorporating the original translated data into the HTML document in association with the unique ID tag;
(iv) translating a modification of the original data selection into translated republished data having an HTML compatible format, said translated republished data including the unique ID tag;
(v) parsing the HTML document until the unique ID tag for the original translated data is found; and
(vi) replacing the original translated data with the translated republished data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A system for enabling an application program having no HTML editing capability to directly publish a data selection into an HTML document, such that the data published into the HTML document are restorable back into the application program without loss of formatting and functionality within the application program, comprising:
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(a) a memory in which a plurality of machine instructions defining the application program are stored;
(b) a display; and
(c) a processor that is coupled to the memory to access the machine instructions and to the display, said processor executing said machine instructions to implement a plurality of functions, including;
(i) enabling a user to specify the data selection to be published into the HTML document;
(ii) translating the data selection into translated data having an HTML compatible format, said translated data including information required for maintaining formatting and functionality of the data selection if the translated data are restored into the application program, said information being retained within a comment section of the HTML document; and
(iii) inserting the translated data into the HTML document so that the translated data are viewable on the display. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification