Approach for transforming XML document to and from data objects in an object oriented framework for content management applications

• US 6,785,685 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, James, Summers, Robert, Monica, Subodh, Soetarman, Basuki, An, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/935,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20030126556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/100, 707/4, 707/101, 707/10, 707/2, 707/6, 705/23, 705/26, 709/201, 709/213, 709/217, 709/249, 709/202, 715/513, 715/501
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A method and system for transforming XML documents to and from data objects in an object oriented framework includes: importing the XML document; parsing the XML document; building a DOM tree from the parsed XML document; constructing at least one DDO or at least one XDO based on the DOM tree; and storing the DDO or XDO in a datastore. The present invention provides a transformation bridge connecting the XML world and the object world, allowing conversions from XML documents to data objects and vice versa to be performed seamlessly. It enhances the existing framework with a feature to process XML documents utilizing the existing framework facilities. Application developers can thus exploit the key advantages of XML representation as well as object orientation.

Claims

1. A method for transforming an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document to data objects in an object oriented framework, comprising the steps of:

importing the XML document;

parsing the XML document;

building a document object model (DOM) tree from the parsed XML document, wherein the DOM tree comprises hierarchy information in the XMl document;

constructing at least one dynamic data object (DDO) or at least one extended dynamic data object (XDO) based on the DOM tree; and

storing the DDO or XDO in a datastore.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parsing step (b) further comprises:

(b1) checking the XML document format based on a document type definition (DTD) file; and

(b2) validating a format of the checked XML document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the constructing step (d) comprises:

(d1) extracting values for the DDO or XDO from the DOM tree;

(d2) identifying control data in a DTD file;

(d3) constructing a DDO data structure in memory;

(d4) creating the DDO or the XDO from the extracted data and the control data; and

(d5) populating the DDO data structure with the DDO or XDO.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control data comprises a format for the DDO or the XDO.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the creating step (d4) comprises:

(d4i) retrieving values embedded in the XML document for the DDO or XDO; and

(d4ii) creating the DDO or XDO from the embedded data.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the creating step (d4) comprises:

(d4i) retrieving a data file referenced in the XML document; and

(d4ii) creating the XDO from the data file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step (e) stores the DDO or XDO in persistent store.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the DDO or XDO from the datastore;

building the DOM tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

producing the XML document from the DOM tree.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the building step (g) comprises:

(g1) querying a plurality of properties of the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

(g2) building the DOM tree based on the plurality of attributes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the querying step (g1) further comprises:

(g1i) generating a data file from a referenced XDO in the plurality of properties.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the producing step (h) comprises:

(h1) producing the XML document from the DOM tree based on an input option for the XML document.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the input option is to embed values for the XDO in the XML document.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the input option is to reference a data file for the XDO in the XML document.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a single DDO.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a collection of DDO'"'"'s.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a single XDO.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a collection of XDO'"'"'s.

18. A method for transforming an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document from data objects in an object oriented framework, comprising the steps of:

retrieving at least one document object model (DDO) or at least one extended dynamic data object (XDO) from a datastore;

building a document object model (DOM) tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO, wherein the DOM tree comprises hierarchy information for the XML document; and

producing the XML document from the DOM tree.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the building step (b) comprises:

(b1) querying a plurality of properties of the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

(b2) building the Dom tree based on the plurality of properties.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the querying step (b1) further comprises:

(b1i) generating a data file from a referenced XDO in the plurality of properties.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprises:

(c1) producing the XML document from the DOM tree based on an input option for the XML document.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the input option is to embed values for the XDO in the XML document.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the input option is to reference a data file for the XDO in the XML document.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a single DDO.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a collection of DDO'"'"'s.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a single XDO.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a collection of XDO'"'"'s.

28. A computer readable medium with program instruction for transforming an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document to data objects in an object oriented framework, comprising instructions for:

importing the XML document;

parsing the XML document;

building a document object model (DOM) tree from the parsed XML document, wherein the DOM tree comprises hierarchy information in the XMl document;

constructing at least one dynamic data object (DDO) or at least one extended dynamic data object (XDO) based on the DOM tree; and

storing the DDO or XDO in a datastore.

29. The medium of claim 28, wherein the parsing instruction (b) further comprises:

(b1) checking the XML document format based on a DTD file; and

(b2) validating a format of the checked XML document.

30. The medium of claim 28, wherein the constructing instruction (d) comprises:

(d1) extracting values for the DDO or XDO from the DOM tree;

(d2) identifying control data in a DTD file;

(d3) constructing a DDO data structure in memory;

(d4) creating the DDO or the XDO from the extracted data and the control data; and

(d5) populating the DDO data structure with the DDO or XDO.

31. The medium of claim 30, wherein the control data comprises a format for the DDO or the XDO.

32. The medium of claim 30, wherein the creating instruction (d4) comprises:

(d4i) retrieving values embedded in the XML document for the DDO or XDO; and

(d4ii) creating the DDO or XDO from the embedded data.

33. The medium of claim 30, wherein the creating instruction (d4) comprises:

(d4i) retrieving a data file referenced in the XML document; and

(d4ii) creating the XDO from the data file.

34. The medium of claim 28, wherein the storing instruction (e) stores the DDO or XDO in persistent store.

35. The medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions for:

retrieving the DDO or XDO from the datastore;

building the DOM tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

producing the XML document from the DOM tree.

36. The medium of claim 35, wherein the building instruction (g) comprises:

(g1) querying a plurality of properties of the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

(g2) building the DOM tree based on the plurality of attributes.

37. The medium of claim 36, wherein the querying instruction (g1) further comprises:

(g1i) generating a data file from a referenced XDO in the plurality of properties.

38. The medium of claim 35, wherein the producing instruction (h) comprises:

(h1) producing the XML document from the DOM tree based on an input option for the XML document.

39. The medium of claim 38, wherein the input option is to embed values for the XDO in the XML document.

40. The medium of claim 38, wherein the input option is to reference a data file for the XDO in the XML document.

41. The medium of claim 28, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a single DDO.

42. The medium of claim 28, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a collection of DDO'"'"'s.

43. The medium of claim 28, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a single XDO.

44. The medium of claim 28, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a collection of XDO'"'"'s.

45. A computer readable medium with program instructions for transforming an Fxtensible Markup Language (XML) document from data objects in an object oriented framework, comprising the instructions for:

retrieving at least one dynamic data object (DDO) or at least one extended dynamic data object (XDO) from a datastore;

building a document object model (DOM) tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO, wherein the DOM tree comprises hierarchy information for the XML document; and

producing the XML document from the DOM tree.

46. The medium of claim 45, wherein the building instruction (b) comprises:

(b1) querying a plurality of properties of the retrieved DDO or XDO; and

(b2) building the Dom tree based on the plurality of properties.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein the querying instruction (b1) further comprises:

(b1i) generating a data file from a referenced XDO in the plurality of properties.

48. The medium of claim 45, wherein the producing instruction comprises:

(c1) producing the XML document from the DOM tree based on an input option for the XML document.

49. The medium of claim 48, wherein the input option is to embed values for the XDO in the XML document.

50. The medium of claim 48, wherein the input option is to reference a data file for the XDO in the XML document.

51. The medium of claim 45, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a single DDO.

52. The medium of claim 45, wherein the at least one DDO comprises a collection of DDO'"'"'s.

53. The medium of claim 45, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a single XDO.

54. The medium of claim 45, wherein the at least one XDO comprises a collection of XDO'"'"'s.

55. A system, comprising:

a class library, the class library comprising;

a dynamic data object (DDO) class, the DDO class comprising;

a DDO constructor for transforming an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document to data objects in an object oriented framework, wherein the DDO constructor;

imports the XML document,

parses the XML document,

builds a document object model (DOM) tree from the parsed XML document, and

constructs at least one dynamic data object (DDO) or at least one extended dynamic data object (XDO) based on the DOM tree; and

at least one datastore, wherein the DDO or the XDO is stored in the datastore.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the DDO class further comprises:

a DDO retrieve( ) method for retrieving the DDO or XDO from the datastore; and

a toXML( ) method for transforming the DDO or XDO to the XML document, wherein the toXML( ) method;

builds the DOM tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO, and

produces the XML document from the DOM tree.

57. A system, comprising:

at least one datastore, wherein a dynamic data object (DDO) or an extended dynamic data object (XDO) is stored in the datastore; and

a class library, the class library comprising;

a DDO class, the DDO class comprising;

a DDO retrieve( ) method for retrieving the DDO or the XDO from the datastore, and a toXML( ) method for transforming a DDO or an XDO to an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document, wherein the toXML( ) method;

builds a document object model (DOM) tree from the retrieved DDO or XDO, and

produces the XML document from the DOM tree.