Structured document transformation method, structured document transformation apparatus, and program product

• US 7,073,120 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Torii, Osamu, Kimura, Tetsuro, Segawa, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/151,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/523, 715/501.1, 715/500
• US Class Current: 715/239
• 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, apparatus, and computer program product for performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document and a second structured document is disclosed. A transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document is prepared. A forward transformation is performed, which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule. At that time, a transformation record is created. The record contains which primitive rules were applied and which paths were transformed in the forward transformation. The transformed second structured document may be edited by an application-side. After that, a backward transformation is performed, which transforms the second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

Claims

1. A method of managing document information transfers between a server and at least one of a plurality of clients, the server performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document having a first server-compatible format and a second structured document having a second format, the second format being a client-compatible format and being one of a plurality of formats employed by the plurality of clients, wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, comprising:

in response to a request from the at least one of the plurality of cliens, the server;

preparing a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document, wherein the units of paths are paths names designating specific areas in the first structure document;

detecting an important element within the elements of the first structured document, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination;

performing a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

controlling the forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important element during the forward transformation;

creating a transformation record wherein the primitive rules that were applied and the paths that were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded; and

the server;

transferring the second structured document to the at least one client;

the at least one client;

editing the second structured document; and

transferring the edited second structured document to the server; and

the server;

performing a backward transformation which transforms the edited second structured document into the first structured document while referring to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling includes invalidating a primitive rule that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the first structured document.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elements is applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.

7. A structured document transforming apparatus that manages document information transfers between a server and at least one of a plurality of clients, the structured document transforming apparatus performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document having a first server-compatible format and a second structured document, having a second format, the second format being a client-compatible format and being one of a plurality of formats employed by the plurality of clients wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, comprising:

a detector configured to detect a request from the at least one of the plurality of clients;

a storage configured to store a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which being applicable to a respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document in response to the request, wherein the units of paths are path names designating specific areas in the first structured document;

a detector configured to detect an important element within the elements of the first structured document in response to the request, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination;

a forward transformer configured to perform a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

a controller configured to control the forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important element during the forward transformation;

a creating device configured to create a transformation record wherein the primitive rules that were applied and the paths that were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded;

a transfer device configured to transfer the second structured document to the at least one client for editing; and

a backward transformer configured to perform a backward transformation which transforms the edited second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller includes an invalidator configured to invalidate a primitive rule that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the first structured document.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a defining device configured to define an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the elements are applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.

13. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium that manages document information transfers between a server and at least one of a plurality of clients, the computer program product performing bidirectional transformation between a first structured document having a first server-compatible format and a second structured document, having a second format, the second format being a client-compatible format and being one of a plurality of formats employed by the plurality of clients, wherein the first structured document and the second structured document each includes elements, and wherein the bidirectional transformation uses a transformation rule having primitive rules each of which is applicable to a respective one of the elements specified in units of paths within the first structured document, comprising:

a code segment that detects a request from the at least one of the plurality of clients;

a code segment that detects an important element within the elements of the first structured document in response to the request, wherein the important element holds a semantic combination;

a code segment that performs a forward transformation which transforms the first structured document into the second structured document in accordance with the transformation rule;

a code segment that controls the forward transformation to prevent the removal of the important element during the forward transformation;

a code segment that creates a transformation record wherein the primitive rules that were applied and the units of paths that were transformed in the forward transformation are recorded, wherein the units of paths are path names designating specific areas in the first structured document;

a code segment that transfers the second structured document to the at least one client for editing; and

a code segment that performs a backward transformation which transforms the edited second structured document into the first structured document with referral to the transformation record, the transformation rule, and the first structured document.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the code segment that controls the forward transformation includes a code segment that invalidates a primitive rule that removes the important element in the transformation rule before the forward transformation is performed.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the primitive rules include at least deleting or renaming the elements from the fist structured document.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein at least one of identifiers of the elements of the first structured document is succeeded to the elements of the second structured document during the forward transformation.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

a code segment that defines an arbitrary transformation rule group, wherein a plurality of primitive rules which may generate the same paths are combined, and priority is set to one of the primitive rules which is to be used during the backward transformation.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the elements are applied with pointer attributes used for selecting specific elements before the forward transformation and after the backward transformation.