XML based system for updating a domain model and generating a formatted output

• US 7,131,066 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Birsan, Dorian, Sluiman, Harm, Lee-Loy, Sheldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUDWIG, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US09/644,819
• Time in Patent Office: 2,260 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/523, 707/10, 709/227, 709/203, 709/201, 395/701
• US Class Current: 715/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A system for updating a domain model and generating a formatted output is disclosed. The system comprises a template driven emitter which processes a template file. The template file comprises directives which direct extraction of data from a source data model into a target data model. The template file also comprises directives for manipulating the DOM tree of the data model. The template driven emitter generates a DOM tree for the source data model and a DOM tree for the template file. The template driven emitter utilizes the DOM tree to navigate the data model and extract data as specified according to the directives in the template file. The template file is written as a text file and expressed in XML.

Claims

1. A mechanism for manipulating information from a source data model and creating a target data model, said mechanism comprising:

(a) a template module including a directive to extract and manipulate selected data of a source data model, said source data model comprising read-only data;

(b) a template processing module to process said directive contained in said template module;

(c) said template processing module further including a component to generate a first Document Object Model tree for navigating said template module to manipulate said source data model and create a target data model, and a component to generate a second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model; and

wherein said template module includes at least one of a directive to manipulate the first Document Object Model tree and a directive to manipulate the second Document Object Model tree for navigating the source data model.

2. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said template module further includes a directive to create said target data model, said target data model providing a repository for data obtained from said source data model.

3. The mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said template module is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template module being defined according to a Document Type Definition.

4. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in an application development program and said source data model and said target data model define an object for an application program.

5. The mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein said template module is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template module being defined according to a Document Type Definition.

6. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said template module is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template module being defined according to a Document Type Definition.

7. A method for manipulating selected data from a source data model, said method comprising:

(a) defining a template file having a directive specifying data to be extracted and manipulated in a source data model, said source data model comprising read-only data;

(b) generating a first Document Object Model tree for navigating said template file;

(c) generating a second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model;

(d) navigating said template file using said first Document Object Model tree and processing said directive to extract and manipulate selected data in said source data model using said second Document Object Model tree to facilitate creation of a target data model; and

wherein said template file includes a directive for manipulating the second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further including creating said target data model, said target data model providing a repository for the data obtained from said source data model.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said template file is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template file being defined according to a Document Type Definition.

10. A computer program product for an application program for creating objects, said application program including a utility for manipulating information in a source data model and creating a target data model, said computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable recording medium;

means recorded on said medium for instructing a computer to perform;

(a) defining a template file having a directive specifying data to be extracted and manipulated from a source data model, said source data model comprising read-only data;

(b) generating a first Document Object Model tree for navigating said template file;

(c) generating a second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model;

(d) navigating said template file using said first Document Object Model tree and processing said directive to extract and manipulate selected data in said source data model using said second Document Object Model tree to facilitate creation of a target data model and

wherein said template file includes a directive for manipulating the second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model.

11. The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, further including creating said target data model, said target data model providing a repository for the data obtained from said source data model.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 10, wherein said template file is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template file being defined according to a Document Type Definition.

13. A computer program product comprising computer-readable medium embodying means for instructing a computer to perform a method for manipulating selected data from a source data model, said method comprising:

(a) defining a template file having a directive specifying data to be extracted and manipulated in a source data model, said source data model comprising read-only data;

(b) generating a first Document Object Model tree for navigating said template file;

(c) generating a second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model;

(d) navigating said template file using said first Document Object Model tree and processing said directive to extract and manipulate selected data in said source data model using said second Document Object Model tree to facilitate creation of a target data model; and

wherein said template file includes a directive for manipulating the second Document Object Model tree for navigating said source data model.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13, further including creating said target data model, said target data model providing a repository for the data obtained from said source data model.

15. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13, wherein said template file is expressed in Extensive Markup Language, said template file being defined according to a Document Type Definition.