Running dynamic web pages off-line with a wizard

• US 7,200,645 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malcolm, Jerry Walter, Brown, Michael Wayne, Ullmann, Cristi Nesbitt, Reed, Aaron Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Viet D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Application Number:
  US10/183,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A wizard is utilized when running a server-based transactional Web page application. The wizard tracks the interdependencies of the Web pages, any data accesses required for any of the Web pages, and any rules for presenting a different sequence of Web pages based upon differing aspects of anticipated user input. The wizard is used to access the required data if a user selection is made to download the application and run the application off-line at a client that is disconnected from the network. To run off-line, the applicable Web pages, the wizard, and the required data are downloaded to the client. When running off-line, the wizard plays back the downloaded pages of the application in a sequence dependent upon the tracked interdependencies and received user input. As such, the wizard controls the dynamic presentation of the downloaded pages and provides the required data to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed. The wizard, in conjunction with a browser running at the client, automatically submits the completed Web pages of the application to the server when the client is reconnected to the network.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a transactional application running at a server system to be downloaded over a network and run off-line at a client system, comprising:

running a wizard, in conjunction with running the application, that has database accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application;

downloading, to the client system, the wizard, pages of the application, and applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses when an indication to download is indicated; and

running the downloaded wizard off-line to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed by i) providing the applicable data;

ii) playing back the pages of the application in a sequence dependent upon the tracked interdependencies and in response to user input received while running off-line; and

iii) receiving user input.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to the server when the client is reconnected to the network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses to be downloaded is dependent upon a point in the on-line running of the application in which the indication to download is received responsive to a user selection of a selectable item to run the application off-line, wherein the selectable item is enabled for display within at least one of the pages of the application at given points where the wizard is able to enable the application to run at the client system off-line.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pages of the application downloaded is dependent upon a location within the on-line running of the application in which the indication to download is received responsive to a user selection of a selectable item to run the application off-line, wherein the selectable item is enabled for display within at least one of the pages of the application at given points where the wizard is able to enable the application to run at the client system off-fine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pages of the application are played backed in a sequence dependent upon rules followed by the wizard for a trigger during completion of a commercial transaction.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the trigger specifies a different sequence of displayable pages dependent upon current user input received off-line.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloaded server application is run off-line by the wizard in a simulated fashion representative of a running of the application on-line.

8. A method for enabling a transactional application running at a server system to be downloaded over a network and run off-line at a client system, comprising:

running a wizard, in conjunction with running the application at the server, wherein the wizard tracks data accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application;

for completion of a commercial transaction through the transactional application; and

upon receipt of user input indicating a preference to run the application off-line to complete at least a portion of the commercial transaction,

i) accessing required data, and

ii) downloading a current page and subsequent pages of the application, the wizard, and the accessed required data to a client machine indicating the preference to run off-line.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the downloaded pages, wizard, and accessed required data are stored at the client.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

running the application at the client, disconnected from the server, by running the wizard to control the dynamic presentation of the downloaded pages and to provide the accessed required data to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising saving the completed transactional pages in an outbox of a browser running at the client.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting a flag in a browser running at the client to launch and upload the completed transactional pages with user input when the client is reconnected to the network.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining a first time value when the accessed required data is downloaded;

determining a second time value when the wizard is run at the client;

comparing the difference between the second time and the first time; and

displaying an indication to reconnect on-line to get more current data if the difference is greater than a predetermined amount.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to the server when the client is reconnected to the network.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein receipt of user input indicating a preference to run the application off-line, is received through a selectable item displayed in conjunction with a display of the Web pages of the application.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the selectable item is displayed as part of a browser user interface.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the selectable item is displayed within at least one of the Web pages of the application at points where the wizard is able to enable the application to run at the client system off-line.

18. A computer program on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means for enabling a server transactional application to be run off-line at a client system, comprising:

means for tracking database accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application;

means for causing pages of the application and applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses to be stored at the client system when an indication to download is indicated; and

means for enabling the transactional pages of the application to be completed by i) providing the applicable data;

ii) playing back the pages of the application in a sequence dependent upon the tracked interdependencies and in response to user input received while running off-line; and

iii) receiving user input.

19. The computer program of claim 18 further comprising means for automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to the server when the client is reconnected to the network.

20. A computer program on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means for enabling a transactional application running at a server system to be downloaded over a network and run off-line at a client system, comprising:

means for tracking data accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application for completion of a commercial transaction through the transactional application; and

means for receiving user input indicating a preference to run the application off-line to complete at least a portion of the commercial transaction, further comprising

i) means for accessing required data, and

ii) means for downloading a current page and subsequent pages of the application, the wizard, and the accessed required data to a client machine indicating the preference to run off-line.

21. The computer program of claim 20 further comprising:

means for controlling the dynamic presentation of the downloaded pages; and

means for providing the accessed required data to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed.

22. The computer program of claim 21 further comprising means for saving the completed transactional pages in an outbox of a browser running at the client.

23. A computer system, comprising:

means for running a wizard, in conjunction with running a transactional application while connected over a network to a server computer system, wherein the wizard tracks database accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application;

means for downloading the wizard, pages of the application, and applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses when an indication to download is indicated; and

means for running the downloaded wizard off-line to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed by i) providing the applicable data;

ii) playing back the pages of the application in a sequence dependent upon the tracked interdependencies and in response to user input received while running off-line; and

iii) receiving user input.

24. The computer system of claim 23 further comprising means for automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to the server when reconnected to the network.

25. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses to be downloaded is dependent upon a point in the on-line running of the application in which the indication to download is received responsive to a user selection of a selectable item to run the application off-line, wherein the selectable item is enabled for display within at least one of the pages of the application at given points where the wizard is able to enable the application to run at the client system off-line.

26. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the pages of the application downloaded is dependent upon a location within the on-line running of the application in which the indication to download is received responsive to a user selection of a selectable item to run the application off-line, wherein the selectable item is enabled for display within at least one of the pages of the application at given points where the wizard is able to enable the application to run at the client system off-line.

27. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the pages of the application are played backed in a sequence dependent upon rules followed by the wizard for a trigger during completion of a commercial transaction.

28. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the trigger specifies a different sequence of displayable pages dependent upon current user input received off-line.

29. A computer system, comprising:

means for running a wizard, in conjunction with running a transactional server application while connected to a server computer system over a network, wherein the wizard tracks data accesses required by the application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application for completion of a commercial transaction through the transactional application; and

upon receipt of user input indicating a preference to run the application off-line to complete at least a portion of the commercial transaction,

i) means for accessing required data, and

ii) means for downloading a current page and subsequent pages of the application, the wizard, and the accessed required data.

30. The computer system of claim 29 further comprising:

means for running the wizard off-line to control the dynamic presentation of the downloaded pages and to provide the accessed required data to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed.

31. The computer system of claim 30 further comprising means for saving the completed transactional pages in an outbox of a browser running at the computer system.

32. The computer system of claim 30 further comprising means for setting a flag in a browser to launch and upload the completed transactional pages with user input when reconnected to the network.

33. The computer system of claim 31 further comprising:

means for determining a first time value when the accessed required data is downloaded;

means for determining a second time value when the wizard is run;

means for comparing the difference between the second time and the first time; and

means for displaying an indication to reconnect on-line to get more current data if the difference is greater than a predetermined amount.

34. The computer system of claim 30 further comprising means for automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to the server when the client is reconnected to the network.

35. A computer system, comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory, connected to the bus system, having locations for storing i) a wizard having database accesses required by a server transactional application and interdependencies amongst dynamic displayable pages of the application, ii) pages of the application, and iii) applicable data from at least one of the required database accesses, and locations for storing a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to run the wizard, while disconnected from a network, to enable the transactional pages of the application to be completed by i) providing the applicable data;

ii) playing back the pages of the application in a sequence dependent upon the interdependencies and in response to user input received while running off-line; and

iii) receiving user input.

36. The computer system of claim 35 further comprising means for automatically submitting the completed pages of the application to a server computer system when reconnected to the network.