Method and computer program product for identifying hypertext links in document printouts

• US 7,275,206 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESAI, RACHNA SINGH
• Application Number:
  US09/292,444
• Time in Patent Office: 3,085 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501.1, 707/506
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/17 Web printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/111 Mathematical or scientific formatting; Subscripts; Superscripts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for identifying hypertext links in document printouts. A document to be printed is scanned for identifying local hypertext links within the document. A page location of each identified local hypertext links within the document is computed and stored. Printable objects are sequentially checked to identify each printable object within a hypertext anchor tag. Each identified printable object within a hypertext anchor tag is rendered with a predefined indication of the hypertext link. A local hypertext link is printed with a page number of the hypertext link within the document. An external hypertext link is printed with a uniform resource locator (URL) for the external hypertext link. Both the page number of the local hypertext link within the document and the uniform resource locator (URL) for the external hypertext link can be printed, for example, in superscript form and bolded or with other highlighting.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts comprising the steps of:

scanning a document to be printed and identifying local hypertext links within the document,

computing and storing a page location of each identified local hypertext link within the document,

sequentially checking printable objects to identify each printable object within a hypertext anchor tag;

rendering each identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag with a predefined indication of the hypertext link including printing a corresponding uniform resource locator (URL) for each external hypertext link and checking whether each said identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag is a local hypertext link; and

responsive to identifying said local hypertext link, printing said identified page number for said local hypertext link with said printable object.

2. The computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of printing said identified page number for said local hypertext link with said printable object includes the step of printing said identified page number in superscript form.

3. The computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of printing said identified page number for said local hypertext link with said printable object includes the step of printing said identified page number in bold form.

4. The computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of rendering each identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag with said predefined indication of the hypertext link including printing said corresponding uniform resource locator (URL) for each said external hypertext link includes the steps of checking whether each said identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag is an external hypertext link.

5. The computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) for said external hypertext link includes the step of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) in superscript form.

6. The computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) for said external hypertext link includes the step of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) in bold form.

7. A computer implemented method for identifying hypertext links in document printouts comprising the steps of:

scanning a document to be printed and identifying local hypertext links within the document,

computing and storing a page location of each identified local hypertext link within the document,

sequentially checking printable objects to identify each printable object within a hypertext anchor tag; and

rendering each identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag with a predefined indication of the hypertext link including printing a corresponding uniform resource locator (URL) for each external hypertext link and checking whether each said identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag is an external hypertext link;

wherein the step of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) for external hypertext link is responsive to identifying said external hypertext link, and includes the steps of printing said uniform resource locator (URL) for said external hypertext link in a footnote for said printable object.

8. Apparatus for identifying hypertext links in document printouts comprising:

a stored document data, said document data including each local hypertext link name and a page number for each said local hypertext link name; and

a printing program utilizing said stored document data for printing a document including a predefined indication of each hypertext link within the document to be printed including a corresponding uniform resource locator (URL) printed for each external hypertext link;

wherein said predefined indication of each hypertext link within the document to be printed includes a corresponding page number printed for each local hypertext link.

9. A computer program product for implementing document printing including identification of hypertext links comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for sequentially checking printable objects to identify each printable object within a hypertext anchor tag; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for rendering each identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag with a predefined indication of the hypertext link including means, recorded on the recording medium, for printing a corresponding uniform resource locator (URL) for each external hypertext link;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for scanning a document to be printed and for identifying local hypertext links within the document, and means, recorded on the recording medium, for computing and storing a page location of each identified local hypertext link within the document.

10. A computer program product for implementing document printing including identification of hypertext links as recited in claim 9 wherein said means, recorded on the recording medium, for rendering each identified printable object within said hypertext anchor tag with a predefined indication of the hypertext link includes means, recorded on the recording medium, for printing said page number for each local hypertext link.