Rendering an HTML electronic form by applying XSLT to XML using a solution

• US 7,451,392 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sikchi, Prakash, Yiu, Kelvin S., Chalecki, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai; Rachna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Quoc A
• Application Number:
  US10/723,863
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 715/523, 715/506, 715/513, 715/522, 715/234, 715221-228, 709/203
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Instructions are received to open an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document. The XML document is searched to locate a processing instruction (PI) containing an entity. The entity, by example, can be a href attribute, a URL, a name, or a character string identifying an application that created an HTML electronic form associated with the XML document. A solution is discovered using the entity. The XML document is opened with the solution. The solution includes an XSLT presentation application and an XML schema. The XML document can be inferred from the XML schema and portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema. The XSLT presentation application is executing to transform the coupled portions of the XML document into the HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions. Data entered through the data-entry fields can be validated using the solution.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI) containing a href attribute that points to a URL;

discovering a solution using the URL in the PI;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes an extensible stylesheet language (XSLT) presentation application and a XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to render a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one or more of the receiving, the searching, the examining, the discovering, the opening, and the executing of the XSLT presentation application are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the executing the XSLT presentation application comprises applying an XSLT stylesheet to the XML document to create the HTML electronic form; and

the HTML electronic form includes a plurality of HTML elements corresponding to the data-entry fields.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the searching the XML document further comprises finding the first PI in the XML document; and

the first PI in the XML document includes the URL.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the solution further comprises a manifest of all files that can be used for:

representing the XML document in the HTML electronic form;

allowing the user to input data into the data-entry fields; and

the act of validating the data that the user inputs into the data-entry fields.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the coupled portions contain information setting forth all possible XML documents for the coupled portions.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the XML schema includes a logic application and the act of validating executes the logic application.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of validating uses each said validation rule to:

determine if the data received by input from the user into a corresponding said data-entry field is valid or invalid; and

require the user to correct any data input into the corresponding said data-entry field that the validation determines to be invalid.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each said validation rule has an identity that is selected from the group consisting of:

the identity is based on a part of a schema governing a node of the corresponding coupled portion;

the identity is written in script and associated with a node of the corresponding coupled portion; and

the identity is written in a declarative syntax and associated with a node of the corresponding coupled portion.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

each said validation rule includes an alert area display and the indicia comprises the alert area display; and

the act of validating comprises using one said validation rule to determine that the data input from the user into a corresponding said data-entry field is invalid; and

the act of outputting indicia outputs the corresponding alert area display so as to be associated with the corresponding said data-entry field.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein when the alert area display is output, the output includes one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

graphics surrounding the corresponding said data-entry field;

the alert area display surrounds the corresponding said data-entry field;

the alert area display includes graphics containing a red, dashed-lined box;

the alert area display includes graphics highlighting the data in the corresponding said data-entry field;

the alert area display surrounds the corresponding said data-entry field and includes the graphics containing a squiggly line beneath the data in the corresponding said data-entry field;

the alert area display includes text containing information about the invalid data in the corresponding said data-entry field;

the alert area display includes text containing information about the corresponding said data-entry field; and

the alert area display includes a pop-up window.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each coupled portion comprises a node that has one or more of the validation rules associated therewith.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one said validation rule includes a requirement that is selected from the group consisting of:

the data received by input from the user into a corresponding said data-entry field is to be numerical;

the data received by input from the user into a corresponding said data-entry field is to be textual; and

the data received by input from the user into a corresponding said data-entry field is to reference another coupled portion in the XML document.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each said validation rule includes:

an alert area display; and

how the alert area display is to appear when output.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the PI includes a character string of “

mso-InfoPathSolution”

.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instruction that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

7. The method as defined in 1, wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document.

18. A method comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an XML document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI) having a name;

discovering a solution using the name in the PI;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes an XSLT presentation application and an XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to render an HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein one or more of the receiving, the searching, the examining, the opening, and the executing of the XSLT presentation application are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the PI includes a character string of “

mso-InfoPathSolution”

.

22. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instruction that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 18.

20. The method as defined in 18, wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes in said couple portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes in said couple portions of the XML document.

23. A method comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an XML document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI) having a target that includes a character string that identifies an application used to create an HTML electronic form associated with the XML document;

discovering a solution using the character string;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes an XSLT presentation application and an XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to render the HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

25. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein the character string is “

mso-InfoPathSolution”

.

26. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein one or more of the receiving, the searching, the examining, the discovering, the opening, and the executing of the XSLT presentation application are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

27. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein:

the discovering a solution comprises discovering the character string in a URL.

28. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein

the character string comprises a URL having a path with a suffix that is selected from the group consisting of “

.xsf”

or “

.xsn”

.

29. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instruction that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 23.

24. The method as defined in 23, wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document.

30. A method comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an XML document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI) having at least one of a PI version and a product version;

discovering a solution using a name associated with the PI version or the product version;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes a XSLT presentation application and a XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to render an HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

31. The method as defined in claim 30, wherein one or more of the receiving, the searching, the examining, the discovering, the opening, and the executing of the XSLT presentation application are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

32. The method as defined in claim 30,

wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes in said coupled portions of the XML document.

33. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instruction that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 30.

34. A method comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an XML document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI);

discovering a solution using a name in the PI;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes or indicates an XSLT presentation application and an XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to render an HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

35. The method as defined in claim 34, wherein one or more of the receiving, the searching, the discovering, the opening, and the executing of the XSLT presentation application are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

37. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instruction that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 34.

36. The method as defined in 34, wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes of said coupled portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes of said coupled portions of the XML document.

38. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform acts comprising:

receiving an instruction to open an XML document;

searching the XML document to locate a processing instruction (PI) that contains an entity selected from the group consisting of;

a href attribute that points to a URL;

a name;

a target that includes a character string that identifies an application used to create an HTML electronic form associated with the XML document; and

a href attribute and at least one of a PI version and a product version;

discovering a solution using the entity in the PI;

opening the XML document with the solution, wherein;

the solution includes or indicates an XSLT presentation application and an XML schema;

the XML document can be inferred from the XML schema; and

portions of the XML document are logically coupled with fragments of the XML schema;

executing the XSLT presentation application to transform the coupled portions of the XML document into an HTML electronic form containing data-entry fields associated with the coupled portions;

receiving, through one or more of the data-entry fields, data input by a user;

validating the data input by the user with one or more of a plurality of validation rules, each of the one or more plurality of validation rules corresponding to one of said data-entry fields through which data is input by the user, each said validation rule;

mapping to each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field by use of an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

a declarative syntax; and

an entity that is script-based; and

mapping to said coupled portion to which each said validation rule'"'"'s corresponding said data-entry field is associated, the mapping with an entity selected from the group consisting of;

an XPath expression;

an event handler;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule;

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule before data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document; and

an event handler that determines when a real-time validation tool uses said validation rule after data received for said coupled portion is held by the XML document, and

if the act of validating determines that the data input by the user is invalid, outputting indicia informing the user that the data input is invalid.

39. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein one or more of the acts are performed by the execution of an HTML electronic forms application that is different from the application used to create the HTML electronic form.

40. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the discovering a solution using the entity in the PI comprises:

(i) discovering the solution using the URL in the PI;

(ii) discovering the solution using a name associated with the href attribute;

or

(iii) discovering the solution using a name in the PI that is associated with the href attribute.

41. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the data-entry fields of the HTML electronic form map to a corresponding plurality of nodes of said coupled portions of the XML document;

and the data input is input for storage in a corresponding said node in the XML document, and

further comprising outputting data in XML for viewing by the user in the HTML electronic form through the data-entry fields via the mapping of the data-entry fields from corresponding said nodes of said coupled portions of the XML document.

42. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 38, wherein the character string is “

mso-InfoPathSolution”

.