Method, system, program, and data structures for managing structured documents in a database

• US 20020103829A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Manning, Kyle P., Palmer, Dwight Ross
• Granted Patent: US 6,959,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Provided is a method, system, program and data structures for managing structured documents. Each structured document has at least one element in common and each element is capable of having one defined data object. At least one table is generated based on a schema of elements in the managed structured documents. Further, at least one table is designed to include entries for each element instance in the managed structured documents and at least one object for one element instance. For each element instance in the managed structured documents, one entry is added to at least one table including information on an element identifier for the element instance, the data object for the element instance, and a document identifier for the structured document including the element instance. The at least one table provides an association of the element instance, the at least one data object for the element instance, and the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.

Claims

1. A method for managing structured documents, wherein each structured document has at least one element in common, and wherein each element is capable of having one defined data object, comprising:

generating at least one table based on a schema of elements in the managed structured documents, wherein at least one table is designed to include entries for each element instance in the managed structured documents and at least one object for one element instance; and

for each element instance in the managed structured documents, adding one entry to at least one table including information on an element identifier for the element instance, the data object for the element instance, and a document identifier for the structured document including the element instance, wherein the at least one table provides an association of the element instance, the at least one data object for the element instance, and the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object associated with the elements comprise one of an attribute value or content.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

executing the query with respect to the at least one table to determine the element identifiers of element instances having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the query further comprises determining the document identifier of each structured document instance including one element instance having the element identifier that is one of the determined element identifiers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one table comprises:

an element directory table providing an element identifier for each element instance in each structured document; and

an element table for each element, wherein each element table includes a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for each data object of the element instance.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

searching the element table for the entry having at least one data object matching the search criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one other column for the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance, wherein performing the query further comprises:

determining the element identifiers in each entry in the element table having the at least one data object satisfying the search criteria;

searching the relation table to determine each entry having an element identifier value matching one determined element identifier including at least one matching data object; and

determining the document identifier in each determined entry in the relation table to determine the identity of the structured document including the element instance having the at least one matching data object.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the elements are arranged hierarchically in the structured documents, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for a parent element of the element instance identified by the element identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the element identifier of one parent element for each element instance having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the relation table further includes the document identifier of the structured document for each element instance identified by the element identifier, wherein performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the document identifier for each element identifier identifying one element instance having one data object satisfying the search criteria.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured document comprises a job ticket defining attributes and content of a print job, wherein at least one element defines content for the print job and at least one element includes one data object comprising one printing attribute or content of the print job.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one table comprises a table data structure in a relational database management system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document and the element schema is determined from a document type definition (DTD) in the XML managed structured documents.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein one table includes a counter for each element instance, further comprising:

returning the content of one element instance in response to a request for the content in the element instance; and

incrementing the counter associated with the element instance whose content is returned.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data object associated with the elements comprise one of an attribute value or content.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

means for executing the query with respect to the at least one table to determine the element identifiers of element instances having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein executing the query further comprises means for determining the document identifier of each structured document instance including one element instance having the element identifier that is one of the determined element identifiers.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one table comprises:

an element directory table providing an element identifier for each element instance in each structured document; and

an element table for each element, wherein each element table includes a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for each data object of the element instance.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

means for searching the element table for the entry having at least one data object matching the search criteria.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one other column for the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance, wherein the means for performing the query further performs:

determining the element identifiers in each entry in the element table having the at least one data object satisfying the search criteria;

searching the relation table to determine each entry having an element identifier value matching one determined element identifier including at least one matching data object; and

determining the document identifier in each determined entry in the relation table to determine the identity of the structured document including the element instance having the at least one matching data object.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the elements are arranged hierarchically in the structured documents, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for a parent element of the element instance identified by the element identifier.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the element identifier of one parent element for each element instance having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the relation table further includes the document identifier of the structured document for each element instance identified by the element identifier, wherein the means for performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the document identifier for each element identifier identifying one element instance having one data object satisfying the search criteria.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the structured document comprises a job ticket defining attributes and content of a print job, wherein at least one element defines content for the print job and at least one element includes one data object comprising one printing attribute or content of the print job.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one table comprises a table data structure in a relational database management system.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document and the element schema is determined from a document type definition (DTD) in the XML managed structured documents.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein one table includes a counter for each element instance, further comprising:

means for returning the content of one element instance in response to a request for the content in the element instance; and

means for incrementing the counter associated with the element instance whose content is returned.

16. A system for managing structured documents, wherein each structured document has at least one element in common, and wherein each element is capable of having one defined data object, comprising:

means for generating at least one table based on a schema of elements in the managed structured documents, wherein at least one table is designed to include entries for each element instance in the managed structured documents and at least one object for one element instance; and

means for adding one entry to at least one table including information on an element identifier for the element instance, the data object for the element instance, and a document identifier for the structured document including the element instance, wherein the at least one table provides an association of the element instance, the at least one data object for the element instance, and the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.

31. A program for managing structured documents, wherein each structured document has at least one element in common, and wherein each element is capable of having one defined data object, wherein the program is implemented in a computer readable medium and capable of causing a processor to perform:

generating at least one table based on a schema of elements in the managed structured documents, wherein at least one table is designed to include entries for each element instance in the managed structured documents and at least one object for one element instance; and

for each element instance in the managed structured documents, adding one entry to at least one table including information on an element identifier for the element instance, the data object for the element instance, and a document identifier for the structured document including the element instance, wherein the at least one table provides an association of the element instance, the at least one data object for the element instance, and the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.

32. The program of claim 31, wherein the data object associated with the elements comprise one of an attribute value or content.

33. The program of claim 31, wherein the program is further capable of causing the processor to perform:

receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

executing the query with respect to the at least one table to determine the element identifiers of element instances having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

34. The program of claim 31, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.

35. The program of claim 31, wherein executing the query further comprises determining the document identifier of each structured document instance including one element instance having the element identifier that is one of the determined element identifiers.

36. The program of claim 31, wherein the at least one table comprises:

an element directory table providing an element identifier for each element instance in each structured document; and

an element table for each element, wherein each element table includes a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for each data object of the element instance.

37. The program of claim 36, wherein the program is further capable of causing the processor to perform:

receiving a query to identify instances of structured documents having element instances that have at least one data object satisfying a search criteria provided with the query; and

searching the element table for the entry having at least one data object matching the search criteria.

38. The program of claim 37, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one other column for the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance, wherein performing the query further comprises:

determining the element identifiers in each entry in the element table having the at least one data object satisfying the search criteria;

searching the relation table to determine each entry having an element identifier value matching one determined element identifier including at least one matching data object; and

determining the document identifier in each determined entry in the relation table to determine the identity of the structured document including the element instance having the at least one matching data object.

39. The program method of claim 36, wherein the elements are arranged hierarchically in the structured documents, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for a parent element of the element instance identified by the element identifier.

40. The program of claim 39, wherein performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the element identifier of one parent element for each element instance having one data object that satisfies the search criteria.

41. The program of claim 39, wherein the relation table further includes the document identifier of the structured document for each element instance identified by the element identifier, wherein performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the document identifier for each element identifier identifying one element instance having one data object satisfying the search criteria.

42. The program of claim 31, wherein the structured document comprises a job ticket defining attributes and content of a print job, wherein at least one element defines content for the print job and at least one element includes one data object comprising one printing attribute or content of the print job.

43. The program claim 31, wherein the at least one table comprises a table data structure in a relational database management system.

44. The program of claim 31, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document and the element schema is determined from a document type definition (DTD) in the XML managed structured documents.

45. The program of claim 31, wherein one table includes a counter for each element instance, and wherein the program is further capable of causing the processor to perform:

returning the content of one element instance in response to a request for the content in the element instance; and

incrementing the counter associated with the element instance whose content is returned.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein the structured document comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein the at least one table comprises:

an element directory table providing an element identifier for each element instance in each structured document; and

an element table for each element, wherein each element table includes a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for each data object of the element instance.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one other column for the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the elements are arranged hierarchically in the structured documents, wherein the at least one table further comprises a relation table providing a column for the element identifier of the element instance and one column for a parent element of the element instance identified by the element identifier.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein the relation table further includes the document identifier of the structured document for each element instance identified by the element identifier, wherein performing the query further comprises searching the relation table to determine the document identifier for each element identifier identifying one element instance having one data object satisfying the search criteria.

46. A computer readable medium including data structures used for managing structured documents, wherein each structured document has at least one element in common, and wherein each element is capable of having one defined data object, wherein the data structures include:

at least one table based on a schema of elements in the managed structured documents and including entries for each element instance in the managed structured documents and at least one object for one element instance, wherein for each element instance in the managed structured documents, the at least one table includes one entry including information on an element identifier for the element instance, the data object for the element instance, and a document identifier for the structured document including the element instance, wherein the at least one table provides an association of the element instance, the at least one data object for the element instance, and the document identifier of the structured document including the element instance.