Content template system

• US 20040268231A1
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tunning, Brian R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,178,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

Subject matter includes an exemplary content template system. In one implementation, a custom markup tag locates remote content, converts the remote content into a markup language used in a web page template, replaces the custom markup tag with the converted content, and dynamically updates the converted content in the web page template when the remote content or the converted content changes. Another custom markup tag displays dynamic updates of the converted content in real-time in a web generated by the web page template. Yet another custom markup tag presents editing controls for editing the converted content in the web page template, wherein the editing is displayed in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

locating remote content referenced by a tag in a web page template;

converting the remote content into a markup language used in the web page template to create converted content;

replacing the tag with the converted content in response to rendering the web page template; and

updating the tag upon a change in the remote content or the converted content.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tag has associated logic for use in at least a part of at least one of the locating, the converting, the replacing, and the updating.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying updates of the tag in real-time in a web page generated by the web page template.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising processing a preview tag in the web page template, wherein the preview tag has associated logic for use in at least a part of the displaying.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising presenting editing controls for editing the converted content in the web page template, wherein the editing displays one or more edits in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising processing an edit tag in the web page template, wherein the edit tag has logic for use in at least a part of the editing of the converted content.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising displaying editing controls for the editing in one pane displayed on a computer display and simultaneously displaying the one or more edits of the converted content in real-time in the web page displayed in another pane on the computer display.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising binding an element behavior to one of the tag, the preview tag, and the edit tag.

9. A web page template, comprising:

a layout tag that indicates a style format for application to a presentation of a data content; and

a resource tag having logic for use in locating the data content in a remote resource, converting the data content to a markup language used in the web page template, substituting the converted content for the resource tag in the web page template, and updating the converted content in the web page template in response to a change in the data content in the remote resource.

10. The web page template as recited in claim 9, further comprising a preview tag having logic to display dynamic updates of the converted content in real-time in a web page generated by the web page template.

11. The web page template as recited in claim 10, further comprising an edit tag to present editing controls for editing the converted content in the web page template, wherein the editing is displayed in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.

12. A resource tag for a web page template, comprising:

a reference to data content in a remote resource;

a reference to logic for use in locating the data content in the remote resource, converting the data content to a markup language used in the web page template, substituting the converted content for the resource tag in the web page template, and updating the converted content in the web page template in response to a change in the data content in the remote resource.

13. A preview tag for a web page template, comprising:

a reference to at least part of the web page template to display as a web page;

a reference to logic to dynamically update the web page to display changes in content, style, and layout in the web page template.

14. The preview tag as recited in claim 13, wherein the change in content is displayed when the content changes based on a corresponding change in content in a remote content resource.

15. An edit tag for a web page template, comprising:

a reference to at least part of a web page template to edit;

a reference to logic for use in presenting editing controls for editing content in the web page template, wherein the editing displays any edits in real-time in a web page generated by the web page template.

16. The edit tag as recited in claim 15, wherein the content is dynamically updated when a corresponding content in a remote content resource changes.

17. A content template system, comprising:

a set of markup indicator tags for a web page template, wherein each tag in the set is bound to an associated element behavior; and

a context object to coordinate the element behaviors of the tags.

18. The content template system as recited in claim 17, wherein a tag of the set is bound to an element behavior programmed to locate remote content referenced by an attribute of the tag, convert the remote content into a markup language used in the web page template, replace the tag with the converted content, and dynamically update the converted content in the web page template when the remote content changes.

19. The content template system as recited in claim 18, wherein a tag of the set is bound to an element behavior programmed to display dynamic updates of the converted content in real-time in a web page generated by the web page template.

20. The content template system as recited in claim 19, wherein a tag of the set is bound to an element behavior programmed to present editing controls for editing the converted content in the web page template and displaying the editing in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.

21. The content template system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a browser, wherein the browser renders the web page template and renders the tags bound to element behaviors.

22. A content template engine, comprising:

a web page processor to render a web page template having markup indicator tags into web page;

a tag interpreter associated with the web page processor to obtain a logic bound to one or more of the tags;

a data content locator to determine a location of a remote resource having data content referenced by a tag;

a language converter to change the data content into a language used in the web page template;

a dynamic content engine to replace the tag with the converted data content and dynamically update the converted content in the web page template when the data content changes in the remote resource.

23. The content template engine as recited in claim 22, further comprising a preview engine to use logic bound to a previewing tag to request a web page template and display dynamic updates of the converted content in real-time in a web page generated by the web page template.

24. The content template engine as recited in claim 23, further comprising a module editor to use editing logic bound to an editing tag to present editing controls for changing the converted content in the web page template, wherein the editing is displayed in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.

25. The content template engine as recited in claim 24, further comprising a pane controller, to display a user interface for editing simultaneously with a display of the web page generated by the web page template.

26. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing and selecting from a menu on the display comprising the steps of:

retrieving a set of edit menu entries for the menu including a cascade menu entry, the cascade menu entry having a specified default command and a set of cascade menu items associated therewith;

displaying the menu on the display comprising the set of edit menu entries;

receiving an edit menu entry selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device pointing at the cascade menu entry on the display, and, in response to the selection signal, displaying the set of cascade menu items associated with the cascade menu entry; and

receiving an execution signal indicative of a user selecting the cascade menu entry, and in response to the execution signal, performing the specified default command.

27. The method of providing and selecting from a menu as recited in claim 26, wherein:

a) the receiving of an edit menu entry selection signal

b) results in a display of a corresponding edit

c) in a content of a web page

d) being generated from a web page template

e) being edited using the edit menu entries

f) in the menu being presented on the display.

28. One or more computer readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to perform actions, comprising:

locating content referenced by a markup tag in a web page template;

converting an original version of the content into a markup language version using the same markup language being used in the web page template;

replacing the markup tag with the markup language version of the content; and

dynamically updating the markup language version of the content in the web page template when the original version of the content changes.

29. The one or more computer readable media containing instruction as recited in claim 28, further comprising instructions to display dynamic updates of the markup language version of the content in real-time in a web page generated from the web page template.

30. The one or more computer readable media containing instructions as recited in claim 29, further comprising instructions to present editing controls for editing the markup language version of the content in the web page template, wherein the editing is displayed in real-time in the web page generated by the web page template.