Method and apparatus for utilizing an extensible markup language schema to define document parts for use in an electronic document

• US 20060069983A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Taboada, Roberto C., Bailey, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US11/072,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for utilizing an extensible markup language schema to define document parts for use in an electronic document. The method includes providing a glossary document accessible by one or more word processing application programs. The glossary document includes schema elements for defining one or more document parts for insertion in an electronic document. The method further includes receiving, in a properties element, properties associated with a document part. Each property defines the document part for use in the electronic document. The method further includes receiving, in a content element, content to be included in the document part.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing an extensible markup language schema to define document parts for use in an electronic document, comprising:

(a) providing a glossary document accessible by one or more word processing application programs, the glossary document comprising a plurality of schema elements for defining one or more document parts;

(b) receiving, in a properties element, a plurality of properties associated with a document part, wherein the plurality of properties define the document part for use in the electronic document;

(c) receiving, in a content element, content to be included in the document part; and

(d) repeating steps (b)-(c) for each document part to be defined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the properties element comprises a plurality of child elements associated with the document part and wherein receiving properties associated with the document part comprises:

receiving in a name element, a name to be associated with the document part;

receiving in a description element, a description of the document part;

receiving in a style element, text describing a style for displaying the content to be included in the document part; and

receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content for insertion in the document part.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a paragraph.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a page.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a section.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, in a types element, one or more types of document parts for insertion in the electronic document.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, in a categories element, one or more categories of document parts for each document part type.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving, in the types element, a plurality of properties associated with the one or more types of document parts.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving, in the categories element, a plurality of properties associated with the one or more categories of document parts.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving in a global format element in the schema file, a format for defining a global format to be applied to each document part inserted in the electronic document.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for utilizing an extensible markup language schema to define document parts for use in an electronic document, the method comprising:

(a) providing a glossary document accessible by one or more word processing application programs, the glossary document comprising a plurality of schema elements for defining one or more document parts;

(b) receiving, in a properties element, a plurality of properties associated with a document part, wherein the plurality of properties define the document part for use in the electronic document;

(c) receiving, in a content element, content to be included in the document part; and

(d) repeating steps (b)-(c) for each document part to be defined.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the properties element comprises a plurality of child elements associated with the document part and wherein receiving properties associated with the document part comprises:

receiving in a name element, a name to be associated with the document part;

receiving in a description element, a description of the document part;

receiving in a style element, text describing a style for displaying the content to be included in the document part; and

receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content for insertion in the document part.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a paragraph.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a page.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein receiving in an InsertOptions element, a value identifying allowable content comprises receiving a value identifying a section.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising receiving, in a types element, one or more types of document parts for insertion in the electronic document.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising receiving, in a categories element, one or more categories of document parts for each document part type.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising receiving, in the types element, a plurality of properties associated with the one or more types of document parts.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising receiving, in the categories element, a plurality of properties associated with the one or more categories of document parts.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising receiving in a global format element in the schema file, a format for defining a global format to be applied to each document part inserted in the electronic document.