System, method and computer program product for publishing interactive web content as a statically linked web hierarchy

• US 7,636,770 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Davia, Christopher J., Beranek, Michael J., Stapel, Steven W., Bennett, Craig A., Bonasso, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US11/479,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060248453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

With a client connected to a server, an agent tool simulates user interaction and traversal of dynamic web pages, causing the server-side processes to serve HTML pages to the client. As these pages are served, they are collected by the agent, modified to include static hyperlinks to replace the server side directed navigation logic, and then persistently stored in local files where they are available for off-line navigation by a browser without the need for accessing the server(s). In effect, the HTML pages are published.

Claims

1. Method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

accessing each first depth dynamic navigation link in the top web page with respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link through a respective connection to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link;

collecting a respective first depth web page associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link, said respective server generating said respective first depth web page responsive to the respective data provided in said accessing;

saving said respective first depth web page in at least one respective first depth local file associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a response truth table that maps all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective local reference result of each combination of said all possible combination, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

associating said respective reference result with said at least one respective first depth local file;

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link with a respective local link referring to said at least one respective first depth local file such that all respective first depth dynamic navigation links in the stored top web page for each combination of said all possible combinations of said respective data locally refer to respective first depth local file according to the respective local reference result associated with said each combination in the response truth table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of publishing to a client based storage medium said at least one respective local file such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

2. Method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

identifying, in the top web page, each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a collection of local files associated with each combination of all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link, wherein each local file of said collection is selected from the group consisting of a local data file that is equivalent to a respective result generated by said respective server using said each combination, a local executable file that simulates services of said respective server using said each combination in the client, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link from said identifying with a collection of local links associated with said collection of local files such that the stored top web page comprises the collection of local links associated with said each local file.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of publishing said stored content to a client based storage medium such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

5. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions that perform a method comprising;

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

accessing each first depth dynamic navigation link in the top web page with respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link through a respective connection to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link;

collecting a respective first depth web page associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link, said respective server generating said respective first depth web page responsive to the respective data provided in said accessing;

saving said respective first depth web page in at least one respective first depth local file associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a response truth table that maps all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective local reference result of each combination of said all possible combination, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

associating said respective reference result with said at least one respective first depth local file;

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link with a respective local link referring to said at least one respective first depth local file such that all respective first depth dynamic navigation links in the stored top web page for each combination of said all possible combinations of said respective data locally refer to respective first depth local file according to the respective local reference result associated with said each combination in the response truth table.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising the step of publishing to a client based storage medium said at least one respective local file such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

7. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions that perform a method comprising;

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

identifying, in the top web page, each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a collection of local files associated with each combination of all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link, wherein each local file of said collection is selected from the group consisting of a local data file that is equivalent to a respective result generated by said respective server using said each combination, a local executable file that simulates services of said respective server using said each combination in the client, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link from said identifying with a collection of local links associated with said collection of local files such that the stored top web page comprises the collection of local links associated with said each local file.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising the step of publishing said stored content to a client based storage medium such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

9. A computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable memory unit coupled to the processor, said computer readable memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

accessing each first depth dynamic navigation link in the top web page with respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link through a respective connection to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link;

collecting a respective first depth web page associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link, said respective server generating said respective first depth web page responsive to the respective data provided in said accessing;

saving said respective first depth web page in at least one respective first depth local file associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a response truth table that maps all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective local reference result of each combination of said all possible combination, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

associating said respective reference result with said at least one respective first depth local file;

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link with a respective local link referring to said at least one respective first depth local file such that all respective first depth dynamic navigation links in the stored top web page for each combination of said all possible combinations of said respective data locally refer to respective first depth local file according to the respective local reference result associated with said each combination in the response truth table.

10. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising the step of publishing to a client based storage medium said at least one respective local file such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

11. A computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable memory unit coupled to the processor, said computer readable memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

identifying, in the top web page, each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a collection of local files associated with each combination of all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link, wherein each local file of said collection is selected from the group consisting of a local data file that is equivalent to a respective result generated by said respective server using said each combination, a local executable file that simulates services of said respective server using said each combination in the client, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link from said identifying with a collection of local links associated with said collection of local files such that the stored top web page comprises the collection of local links associated with said each local file.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising the step of publishing said stored content to a client based storage medium such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

13. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

accessing each first depth dynamic navigation link in the top web page with respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link through a respective connection to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link;

collecting a respective first depth web page associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link, said respective server generating said respective first depth web page responsive to the respective data provided in said accessing;

saving said respective first depth web page in at least one respective first depth local file associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a response truth table that maps all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective local reference result of each combination of said all possible combination, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

associating said respective reference result with said at least one respective first depth local file;

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link with a respective local link referring to said at least one respective first depth local file such that all respective first depth dynamic navigation links in the stored top web page for each combination of said all possible combinations of said respective data locally refer to respective first depth local file according to the respective local reference result associated with said each combination in the response truth table.

14. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of publishing to a client based storage medium said at least one respective local file such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.

15. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method for accessing content dynamically generated by a server based on user interaction without being connected to said server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user input to a client, an address of said server, wherein said server dynamically generates the content comprising at least one web page upon being requested by the client, and wherein the content comprising said at least one web page is organized in a hierarchy according to a number of links to follow to access each web page of said at least one web page from a top web page;

setting a locator value to correspond to the address of said server of the top web page, wherein said locator value is a dynamic navigation link that generates the top web page based on the user input;

opening a connection from the client to said locator value, said opening comprising providing data from the user input to resolve the dynamic navigation link to generate the top web page;

requesting to the server the top web page specified in said locator value through said connection, such that the server generates the top web page responsive to the data provided in said opening;

retrieving the requested top web page from the server;

storing in a memory device of the client, the retrieved top web page;

parsing through the stored top web page, said parsing comprising;

identifying, in the top web page, each first depth dynamic navigation link to a respective server associated with said each first depth dynamic navigation link; and

processing the stored top web page, said processing comprising;

creating, in the client, a collection of local files associated with each combination of all possible combinations of said respective data from the user input for said each first depth dynamic navigation link, wherein each local file of said collection is selected from the group consisting of a local data file that is equivalent to a respective result generated by said respective server using said each combination, a local executable file that simulates services of said respective server using said each combination in the client, wherein a number of said respective data is N that is a positive integer greater than one (1), and wherein a number of said all possible combinations is not greater than (2^N);

replacing, in the stored top web page, said each first depth dynamic navigation link from said identifying with a collection of local links associated with said collection of local files such that the stored top web page comprises the collection of local links associated with said each local file.

16. The process of claim 15, further comprising the step of publishing said stored content to a client based storage medium such that the client is configured to access the content accessed by said locator value without being connected to the server.