Markup Language Document Generation Using Template References
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Solution Overview
Problem
The repetitive generation of identical sets of markup language elements in documents is tedious and difficult to maintain, especially in cross-platform computing environments where markup languages like XML are used.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus, method, and machine-readable medium that generate another markup language document containing one instance of a set of markup language elements for each reference, utilizing a markup language element hierarchy and references within a processor-executable code to facilitate efficient document creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If markup language elements are manually generated and repeated in documents, then the document can be created using basic text editors or simple IDEs, but the process becomes tedious and difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by creating templates that define markup language elements once and then generating multiple instances of these elements automatically. The system stores template definitions and references, and when needed, it generates the actual markup elements by copying from these templates, eliminating manual repetition while maintaining ease of document creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining markup language element templates with all necessary structure and attributes before actual document generation. These templates are prepared in advance and can be referenced multiple times, so when documents need to be created, the elements are already ready to be instantiated, saving time on repeated generation.
2Device complexity
If markup language elements are manually generated and repeated in documents, then basic text editors can be used, but the document becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
By using templates as master copies, the system allows maintenance through template modification rather than individual element editing. The template serves as a single source of truth that can be copied to generate multiple elements, making maintenance easier while still using relatively simple editing tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The template mechanism provides multi-functionality: it serves as both a design template and a generation source. A single template can generate multiple markup elements across different parts of a document, and modifying the template automatically updates all instances, providing universal maintenance capability.
3Productivity
If templates and references are used to generate markup elements, then element generation becomes automated and efficient, but the document structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The template copying mechanism automates element generation by storing template definitions and generating instances from them. This increases productivity by eliminating manual element creation while the complexity is managed through the systematic template-reference structure rather than ad-hoc element definitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the document structure into templates (definitions) and instances (references). This segmentation separates the complex template management from the simple instance usage, allowing automated generation with improved productivity while organizing complexity into manageable, distinct components.
Data Source
AI summary
From a markup language document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document expressed as a Document Object Model (DOM) tree) having a markup language element hierarchy containing a set of markup language elements and a plurality of references to the hierarchy, another markup language document (e.g. a textual XML document) is generated which contains one instance of the set of markup language elements for each of the plurality of references. The generated markup language document may otherwise have the same content as the original markup language document. Generation of a markup language document containing identical sets of markup language elements may thereby be simplified.