Compounded Authoring Requests for WebDAV Error Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing HTTP protocol lacks efficient resource management capabilities on servers, leading to inefficiencies in operations like locking resources and inadequate error handling, particularly in WebDAV extensions which require multiple round trips and lack detailed error information.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of compounded authoring requests and extended error handling using new headers allows clients and servers to perform multiple authoring operations in a single exchange, reducing network overhead and providing richer error information through headers like X-MSDAVEXT_ERROR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple separate HTTP requests are used for authoring operations (locking, copying, moving resources), then each operation can be performed individually, but the number of round trips increases and transaction time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate HTTP requests (GET, LOCK, COPY, MOVE operations) into a single compounded HTTP request. The client sends one request containing multiple authoring operations, and the server processes them atomically in a single transaction, eliminating multiple round trips and reducing overall transaction time.
Solution Approach 2:
The compounded HTTP request mechanism provides multi-functionality by allowing a single request to carry multiple different authoring operations simultaneously. The request can include various method types (locking, copying, moving, deleting resources) and property operations in one unified communication exchange between client and server.
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard HTTP error handling is used, then compatibility with existing HTTP clients and servers is maintained, but detailed error information is insufficient for troubleshooting WebDAV-specific issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary error information structure that bridges standard HTTP error codes and detailed WebDAV-specific error information. The server returns both the standard HTTP status code and an extended error information element containing detailed descriptions, allowing existing HTTP clients to maintain compatibility while providing enhanced error details when supported.
Solution Approach 2:
The error handling is segmented into multiple layers: the standard HTTP status code layer for basic error classification, and an extended error information layer for detailed WebDAV-specific error descriptions. This segmentation allows clients to process errors at different levels of detail depending on their capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If WebDAV extensions are implemented to add resource management capabilities, then authoring functionality is improved, but the protocol complexity increases and requires multiple separate requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple WebDAV extension operations (locking, copying, moving resources) into a single compounded HTTP request structure. This reduces protocol complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate request-response cycles while maintaining full WebDAV resource management capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for clients and servers to use the web authoring extensions, and in particular, extended error handling to allow servers to provider richer web authoring error information to clients. One technique includes sending an authoring request to a server, receiving a response message with extended error information by a client, and sending the extended error information to an application program. Other embodiments are described and claimed.