Method and apparatus for supporting active documents

Abstract

A tool is proposed for supporting active documents. In one embodiment, an active document may be opened in an application program executing at a first computer, the active document being in a format recognized by the application program. Data relating to a first active document may be received data at the first computer from a user of the application program, and a search request based on the received data may be sent from the first computer to a second computer that maintains a plurality of data objects. In one embodiment, the application program at the first computer is unable to perform any functions with data objects at the second computer. The first computer may receive information relating to a result of the search request from the second computer and may store the information in the first active document. A request from the user of the application program that the active document be submitted may be received at the first computer, and the active document may be forwarded from the first computer to the second computer. A set of procedures that are pre-defined for this active document may then be performed with the active document at the second computer.

1 . A method comprising: 
 opening an active document in an application program executing at a first computer, wherein the active document is in a format recognized by the application program, and wherein the active document contains a plurality of fields;    receiving data at the first computer from a user of the application program, wherein the data relates to a first active document field;    sending a search request from the first computer to a second computer based on the received data, wherein the second computer maintains a plurality of data objects, and wherein the first computer is unable to perform any functions with data objects at the second computer;    receiving information at the first computer relating to a result of the search request, wherein the information is received from the second computer;    storing the information in the active document;    receiving at the first computer a request from the user of the application program, wherein the received request requests that the active document be submitted;    forwarding the active document from the first computer to the second computer; and    performing a set of procedures with the active document at the second computer, wherein the procedures are pre-defined for this active document.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a single link program located on the first computer supports any accesses by application programs on the first computer to the data objects on the second computer.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the single link program is a single dynamic link library file.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein any software to perform functions on data objects at the second computer is located at the second computer.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each field in the document is matched to a web service.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second computer forwards the search request to a third computer that has a local random access memory (RAM), and the third computer performs the requested search on data stored in its local RAM.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search request is sent from the first computer to the second computer as a message according to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 providing a list of text strings to the user of the application program;    receiving at the first computer an identification of a selection from the list;    sending the identification from the first computer to the second computer;    receiving the text string at the first computer from the second computer; and    storing the text string selected in a second active document field at the first computer.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the text string is stored at the second computer in a portal or document management system.  
   
   
       10 . A machine readable medium having embodied thereon instructions executable by a computer system to perform a method comprising: 
 opening an active document in an application program executing at a first computer, wherein the active document is in a format recognized by the application program, and wherein the active document contains a plurality of fields;    receiving data at the first computer from a user of the application program, wherein the data relates to a first active document field;    sending a search request from the first computer to a second computer based on the received data, wherein the second computer maintains a plurality of data objects, and wherein the first computer is unable to perform any functions with data objects at the second computer;    receiving information at the first computer relating to a result of the search request, wherein the information is received from the second computer;    storing the information in the active document;    receiving at the first computer a request from the user of the application program, wherein the received request requests that the active document be submitted;    forwarding the active document from the first computer to the second computer; and    performing a set of procedures with the active document at the second computer, wherein the procedures are pre-defined for this active document.    
   
   
       11 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein a single link program located on the first computer supports any accesses by application programs on the first computer to the data objects on the second computer.  
   
   
       12 . The machine readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the single link program is a single dynamic link library file.  
   
   
       13 . The machine readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein any software to perform functions on data objects at the second computer is located at the second computer.  
   
   
       14 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein each field in the document is matched to a web service.  
   
   
       15 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the second computer forwards the search request to a third computer that has a local random access memory (RAM), and the third computer performs the requested search on data stored in its local RAM.  
   
   
       16 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the search request is sent from the first computer to the second computer as a message according to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).  
   
   
       17 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 providing a list of text strings to the user of the application program;    receiving at the first computer an identification of a selection from the list;    sending the identification from the first computer to the second computer;    receiving the text string at the first computer from the second computer; and    storing the text string selected in a second active document field at the first computer.    
   
   
       18 . The machine readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the text string is stored at the second computer in a portal or document management system.  
   
   
       19 . A method of creating an active document, the method comprising: 
 creating an Extensible Markup Language file at a back-end system, wherein the back-end system maintains a plurality of data objects, and wherein the Extensible Markup Language file specifies functions to be performed for active document fields using data objects at the back-end system;    creating an active document at a front-end system in a format recognized by an application program at the front-end system, wherein the active document comprises one or more fields;    establishing connections at the front-end system between the Extensible Markup Language file at the back-end system and the fields of the active document at the front-end system; and    creating procedures for processing the active document at the back-end system.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a field in the active document is either a query-based field or a text snippet field.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the front-end system cannot perform functions that modify data objects at the back-end system.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the active document is in a word processor format.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the connections between the Extensible Markup Language file and the fields of the active document are stored at the front-end system as a Dynamic Link Library file.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the front-end system contains a single Dynamic Link Library file for any active documents stored at the front-end system.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises creating customizing tables at the back-end system, and wherein said Extensible Markup Language file is created based upon the customizing tables.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises mapping fields in the active document to Web services.