Method and Apparatus for Publishing Hypermedia Documents Over Wide Area Networks

Abstract

The present invention addresses the critical needs of publishers seeking to create and publish hypermedia content in electronic form across the wide area networks (“WAN's”) such as the World Wide Web. Toward this end, a client-server development platform is provided for handling the important functions of document authoring, content-based indexing and retrieval of documents, management and control of proprietary assets, and a support for developing form-driven interactive services, all in a manner that is uniquely and seamlessly WAN-integrated.

1 . a method for editing electronic documents located remote from but accessible to a: 
 client computer, the method comprising:    browsing from a client computer to a document located remote from but accessible to the client computer;    using the client computer to edit the document; and    saving the document, as edited, to a location remote from but accessible to the client computer.    
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein: 
 browsing from the client computer includes browsing from the client computer to the document located on a server on a wide area network; and    saving the document includes saving the document, as edited, to the server.    
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein using the client computer to edit the document includes dragging and dropping content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 3  wherein the dragged and dropped content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein using the client computer to edit the document includes copying and pasting content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 5  wherein the copied and pasted content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein using the client computer to edit the document includes cutting and pasting content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 7  wherein the cut and pasted content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein browsing from the client computer to the document includes opening the document located remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein: 
 browsing from the client computer to the document includes browsing from the client computer to a first document containing a hypermedia link located remote from but accessible to the client computer and selecting the hypermedia link to access a second document;    using the client computer to edit the document includes using the client computer to edit the second document; and    saving the document includes saving the second document, as edited, to the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.    
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein browsing from the client computer to the document and using the client computer to edit the document enable a user of the client computer to seamlessly browse and edit documents located remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein saving the document includes saving the document, as edited, to the location such that the document, as edited, is immediately accessible from the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising publishing the document, as edited, to the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         14 . A computer program residing on a computer-readable medium, for editing electronic documents located remote from but accessible to a client computer, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to: 
 browse from a client computer to a document located remote from but accessible to the client computer;    use the client computer to edit the document; and    save the document, as edited, to a location remote from but accessible to the client computer.    
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 14  wherein. 
 the instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer include instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer to the document located on a server on a wide area network; and    the instructions for causing the computer to save the document include instructions for causing the computer to save the document, as edited, to the server.    
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 14  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to use the client computer to edit the document include instructions for causing the computer to drag and drop content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 16  wherein the dragged and dropped content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to use the client computer to edit the document include instructions for causing the computer to copy and paste content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 18  wherein the copied and pasted content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to use the client computer to edit the document include instructions for causing the computer to cut and paste content from another document into the document being edited.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program of  claim 20  wherein the cut and pasted content includes one or more hypermedia links.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer to the document include instructions for causing the computer to open the document located remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein: 
 the instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer to the document include instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer to a first document containing a hypermedia link located remote from but accessible to the client computer and select the hypermedia link to access a second document;    the instructions for causing the computer to use the client computer to edit the document include instructions for causing the computer to use the client computer edit the second document; and    the instructions for causing the computer to save the document include instructions for causing the computer to save the second document, as edited, to the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to browse from the client computer to the document and to use the client computer to edit the document enable a user on the client computer to seamlessly browse and edit documents located remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         25 . The computer program of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for causing the computer to save the document include instructions for causing the computer to save the document, as edited, to the location such that the document, as edited, is immediately accessible from the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program of  claim 15  further comprising instructions that cause the computer to publish the document, as edited, to the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         27 . A system for editing electronic documents located remote from but accessible to a client computer, comprising: 
 means for browsing from a client computer to a document located remote from but accessible to the client computer;    means for using the client computer to edit the document; and    means for saving the document, as edited, to a location remote from but accessible to the client computer.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein: 
 the means for browsing includes means for browsing from the client computer to the document located on a server on a wide area network; and    the means for saving the document includes means for saving the document, as edited, to the server.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein: 
 the means for browsing from the client computer to the document includes means for browsing from the client computer to a first document containing a hypermedia link located remote from but accessible to the client computer and means for selecting the hypermedia link to access a second document;    the means for using the client computer to edit the document includes means for using the client computer to edit the second document; and    the means for saving the document includes means for saving the second document, as edited, to the server.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the means for saving the document includes means for saving the document, as edited, to the location such that the document, as edited, is immediately accessible from the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27  further comprising means for publishing the document, as edited, to the location remote from but accessible to the client computer.  
     
     
         32 . A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for publishing electronic documents comprising one or more servers, said computer program for use by a user having a client computer operably coupled to a first server, said computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to: 
 access a source document located on a source server, the source document including at least one link addressing a target document located on a target server;    access the target document by signaling the link using a cursor control device;    edit the target document; and    save the target document as modified on a destination server,    wherein the foregoing instructions are performed regardless of whether the first, source, target, and destination servers are the same or different servers.