System and method for generating structured documents in a non-linear manner

Abstract

A system and method for generating structured electronic documents in a non-linear manner are provided. A document generation server obtains a request to generate an electronic document having logically ordered sections. Proceeding according to the logical order of the electronic document, the document generation server populates at least a portion of any section having data dependent on a subsequently ordered section with a content bookmark. Thereafter, the document generation server replaces the content bookmark with the dependent data after the data for the subsequently ordered section has been obtained.

1 . A method for generating an electronic document having two or more sections, wherein the two or more sections are arranged in a logical order, the method comprising: 
 obtaining a request to generate the electronic document;    obtaining a template defining a logical order of two or more sections of electronic document, wherein a logical order of a first section precedes a logical order of a second section;    determining whether content corresponding to the first section of the electronic document is dependent on the second section;    populating at least a portion of the first section with a content bookmark if the content corresponding to the first section of the electronic document is dependent on the second section;    populating the portion of the first section corresponding to the content bookmark with data dependent on the second section; and    transmitting the electronic document.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising processing the electronic document prior to transmitting the electronic document.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein processing the electronic document includes deleting any sections of the electronic document not requested.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein obtaining a request to generate an electronic document includes a request from a client computer to generate a structured document corresponding to a graphical user interface.  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic document is a structured HTML document.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the electronic document is a structured XML document.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein obtaining a request to generate an electronic document includes a request to generate a structured electronic mail document to a client computer.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the request to generate the electronic document includes data identifying a particular user and wherein populating the first logically ordered section with data dependent on the second logically ordered section includes populating the first logically ordered section with data unique to the particular user.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein populating the first logically ordered section with data dependent on the second logically ordered section occurs immediately upon population of the second logically ordered section.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein populating the first logically ordered section with data dependent on the second logically ordered section occurs upon population of all non-dependent logically ordered sections.  
   
   
       11 . A computer system for generating an electronic document having two or more sections, wherein the two or more section are arranged in a logical order, the computer system comprising: 
 a client computer corresponding to a request to generate the electronic document;    a document generation server operable to receive the request to generate the electronic document and operable to generate the electronic document corresponding to an identifiable template;    wherein the document generation server is further operable to populate at least a portion of a first logical section dependent on a subsequently occurring logical section with a content bookmark until the subsequently occurring logical section is populated, and wherein the document generation server if further operable to subsequently replace the content bookmark with data upon population of the subsequently occurring logical section.    
   
   
       12 . The computer system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein document generation server if further operable to process the generated document to remove any sections not included in the document request.  
   
   
       13 . The computer system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the request for the electronic document includes a request for a request to generate a structured document corresponding to a graphical user interface.  
   
   
       14 . A method for generating electronic documents having two or more sections, wherein the two or more sections are arranged in a logical order, the method comprising: 
 obtaining a request to generate the electronic document;    determining an electronic document order according to a template, wherein a first section of the electronic document has an order that precedes an order of a second section of the electronic document;    determining whether content corresponding to the first section of the electronic document is dependent on the second section;    populating at least a portion of the first section with a content bookmark if the content corresponding to the first section of the electronic document is dependent on the second section; and    populating the first section corresponding to the content bookmark with data dependent on the second section after populating the second section.    
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  further comprising: 
 processing the electronic document; and    transmitting the electronic document.    
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein obtaining a request to generate an electronic document includes a request from a client computer to generate a structured document corresponding to a graphical user interface.  
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the electronic document is a structured XML document.  
   
   
       18 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the request to generate the electronic document includes data identifying a particular user and wherein populating the first logically ordered section with data dependent on the second logically ordered section includes populating the first logically ordered section with data unique to the particular user.  
   
   
       19 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein populating the first logically ordered section with data dependent on the second logically ordered section occurs upon population of all non-dependent logically ordered sections.  
   
   
       20 . The method as recited in  claim 19  further comprising traversing the electronic document to identify any content bookmarks upon completion of all non-dependent logically ordered sections.