System and method for using metadata to cross-reference, search and display entries in a publishing system

Abstract

The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a method for cross-referencing, searching and displaying entries in a document publishing system, such as a web-publishing system or a desktop publishing system. The document publishing system uses input data such as email messages, attachments to emails, web clippings, and directly input text from a user to create new documents. The illustrative embodiment assigns an entry identification number to each new entry, an item identification number to each segment of the entry, and user-assigned labels to user-selected subparts of each entry. The entry identification numbers, item identification numbers and labels are automatically cross-linked by a series of algorithms. The identification numbers and labels are cross-linked with stored references which are used to dynamically generate HTML links. Changes in the content of a entry are saved as updates, where the latest version of a entry is cross-linked to previous versions. The cross-linking of the entries enables a user to search back through time for the content of previous versions or alternatively, to see the latest version of a previous entry.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 parsing with a computing process on a computing device a selected entry containing data into one or more segments, at least one labeled segment referred to by a label;   updating with the computing process metadata associated with the selected entry to cross-reference the labeled segment in the selected entry with one or more segments in at least one other entry that are marked with the label;   editing, with the computing process, the selected entry, the editing performing at least one of the following:
 modifying the content of a segment of the selected entry; 
 changing the ordering of one or more segments within the selected entry; 
 deleting the labeled segment; 
 adding at least one new segment to the selected entry; and 
 deleting at least one segment other than the labeled segment from the selected entry; 
   updating, with the computing process, the metadata for the selected entry to reflect the effect of the editing; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the label, the displaying excluding segments marked with the label that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the displaying displays the listing constrained to a set of entries that were created in a selected time period. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label that were added during a selected time period. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label that were removed during a selected time period. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 specifying using the computing process a specified entry which has previously been created or edited;   changing, with the computing process, at least one label associated with one or more segments of the specified entry, the changing performing at least one of the following:
 adding at least one label to a segment of the specified entry; and 
 removing at least one label from a segment of the specified entry; 
   updating, with the computing process, metadata for the specified entry to reflect the effect of the changing; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the changing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with at least one label added or removed by the changing.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 selecting a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of labels and segments, the perspective being a date reference; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label as of the perspective date.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of labels and segments, the perspective being a date range reference; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label at a time within the perspective date range.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of at least one entry that contains a segment cross-referenced with the label, the displaying excluding entries containing segments marked with the label that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 parsing with a computing process on a computing device a selected entry containing data into one or more segments;   updating with the computing process metadata associated with the selected entry to cross-reference a designated segment in the selected entry with one or more other segments, the metadata updated to express a type of relationship existing between the designated segment and the one or more other segments;   editing, with the computing process, the selected entry, the editing performing at least one of the following:
 modifying the content of a segment of the selected entry; 
 changing the ordering of one or more segments within the selected entry; 
 deleting the designated segment; 
 adding at least one new segment to the selected entry; and 
 deleting at least one segment other than the designated segment from the selected entry; 
   updating, with the computing process, the metadata for the selected entry to reflect relationship changes between the designated segment and the one or more other segments caused by the editing; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment, the displaying excluding segments that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the displaying displays the listing constrained to a set of entries that were created in a selected time period. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment that were added during a selected time period. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment that were removed during a selected time period. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 selecting a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of the designated segment and the one or more other segments, the perspective being a date reference; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the designated segment as of the perspective date.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 selecting a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of the designated segment and the one or more other segments, the perspective being a date range reference; and   displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the designated segment at a time within the perspective date range.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 displaying, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of one or more entries that contain a segment cross-referenced with the designated segment.   
   
   
       16 . A computer-readable storage medium holding computer-executable instructions that upon executing cause a computing device to:
 parse with a computing process on a computing device a selected entry containing data into one or more segments, at least one labeled segment referred to by a label;   update with the computing process metadata associated with the selected entry to cross-reference the labeled segment in the selected entry with one or more segments in at least one other entry that are marked with the label;   edit, with the computing process, the selected entry, the editing performing at least one of the following:
 modifying the content of a segment of the selected entry; 
 changing the ordering of one or more segments within the selected entry; 
 deleting the labeled segment; 
 adding at least one new segment to the selected entry; and 
 deleting at least one segment other than the labeled segment from the selected entry; 
   update, with the computing process, the metadata for the selected entry to reflect the effect of the editing; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the label, the displaying excluding segments marked with the label that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       17 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the displaying displays the listing constrained to a set of entries that were created in a selected time period. 
   
   
       18 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label that were added during a selected time period. 
   
   
       19 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label that were removed during a selected time period. 
   
   
       20 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 specify using the computing process a specified entry which has previously been created or edited;   change, with the computing process, at least one label associated with one or more segments of the specified entry, the changing performing at least one of the following:
 adding at least one label to a segment of the specified entry; and 
 removing at least one label from a segment of the specified entry; 
   update, with the computing process, metadata for the specified entry to reflect the effect of the changing; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the changing, a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with at least one label added or removed by the changing.   
   
   
       21 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 select a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of labels and segments, the perspective being a date reference; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label as of the perspective date.   
   
   
       22 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 select a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of labels and segments, the perspective being a date range reference; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the label at a time within the perspective date range.   
   
   
       23 . The medium of  claim 16  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of at least one entry that contains a segment cross-referenced with the label, the displaying excluding entries containing segments marked with the label that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       24 . A computer-readable storage medium holding computer-executable instructions that upon executing cause a computing device to:
 parse with a computing process on a computing device a selected entry containing data into one or more segments;   update with the computing process metadata associated with the selected entry to cross-reference a designated segment in the selected entry with one or more other segments, the metadata updated to express a type of relationship existing between the designated segment and the one or more other segments;   edit, with the computing process, the selected entry, the editing performing at least one of the following:
 modifying the content of a segment of the selected entry; 
 changing the ordering of one or more segments within the selected entry; 
 deleting the designated segment; 
 adding at least one new segment to the selected entry; and 
 deleting at least one segment other than the designated segment from the selected entry; 
   update, with the computing process, the metadata for the selected entry to reflect relationship changes between the designated segment and the one or more other segments caused by the editing; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment, the displaying excluding segments that were deleted by the editing.   
   
   
       25 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the displaying displays the listing constrained to a set of entries that were created in a selected time period. 
   
   
       26 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment that were added during a selected time period. 
   
   
       27 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the displaying only displays, based on the updated metadata that reflects the relationship changes caused by the editing, a listing of segments cross-referenced with the designated segment that were removed during a selected time period. 
   
   
       28 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 select a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of the designated segment and the one or more other segments, the perspective being a date reference; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the designated segment as of the perspective date.   
   
   
       29 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 select a perspective to apply to the cross-referencing of the designated segment and the one or more other segments, the perspective being a date range reference; and   display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, only a listing of segments containing one or more segments cross-referenced with the designated segment at a time within the perspective date range.   
   
   
       30 . The medium of  claim 24  wherein the medium further holds instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:
 display, based on the updated metadata that reflects the result of the editing, a listing of one or more entries that contain a segment cross-referenced with the designated segment.