Template-based content creation

Abstract

Methods, systems and program products for generating content from a user-created template. Embodiments of the invention may provide an interface configured to allow users to create templates, where the templates further include a user-specified formatting. Embodiments may receive a template created by a user using the provided interface, and responsive to receiving the template, may retrieve data associated with the variable fields in the received template. Embodiments may generate new content based on the received template and the retrieved data, where the generated new content is formatted according to the user-specified formatting in the received template.

1 . A computer-implemented method for creating content, comprising:
 providing a interface allowing a user to interactively create a template for use in creating content, wherein the template contains a plurality of fields including at least one variable field displayed with formatting attributes given to content of the variable field when displayed in the interface;   receiving a first template created using the provided interface;   for each variable field of the received first template, retrieving one or more data values associated with the variable field; and   generating, by operation of one or more computer processors, new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values; wherein generating new content comprises:
 for each variable field in the received first template, comprising:
 inserting the associated one or more data values into the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the variable field in the received first template; and 
 formatting the associated one or more data values, based on the formatting attributes specified for the variable field. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fields further contains at least one static field, and wherein generating new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 inserting each of the at least one static fields in the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the static field in the received first template.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received first template further comprises a table template specifying one or more formatting options, and wherein the one or more formatting options were visually depicted on the interface when the received first template was created. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 generating a table based on the table template, wherein at least one field in the generated table is formatted according to the one or more formatting options specified in the table template.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a number of columns, (ii) a number of rows, (iii) a column width, (iv) a row height, and (v) table dimensions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a font, (ii) a font size, (iii) a font style, (iv) a font color, and (v) a font alignment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating new content occurs responsive to the occurrence of an event, wherein the generated new content comprises a notification, and further comprising:
 transmitting the notification to signify the occurrence of the event.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a computer processor; and   a memory containing a program that, when executed by the computer processor, performs an operation for creating content, comprising:
 providing a interface allowing a user to interactively create a template for use in creating content, wherein the template contains a plurality of fields including at least one variable field displayed with formatting attributes given to content of the variable field when displayed in the interface; 
 receiving a first template created using the provided interface; 
 for each variable field of the received first template, retrieving one or more data values associated with the variable field; and 
 generating new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values; wherein generating new content comprises:
 for each variable field in the received first template, comprising:
 inserting the associated one or more data values into the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the variable field in the received first template; and 
 formatting the associated one or more data values, based on the formatting attributes specified for the variable field. 
 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of fields further contains at least one static field, and wherein generating new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 inserting each of the at least one static fields in the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the static field in the received first template.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the received first template further comprises a table template specifying one or more formatting options, and wherein the one or more formatting options were visually depicted on the interface when the received first template was created. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein generating new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 generating a table based on the table template, wherein at least one field in the generated table is formatted according to the one or more formatting options specified in the table template.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a number of columns, (ii) a number of rows, (iii) a column width, (iv) a row height, and (v) table dimensions. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a font, (ii) a font size, (iii) a font style, (iv) a font color, and (v) a font alignment. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein generating new content occurs responsive to the occurrence of an event, wherein the generated new content comprises a notification, and further comprising:
 transmitting the notification to signify the occurrence of the event.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for creating content, comprising:
 a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
 computer readable program code to provide a interface allowing a user to interactively create a template for use in creating content, wherein the template contains a plurality of fields including at least one variable field displayed with formatting attributes given to content of the variable field when displayed in the interface; 
 computer readable program code to receive a first template created using the provided interface; 
 computer readable program code to, for each variable field of the received first template, retrieve one or more data values associated with the variable field; and 
 computer readable program code to generate new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values; wherein the computer readable program code to generate new content comprises:
 for each variable field in the received first template, computer readable program code to:
 insert the associated one or more data values into the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the variable field in the received first template; and 
 format the associated one or more data values, based on the formatting attributes specified for the variable field. 
 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of fields further contains at least one static field, and wherein the computer readable program code to generate new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 computer readable program code to insert each of the at least one static fields in the generated new content, at a position corresponding to a placement position of the static field in the received first template.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the received first template further comprises a table template specifying one or more formatting options, and wherein the one or more formatting options were visually depicted on the interface when the received first template was created. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program code to generate new content based on the received first template and the retrieved one or more data values, further comprises:
 computer readable program code to generate a table based on the table template, wherein at least one field in the generated table is formatted according to the one or more formatting options specified in the table template.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a number of columns, (ii) a number of rows, (iii) a column width, (iv) a row height, and (v) table dimensions. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the formatting attributes comprise at least one of (i) a font, (ii) a font size, (iii) a font style, (iv) a font color, and (v) a font alignment. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code to generate new content occurs responsive to the occurrence of an event, wherein the generated new content comprises a notification, and further comprising:
 computer readable program code to transmit the notification to signify the occurrence of the event.