Macro programming for resources

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for generating, storing, retrieving, and utilizing a search macro or shortcut link to a resource, such as a web site that provides access to an information database. The system may load a page into an application from the resource. The resource may have a Uniform Resource Identifier, and the page may have a search field that causes the application to generate a message when activated. The system may read the Uniform Resource Identifier insert a placeholder into the search field, and activate the search field, which causes the application to generate a message. The system may read the message and parse the message to isolate a search string containing the placeholder. The system may store the search string in a data structure, and may also store the Uniform Resource Identifier and associate it with the search string in the data structure. The system may further retrieve the search string, replace the placeholder with a search term, and generate a message as a function of the search string and the search term.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using macros comprising:
 receiving content of a web page;   creating a search macro responsive to an action of a human searcher;   associating, by a processor, the search macro with a keyword previously selected by the human searcher when the human searcher indicates that the macro is to be created;   directing a request to a human guide based on the keyword; and   presenting the search macro to the human guide.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 creating the search macro based on the content of the web page when the human searcher fails to select a search input feature of the web page. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 creating the search macro based a Uniform Resource Locator delivered to a server when a search submission feature of the web page is activated; and 
 creating the search macro when the human searcher activates a widget which is enabled based on the Uniform Resource Locator and the keyword. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 presenting a control indicating a Uniform Resource Locator of the macro and a query input feature; and 
 performing a search by incorporating content of the query input feature with the Uniform Resource Locator and delivering the resulting message to a server when the control is activated. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 creating the search macro when the keyword is not associated with a Uniform Resource Locator which has obtained the web page. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 obtaining a search term from the human searcher; 
 replacing the search term with a predetermined placeholder when the human searcher submits a query via the web page; and 
 determining content of the macro based on the predetermined placeholder. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  comprising:
 receiving a search term from the human guide; and 
 replacing the placeholder with a query provided by the human guide when the human guide selects a macro button indicating the macro. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  comprising:
 associating a title with the macro then the action is received; and 
 altering the title based on an input obtained from the humane searcher. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 creating the search macro based on edits received from the human searcher. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 presenting the search macro based on a Uniform Resource Locator indicating a file stored on a device of the human guide. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  comprising:
 updating content of the file stored on the device of the human guide when the search macro is modified. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a searcher device receiving content of a web page, selecting a keyword, and indicating that a search macro is to be created; and   a server device receiving a request, creating the search macro responsive to the indicating, directing the request to a human guide based on the keyword, and presenting the search macro to the human guide.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  comprising:
 a guide device receiving the request, conducting a search based on the macro and a search query, and providing a response to the request based on a search result obtained using the macro when the macro is selected by the guide device. 
 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing therein an instruction for causing a computer to execute an operation, comprising:
 receiving content of a web page;   creating a search macro responsive to an action of a human searcher;   associating the search macro with a keyword previously selected by the human searcher when the human searcher indicates that the macro is to be created;   directing a request to a human guide based on the keyword; and   presenting the search macro to the human guide.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the operation further comprises:
 creating the search macro based on a query input feature of the web page indicated by the human searcher when the web page is obtained. 
 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the operation further comprises:
 blocking the action of the human searcher when the search macro is equivalent to a stored macro associated with the keyword and the human guide. 
 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the operation further comprises:
 creating the search macro based on a Uniform Resource Locator modified by the human searcher to include a placeholder. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the operation further comprises:
 obtaining a search result by substituting a search query of the human guide for the placeholder and submitting the macro to a server when the human guide selects a button indicating the macro. 
 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the operation further comprises:
 creating the macro by analyzing content of a Uniform Resource Locator generated by inserting a predetermined placeholder in a query input feature selected by the human searcher, activating a query submission control associated with the query input feature and receiving edits to the Uniform Resource Locator from the human searcher. 
 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the operation further comprises:
 ignoring the action of the human searcher when an equivalent macro is found to be associated with the keyword and the human guide.