Method for dynamically generating reference identifiers in structured information

1. A method for creating a reference identifier in an electronic document formatted as a data structure, comprising:

(a) following hierarchy of said data structure to reach a root of said data structure;

(b) traversing the data structure for a matching string value in said document from said root until a target object is encountered, wherein said string value is selected from a group consisting of: a document and a document fragment;

(c) dynamically generating said identifier for retrieved content in said document based upon said string value from a location of said target object in said data structure, wherein the step of generating said identifier includes adding a relevant attribute of an encountered element in said data structure to an HTML document indicating a depth of said element in said data structure, including encoding said attribute as a URL; and

(d) generating content relative identifiers in retrieved data, comprising:

resolving context of a cross reference to a secondary document from said retrieved content; and

converting said cross reference context to a reference identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of traversing the data structure includes incrementing a counter when a specified branch of the data structure is encountered.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of traversing the data structure includes clearing a counter when a specified branch of the data structure is closed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of traversing the data structure includes recursively traversing the data structure.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating said reference identifier to reflect changes in said data structure.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of updating said reference identifier includes resetting an index for said data structure when content of said data structure is amended.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein amended content includes content selected from the group consisting of: inserted content, removed content, and reorganized content.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said data structure is a standardized mark-up language.

9. A computer system comprising:

an electronic document formatted as a data structure;

a manager responsive to a traverse request having a string value and to match said string value of said request with said data structure;

said manager is adapted to generate an identifier for said matched string value of an encountered element in said document to an HTML document with an indicator for a depth of said element in said data structure in response to said traverse request, and to encode said attribute as a URL; and

said manager adapted to generate a content relative identifier from said matched string value through resolution of context of a cross reference to a secondary document and to convert said cross reference to a reference identifier.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a counter increment responsive to said manager if a specified branch in said data structure matches said traverse request.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a counter clearance responsive to said manager if a specified branch in said data structure is closed.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a modified marker in response to an amendment to said data structure.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said amendment to said data structure is selected from the group consisting of: inserted content, removed content, and reorganized content.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein said data structure is standardized mark-up language.

15. An article comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

means in the medium for following hierarchy in a data structure;

means in the medium for traversing said data structure to match a string value in said data structure, wherein said string value is selected from a group consisting of: a document and a document fragment;

means in the medium for dynamically generating an identifier for retrieved content in said data structure from a position of a target object in said data structure, wherein said means for generating said identifier includes adding a relevant attribute of an encountered element in said data structure to an HTML document indicating a depth of said element in said data structure, including encoding said attribute as a URL; and

means in the medium for generating content relative identifiers in said retrieved content, including resolving context of a cross reference to a secondary document and converting said cross reference to a reference identifier.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the medium is a recordable data storage medium.

17. The article of claim 15 , wherein said traversal means generates a counter increment responsive to a match of a specified branch in said data structure to a search request.

18. The article of claim 15 , wherein said traversal means generates a counter clearance responsive to an encounter of a closed branch of said data structure to a search request.

19. A method for dynamically creating a reference identifier in an electronic document formatted as a data structure, comprising:

(a) following hierarchy of said data structure to reach a root of said data structure;

(b) recursively traversing the data structure for a matching string value in said document from said root until a target object is encountered, wherein said string value is selected from a group consisting of: a document and a document fragment;

(c) wherein the step of traversing the data structure includes changing a counter when a branch of said data structure is encountered;

(d) generating said identifier for said matching string value in said document from a location of said target object in said data structure, wherein the step of generating said identifier includes adding a relevant attribute of an encountered element in said data structure to an HTML document indicating a depth of said element in said data structure, including encoding said attribute as a URL; and

(e) generating a content relative identifier in retrieved data, comprising:

resolving context of a cross reference to a secondary document from said retrieved content, and converting said cross reference to a reference identifier.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of traversing the data structure includes clearing said counter when a specified branch of said data structure is closed and a target object is null, and incrementing said counter when a specified branch of said data structure is encountered.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of updating said reference identifier to reflect changes in said data structure.