Method and apparatus for creating a hierarchical model to facilitate identifying components in a programming language file

1. A process for creating a hierarchical model from a programming language file that includes components, wherein the process is executed by a computer system, the process comprising:

obtaining a component from the programming language file wherein the component has a first corresponding renderer that generates output according to the properties and children of the component;

replacing the first corresponding renderer with a second corresponding renderer;

passing the second corresponding renderer to the component; and

requesting the component to encode itself using the second corresponding renderer, thereby causing the second corresponding renderer to generate elements in the hierarchical model;

wherein each element includes an attribute that identifies the component, thereby allowing the component to be subsequently identified by referencing the attribute in the corresponding element in the hierarchical model.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the programming language file is a JavaServer Pages file.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the component is a JavaServer Faces Component.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the first corresponding renderer and the second corresponding renderer are JavaServer Face ResponseWriters.

5. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

rendering a markup language file from the programming language file, wherein markup language components in the markup language file correspond to elements in the hierarchical model; and

using the hierarchical model to associate markup language components with components from the programming language file.

6. The process of claim 5 , further comprising using the hierarchical model in an integrated development environment.

7. The process of claim 5 , wherein the markup language is a form of HTML.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the markup language is XHTML.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical model is a Document Object Model.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for creating a hierarchical model from a programming language file that includes components, the method comprising:

obtaining a component from the programming language file wherein the component has a first corresponding renderer that generates output according to the properties and children of the component;

replacing the first corresponding renderer with a second corresponding renderer;

passing the second corresponding renderer to the component; and

requesting the component to encode itself using the second corresponding renderer, thereby causing the second corresponding renderer to generate elements in the hierarchical model;

wherein each element includes an attribute that identifies the component, thereby allowing the component to be subsequently identified by referencing the attribute in the corresponding element in the hierarchical model.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the programming language file is a JavaServer Pages file.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the component is a JavaServer Faces Component.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the first corresponding renderer and the second corresponding renderer are JavaServer Face ResponseWriters.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

rendering a markup language file from the programming language file, wherein markup language components in the markup language file correspond to elements in the hierarchical model; and

using the hierarchical model to associate markup language components with components from the programming language file.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises using the hierarchical model in an integrated development environment.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the markup language is a form of HTML.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the markup language is XHTML.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the hierarchical model is a Document Object Model.

19. An apparatus that creates a hierarchical model from a programming language file that includes components, comprising:

a memory;

an obtaining mechanism configured to obtain a component from the programming language file wherein the component has a first corresponding renderer that generates output according to the properties and children of the component;

a replacing mechanism to replace the first corresponding renderer with a second corresponding renderer;

a passing mechanism configured to pass the second corresponding renderer to the component; and

a requesting mechanism configured to request the component to encode itself using the second corresponding renderer, thereby causing the second corresponding renderer to generate elements in the hierarchical model;

wherein each element includes an attribute that identifies the component, thereby allowing the component to be subsequently identified by referencing the attribute in the corresponding element in the hierarchical model; and

wherein the hierarchical model is stored in the memory.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the programming language file is a JavaServer Pages file.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the component is a JavaServer Faces Component.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first corresponding renderer and the second corresponding renderer are JavaServer Face ResponseWriters.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:

a rendering mechanism configured to render a markup language file from the programming language file, wherein markup language components in the markup language file correspond to elements in the hierarchical model; and

an association mechanism configured to use the hierarchical model to associate markup language components with components from the programming language file.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the association mechanism is further configured to use the hierarchical model in an integrated development environment.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the markup language is a form of HTML.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the markup language is XHTML.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the hierarchical model is a Document Object Model.