Methods and apparatus for creating markup language documents
View Patent ↗A method for generating markup language documents, e.g., XML documents, uses a code generator that creates programs configured to create dynamic XML documents at run time, avoiding many of the complexities arising from the use of conventional “XML GENERATE” statements. In one embodiment, this process involves (1) creating a template document using a markup language, wherein the template document includes a set of tags associated with the markup language documents; (2) parsing the template document to determine a working storage structure corresponding to the tags in the template document; and (3) generating an application program in the programming language (e.g., COBOL), wherein the application program includes a definition of the working storage structure, and is configured to generate, during run-time, a markup language document corresponding to the original template document.
1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing a program executable by the processor, wherein the program includes computer code for implementing a method for obtaining computer-generated markup language documents using a programming language, the method including steps of:
creating, using a markup language, a template document including a plurality of tags;
populating each of the plurality of tags with a value, wherein at least one of the plurality of tags is populated with a maximum tag length value;
parsing the template document to determine a working storage structure corresponding to the plurality of tags; and
generating, in the programming language, an API configured to generate, during run-time, a markup language document, and to generate a corresponding set of data elements corresponding to the working storage structure, wherein the generated API includes:
a definition of the working storage structure including a plurality of API variables,
code for each tag that participates in an array, and
code configured to compress the data elements by truncating leading spaces in each data element,
wherein a dimension of the array can be adjusted upon receiving input from a user interface.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programming language is COBOL.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the markup language is XML.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes steps of:
receiving an input message markup language document;
extracting input data from the input message markup language document to create extracted input data;
using the extracted input data in an application program, wherein the application program is written in the programming language; and
generating markup language documents by use of the API.
5. A system for generating markup language documents, the system comprising a computer apparatus configured to:
create, using a markup language, a template document including a plurality of tags;
populate each of the plurality of tags with a value, wherein at least one of the plurality of tags is populated with a maximum tag length value,
parse the template document to determine a working storage structure corresponding to the plurality of tags, and
generate an API configured to generate, during run-time, a markup language document and to generate a corresponding set of data elements corresponding to the working storage structure, wherein the API includes:
a definition of the working storage structure including a plurality of API variables,
code for each tag that participates in an array, and
code configured to compress the data elements by truncating leading spaces in each data element,
wherein a dimension of the array can be adjusted upon receiving input from a user interface.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the programming language is COBOL.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the markup language is XML.
8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer apparatus is further configured to:
receive an input message markup language document;
extract input data from the input message markup language document to create extracted input data;
use the extracted input data in an application program, wherein the application program is written in the programming language; and
generate markup language documents by use of the API.
9. A computer-readable storage medium storing, in executable form, computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, implement a method for obtaining computer-generated markup language documents using a programming language, the method comprising:
creating, using a markup language, a template document including a plurality of tags;
populating each of the plurality of tags with a value, wherein at least one of the plurality of tags is populated with a maximum tag length value;
parsing the template document to determine a working storage structure corresponding to the plurality of tags; and
generating, in the programming language, an API configured to generate, during run-time, a markup language document, and to generate a corresponding set of data elements corresponding to the working storage structure, wherein the API includes:
a definition of the working storage structure including a plurality of API variables,
code for each tag that participates in an array, and
code configured to compress the data elements by truncating leading spaces in each data element,
wherein a dimension of the array can be adjusted upon receiving input from a user interface.
10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the method further includes:
receiving an input message markup language document;
extracting input data from the input message markup language document to create extracted input data;
using the extracted input data in an application program, wherein the application program is written in the programming language; and
generating markup language documents by use of the API.