METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR SIMULATING AN ONLINE SESSION
A method and system for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used to interact with server during an online session. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic in order to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data that is imported at the client. Known synchronization methods may also be used in order to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server.
1 . A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for simulating, at a client, an online session between the client and a remote server when the client is offline, wherein the client includes a local interface and the remote server includes data and functional logic that manipulates the data via instructions received through the local interface, the method comprising:
a. while the client is online, 1. importing at least a subset of the data; 2. importing at least a subset of the functional logic as an embedded portion of a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface; and
b. while the client is offline, 1. invoking the embedded functional logic to manipulate the imported data in response to instructions received through the local interface.
2 . The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the local interface is a web browser.
3 . The computer program product of claim 2 wherein the embedded functional logic is expressed in a scripting language understood by the web browser.
4 . The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the format comprises at least one document that utilizes a markup language to identify structures within the document.
5 . The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the imported data is stored in at least one document that utilizes a markup language to identify structures within the document.
6 . A method for simulating, at a client, an online session between the client and a remote server when the client is offline, wherein the client includes a local interface and the remote server includes data and functional logic that manipulates the data via instructions received through the local interface, the method comprising:
a. while the client is online, 1. importing at least a subset of the data; 2. importing at least a subset of the functional logic as an embedded portion of a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface; and
b. while the client is offline, 1. invoking the embedded functional logic to manipulate the imported data in response to instructions received through the local interface.
7 . An system for simulating, at a client, an online session between the client and a remote server when the client is offline, wherein the client includes a local interface and the remote server includes data and functional logic that manipulates the data via instructions received through the local interface, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:
a while the client is online, 1. importing at least a subset of the data; 2. importing at least a subset of the functional logic as an embedded portion of a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface; and
b. while the client is offline, 1. invoking the embedded functional logic to manipulate the imported data in response to instructions received through the local interface.