Script generation
Indirect update functions, for updating a form, are generated by supplying update functions to a synthesizer, and generating an activation network, based on these update functions. The invocation sequence of the activation network is then determined, and used to update elements of a form. The generation of the invocation sequence by the synthesizer removes the need for complex hand encoding of form structures, and provides a means by which the functions may be generated as part of a server, client or middleware application.
1. A method of generating an invocation sequence of update functions that update values associated with questions in a questionnaire form used to obtain information to produce a customized document from a template document, the invocation sequence specifying an order in which the update functions are invoked, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying the update functions to a synthesiser;
identifying, using the synthesizer, trigger questions from the questions of the questionnaire form that trigger invocation of at least one of the supplied update functions;
generating an activation network based on the identified update functions at the synthesiser; and
determining the invocation sequence of the identified update functions for each trigger question by using the activation network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger elements are determined by at least one of the value or status of the elements of the form.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activation network includes cyclic update functions.
4. The method of claim 1 , 2 , or 3 further comprising the step of:
exporting the update functions and the invocation sequence to a form renderer in a readable format.
5. The method of claim 1 , 2 , or 3 wherein the update functions are validation functions.
6. The method of claim 1 , 2 , or 3 wherein the update functions are activation functions.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synthesiser is stored on a server computer.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synthesiser is stored on a client computer.
9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synthesiser forms part of a middleware application, located between a server computer and a client computer.
10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synthesiser is integrated with the form renderer.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the form renderer is a web browser application.
12. The method of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the update functions are supplied by one of a database engine and a form generator.
13. The method of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the step of determining the invocation sequence involves determining the order in which the update functions must be executed within the activation network.
14. The method of claim 1 , 2 or 3 further comprising the steps of:
entering data to change the status of a first form question;
determining the position of the first form question in the activation network; and
triggering the update functions associated with the first form question to update the status of a second form question.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program code stored thereon, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to generate invocation sequences of update functions to update values associated with questions in a questionnaire form used to obtain information to produce a customized document from a template document by performing the steps of:
supplying the update functions to a synthesiser;
identifying, with the synthesizer, trigger questions from the questions of the form that trigger the invocation of ones of the supplied update functions;
generating an activation network based on the update functions identified at the synthesiser; and
determining the invocation sequence of updated functions for each trigger question by using the activation network.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program code stored thereon for generating an invocation sequence to update values associated with questions in a questionnaire form, comprising:
a synthesiser for generating an activation network based on update functions supplied by a form generator and identifying trigger questions from the questions of the form that trigger the invocation of ones of the update functions; and
a determinator for determining the invocation sequence of the supplied update functions, for each trigger question, the form being updated based on the determined invocation sequence and output in tangible format.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the trigger questions are determined by at least one of the value or status of the questions of the form.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the activation network includes cyclic update functions.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the update functions and invocation sequence are exported to a form renderer in a readable format.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the update functions are validation functions.
21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the update functions are activation functions.
22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the synthesiser is stored on a server computer.
23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the synthesiser is stored on a client computer.
24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the synthesiser forms part of a middleware application, located between a server computer and a client computer.
25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the synthesiser is integrated with the form renderer.
26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the form renderer is a web browser application.
27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the update functions are supplied by one of a database engine and a form generator.
28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein the step of determining the invocation sequence involves determining the order in which the functions must be executed within the activation network.
29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , 17 , or 18 wherein, in use, a user enters data to change the status of a first form question, the position in the activation network of the first form question is determined such that the update functions associated with the first form question are triggered so as to update the status of a second form question, in accordance with the invocation sequence.