Patent ID: 7873668
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method at least partially implemented on a computing device for providing data content from an arbitrarily defined data source for use with an application associated with a user interface, comprising the steps of: providing an XML document containing said data content for display in the user interface, the XML document having a root definition declaring an external data source outside the XML document, the external data source responsible for providing the data content in the XML document, the XML document stored in a first processor readable storage device; providing a mark-up language description of the application, wherein the mark-up language description of the application includes a dataset reference declaring a location of the XML document and a view element associated with the user interface defining a format for displaying the data content in the user interface, the view element containing a declaration statement associated with each instance of data content that will be displayed in the user interface, each declaration statement defines a data path to directly access the data content from the XML document via the dataset reference; and sequentially performing the steps of: in response to receiving a request to view the user interface, responding to the request by retrieving the data content directly from the XML document via each declaration statement contained in the view element; compiling said mark-up language description using the data content retrieved via the declaration statement in order to create executable code for a renderer associated with the user interface; and providing the executable code to the renderer, wherein the renderer displays the data content in the user interface according to the format specified in the view element, wherein the executable code maintains a live connection between each declaration to data statement associated with the user interface and the data content associated with each declaration to data statement such that any content that is updated within the XML document is automatically updated in the user interface.