Abstract:
An apparatus for and method of accommodating an XML document within a data base management system. The XML document is parsed on an element-by-element basis into an acceptable format for use by a data base management system by information contained in an XML mapping tree. Each element may be accompanied by appropriate attributes. The tree may be saved for future use. The XML document may be defined by a Document Type Definition (DTD).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to data base management systems and more particularly relates to enhancements for providing an interface between a legacy data base management system and Internet servers employing XML (extensible markup language) protocol. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Data base management systems are well known in the data processing art. Such commercial systems have been in general use for more than 20 years. One of the most successful data base management systems is available from Unisys Corporation and is called the MAPPER→data base management system. The MAPPER system can be reviewed using the MAPPER User&#39;s Guide which may be obtained from Unisys Corporation. 
     The MAPPER system, which runs on proprietary hardware also available from Unisys Corporation, provides a way for clients to partition data bases into structures called cabinets, drawers, and reports as a way to offer a more tangible format. The MAPPER data base manager utilizes various predefined high-level instructions whereby the data base user may manipulate the data base to generate human-readable data presentations. The user is permitted to prepare lists of the various predefined high-level instructions into data base manager programs called “MAPPER Runs”. Thus, users of the MAPPER system may create, modify, and add to a given data base and also generate periodic and aperiodic updated reports using various MAPPER Runs. 
     However, with the MAPPER system, as well as with similar proprietary data base management systems, the user must interface with the data base using a terminal coupled directly to the proprietary system and must access and manipulate the data using the MAPPER command language of MAPPER. Ordinarily, that means that the user must either be co-located with the hardware which hosts the data base management system or must be coupled to that hardware through dedicated data links. Furthermore, the user usually needs to be schooled in the command language of MAPPER (or other proprietary data base management system) to be capable of generating MAPPER Runs. 
     Since the advent of large scale, dedicated, proprietary data base management systems, the Internet or world wide web has come into being. Unlike closed proprietary data base management systems, the Internet has become a world wide bulletin board, permitting all to achieve nearly equal access using a wide variety of hardware, software, and communication protocols. Even though some standardization has developed, one of the important characteristics of the world wide web is its ability to constantly accept new and emerging techniques within a global framework. Many current users of the Internet have utilized several generations of hardware and software from a wide variety of suppliers from all over the world. It is not uncommon for current day young children to have ready access to the world wide web and to have substantial experience in data access using the Internet. 
     Thus, the major advantage of the Internet is its universality. Nearly anyone, anywhere can become a user. That means that virtually all persons are potentially Internet users without the need for specialized training and/or proprietary hardware and software. One can readily see that providing access to a proprietary data base management system, such as MAPPER, through the Internet would yield an extremely inexpensive and universally available means for accessing the data which it contains and such access would be without the need for considerable specialized training. 
     There are two basic problems with permitting Internet access to a proprietary data base. The first is a matter of security. Because the Internet is basically a means to publish information, great care must be taken to avoid intentional or inadvertent access to certain data by unauthorized Internet users. In practice this is substantially complicated by the need to provide various levels of authorization to Internet users to take full advantage of the technique. For example, one might have a first level involving no special security features available to any Internet user. A second level might be for specific customers, whereas a third level might be authorized only for employees. One or more fourth levels of security might be available for officers or others having specialized data access needs. 
     Existing data base managers have security systems, of course. However, because of the physical security with a proprietary system, a certain degree of security is inherent in the limited access. On the other hand, access via the Internet is virtually unlimited which makes the security issue much more acute. 
     Current day security systems involving the world wide web involve the presentation of a user-id and password. Typically, this user-id and password either provides access or denies access in a binary fashion. To offer multiple levels of secure access using these techniques would be extraordinarily expensive and require the duplication of entire databases and or substantial portions thereof. In general, the advantages of utilizing the world wide web in this fashion to access a proprietary data base are directly dependent upon the accuracy and precision of the security system involved. 
     The second major problem is imposed by the Internet protocol itself. One of the characteristics of the Internet which makes it so universal is that any single transaction in HTML (or XML) language combines a single transfer (or request) from a user coupled with a single response from the Internet server. In general, there is no means for linking multiple transfers (or requests) and multiple responses. In this manner, the Internet utilizes a transaction model which may be referred to as “stateless”. This limitation ensures that the Internet, its users, and its servers remain sufficiently independent during operation that no one entity or group of entities can unduly delay or “hang-up” the communications system or any of its major components. Each transmission results in a termination of the transaction. Thus, there is no general purpose means to link data from one Internet transaction to another, even though in certain specialized applications limited amounts of data may be coupled using “cookies” or via attaching data to a specific HTML screen. 
     However, some of the most powerful data base management functions or services of necessity rely on coupling function attributes and data from one transaction to another in dialog fashion. In fact this linking is of the essence of MAPPER Runs which assume change of state from one command language statement to the next. True statelessness from a first MAPPER command to the next or subsequent MAPPER command would preclude much of the power of MAPPER (or any other modern data base management system) as a data base management tool and would eliminate data base management as we now know it. 
     Providing the system with the capability to save the needed information from transaction to transaction permits applications to be developed for a true dialog-type interface between the legacy data base management system and an Internet terminal. However, to make maximum use of the database management system from the Internet terminal, an appropriate customized user interface is required. With previous systems, the user interface was predefined in accordance with the related Internet connection. 
     An especially troublesome issue associated with implementation of communication between the Internet servers and the legacy data base management system involves the XML (extensible markup language) format. The enhanced flexibility of this protocol makes interface with an inherently incompatible format particularly difficult. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method of and apparatus for placing information received over the Internet in XML format into data structures for eventual use within a legacy data base management system via an element to source mapping tree. In order to permit such functionality, the present invention must first provide an interface herein referred to generically as a gateway, which translates transaction data transferred from the user over the Internet in XML format into a format from which data base management system commands and inputs may be generated. The gateway must also convert in the data base management system responses and outputs for usage on the user&#39;s Internet terminal. Thus, as a minimum, the gateway must make these format and protocol conversions. In the preferred embodiment, a number of gateways reside in the web server coupled to the user via the world wide web and coupled to proprietary data base management system. 
     To make access to a proprietary data base by Internet users practical, a sophisticated security system is required to prevent intentional or inadvertent unauthorized access to the sensitive data of an organization. As discussed above, such a security system should provide multiple levels of access to accommodate a variety of authorized user categories. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, rather than defining several levels of data classification, the different classes of users are managed by identifying a security profile as a portion of those service requests requiring access to secure data. Thus, the security profile accompanies the data/service to be accessed. User information is correlated to the access permitted. This permits certain levels of data to be accessed by one or more of the several classes of user. 
     In the preferred mode of practicing the present invention, a given user is correlated with a security profile. Upon preparation of the service request which provides Internet access to a given portion of the data base, the service request developer specifies which security profiles are permitted access to the data or a portion thereof. The service request developer can subsequently modify the accessibility of any security profile. The utility of the system is greatly enhanced by permitting the service request developer to provide access to predefined portions of the data, rather than being limited to permit or deny access to all of the data involved. 
     The present invention also permits the system to modify and redefine the security profiles during operation. In accordance with the preferred technique, the system administrator can access an individual user and directly modify the security profile just for that user. This is accomplished by calling up an HTML page for the selected user showing the security profile of record. The system administrator makes changes as appropriate. The Data Wizard Security Service generates script associated with the security profile change which provides the selected user with the new set of access privileges. 
     Whereas the gateway and the security system are the minimum necessary to permit the most rudimentary form of communication between the Internet terminal of the user and the proprietary data base management system, as explained above, the Internet is a “stateless” communication system; the addition of the gateway and the security system do not change this statelessness. To unleash the real power of the data base management system, the communication protocol between the data base and the user requires functional interaction between the various data transfers. 
     The present invention adds security management and state management to this environment. Instead of considering each transfer from the Internet user coupled with the corresponding server response as an isolated transaction event as defined by the world wide web, one or more related service requests may be functionally associated in a service request sequence as defined by the data base management system into a dialog. 
     A repository is established to store the state of the service request sequence. As such, the repository can store intermediate requests and responses, as well as other data associated with the service request sequence. Thus, the repository buffers commands, data, and intermediate products utilized in formatting subsequent data base management service requests and in formatting subsequent data to be available to the user&#39;s browser. 
     The transaction data in HTML or XML format received by the server from the user, along with the state information stored in the repository, are processed by a service handler into a sequence of service requests in the command language of the data base management system. 
     Through the use of the repository to store the state of the service request sequence, the service handler to execute data base management commands, the world wide web user is capable of performing each and every data base management function available to any user, including a user from a proprietary terminal having a dedicated communication link which is co-located with the proprietary data base management system hardware and software. In addition, the data base management system user at the world wide web terminal is able to accomplish this, without extensive training concerning the command language of the data base management system. 
     In accordance with the preferred mode of the present invention, the Cool ICE Data Wizard Join Service provides a web based interface that allows a developer to create a web based service that joins tables from MAPPER Reports, MAPPER runs, databases that are ODBC compliant, and many RDMS, and MAPPER. This service renders the resulting table to the web. This result can be rendered to the web either by a Cool ICE Script or by an Active Server Page. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a customized user interface is built from multiple components stored in the proprietary database management system. Unlike previous approaches, the web-based service component is split into multiple components: an application service component, a screen component, a receiving service component, and a new template component. 
     The screen component calls the template component, which collects all of the indexed pieces that it needs from within the proprietary database and displays this dynamically built data in the browser. When an action against the data is initiated from the browser, the receiving service component is called to perform the specified action and then inform the user that the action has completed. These multiple components seamlessly interact to build a consistent user interface that can easily be tailored to meet users&#39; presentation and performance needs. 
     By separating the code into multiple components, this new architecture allows adaptability to the user&#39;s environment, ease of maintenance, and ease of localization. Users can easily alter the look-and-feel of the user interface by making changes to the new template component. For example, changes to layout, color, use of graphics, or addition of a company-specific logo can quickly and easily be done by simply making changes to the template component. By choosing to exclude large graphical elements from the template component, performance enhancements may also be realized. In addition, the template component gives the user a wide range of languages in which to program their user interface including HTML, HDML, XML, WML, JavaScript, Vbscript, and WMLscript. This tremendous flexibility gives the user a fast and effective way to tailor their user interface. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the preferred embodiment employs an element to source mapping tree through which the translation between XML and the internal system is defined. The XML element to source mapping tree is a structure which may be depicted on the left side of an appropriate translation window. It is a visual structural representation of the XML document which is being mapped. The structural definition of the tree may be derived in a number of ways including accessing a previous stored definition, user addition of elements and attributes, user deletion of elements and attributes, and user modification of elements and attributes. 
     The XML tree contains elements and attributes that represent the data in an XML document. The tree expands and contracts by operator action. The Elements link at the top of the XML tree structure provides a set of actions for the XML tree. Actions for individual elements and attributes are shown when an element or attribute is in focus. These actions are shown in an Actions box on the right pane of the window. Information about elements and attributes are shown by symbols to the right of the name field of each tree items: 
     Attribute (a) 
     Value (v) 
     Required Repeating (+) 
     Optional (?) 
     Optional Repeating (*) 
     An element or attribute is mapped to a source by first clicking on the element or attribute name, or by clicking on the radio button to the right of the name. Then click on the radio button to the left of the source item it will be mapped to. If the source item is a table, the mapping tool will automatically generate the element tree structure for the mapping and map all of the subelements in the tree to the row and columns for the table. 
     The system prevents use of the same name for elements which have different structures. However, Master copies permit more than one element having the same name and structure. Thus, Master copies should be used in situations where the same type of information appears more than once in an XML document. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is pictographic view of the Cool ICE system coupled between a user on the world wide web and an existing proprietary data base management system; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing showing the operation of a multi-level security system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a pictographic view of the hardware of the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a semi-schematic diagram of the operation of the Cool ICE system; 
         FIG. 5  is an overall schematic view of the software of the Cool ICE system; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a service request; 
         FIG. 7  shows a schematic view of a service request sequence; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic comparison between a dialog-based structure and a service-based structure; 
         FIG. 9  is a detailed diagram of the storage and utilization of state information within the repository; 
         FIG. 10  is a detailed diagram showing security profile verification during a service request; 
         FIG. 11  is a flow diagram showing the operation of the Cool ICE Data Wizard; 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed flow diagram showing the basic Data Wizard functions; 
         FIG. 13  is a flow diagram showing the role of the Cool ICE Administration module; 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram showing utilization of the Cool ICE Data Wizard; 
         FIG. 15  is a flow diagram showing operation of the Data Wizard Join Service; 
         FIG. 16  is a detailed flow diagram for Join Service; 
         FIG. 17  is a detailed flow diagram of the Utrace architecture; 
         FIG. 18  is a detailed table of the registry settings for initially tracing for an application; 
         FIG. 19  is a flow chart showing the generic trace process; 
         FIG. 20A  is a table showing typical definitions for policy trace flags; 
         FIG. 20B  is a table showing a typical run-time trace call; 
         FIG. 21  is a detailed flow chart showing branching from the Data Wizard Main Menu; 
         FIG. 22 , consisting of  FIG. 22A ,  FIG. 22B , and  FIG. 22C , is a detailed flow chart showing operation of the Query Builder; 
         FIG. 23  is a detailed flow chart showing completion of the Query Builder process; 
         FIG. 24  is a detailed diagram showing the operation of the key elements of the present invention; 
         FIG. 25  is a lead view of the primary window for the Component Builder showing presentation of the XML mapping tree; and 
         FIG. 26  is a scroll down view of the window of  FIG. 25 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is described in accordance with several preferred embodiments which are to be viewed as illustrative without being limiting. These several preferred embodiments are based upon MAPPER data base management system, and the Cool ICE software components, all available from Unisys Corporation. 
       FIG. 1  is an overall pictographic representation of a system  10  permitting access to a proprietary data base management system via an Internet terminal. Existing data bases and applications  12  represents commercially available hardware and software systems which typically provide select users with access to proprietary data and data base management functions. In the preferred embodiment, existing data bases and applications  12  represents one or more data bases prepared using MAPPER data base management system, all available from Unisys Corporation. Historically, existing data bases and applications  12  could only be accessed from a dedicated, direct terminal link, either physically co-located with the other system elements or connected thereto via a secured dedicated link. 
     With the preferred mode of the present invention, communication between new web application terminal  14  and existing data bases and applications  12  is facilitated. As discussed above, this permits nearly universal access by users world wide without specialized hardware and/or user training. The user effects the access using standardized HTML and XML transaction language through world wide web link  16  to the Cool ICE system  20 , which serves as a world wide web server to world wide web link  16 . 
     Cool ICE system  20  appears to existing data bases and applications  12  as a data base management system proprietary user terminal over dedicated link  18 . Oftentimes, dedicated link  18  is an intranet or other localized link. Cool ICE system  20  is currently available in commercial form as Cool ICE Revision Level 2.1 from Unisys Corporation. 
       FIG. 2  is a basic schematic diagram of security system  22  of the preferred mode of the present invention. By way of example, there are four categories of service defined, each with its own functionality and portion of the data base. Service A  36  contains data and functions which should only be made available to customers. Service B  38  contains data and functions which should only be made available to customers or employees. Service C  40  contains data and functions which should only be made available to employees, and Service D  42 , containing the least restrictive data and functions may be made available to anyone, including the general public. 
     In a typical application, Service D  42  might contain the general home page information of the enterprise. It will consist of only the most public of information. It is likely to include the name, address, e-mail address, and phone number of the enterprise, along with the most public of the business details. Usually, Service D  42  would include means of presenting the information in a sufficiently interesting way to entice the most casual of the public user to make further inquiry and thus become more involved with the objectives of the enterprise. Service D  42  represents the lowest level of security with data and functions available to all. 
     Service C  40  is potentially the highest level of classification. It contains data and functions which can be made available only to employees. In actual practice, this might entail a number of sub levels corresponding to the various levels of authority of the various employees. However, some services may be so sensitive that the enterprise decides not to provide any access via the Internet. This might include such things as strategic planning data and tools, advanced financial predictions, specific information regarding individual employees, marketing plans, etc. The penalty for this extreme security measure is that even authorized individuals are prohibited from accessing these services via the Internet, and they must take the trouble to achieve access via an old-fashioned dedicated link. 
     Customers and employees may share access to Service B  38 . Nevertheless, these data and functions are sufficiently sensitive that they are not made public. Service B  38  likely provides access to product specifications, delivery schedules and quantities, and pricing. 
     For customer access only is Service A  36 . One would expect marketing information, along with specific account information, to be available here. 
     These four service levels (i.e., Service A  36 , Service B  38 , Service C  40 , and Service D  42 ) are regulated in accordance with three security profiles. The lowest level of security does not require a security profile, because any member of the general public may be granted access. This can be readily seen as guest category  28  (e.g., a member of the public) can directly access Service D  42 . Of course, all other categories of user may also directly access Service D  42 , because all members of the more restrictive categories (e.g., customers and employees) are also members of the general public (i.e., the least restrictive category). 
     Security Profile # 1 ,  30  permits access to Service A  36  if and only if the requester seeking access is a customer and therefore a member of customer category  24 . Members of customer category  24  need to identify themselves with a customer identification code in order to gain access. The assigning and processing of such identification codes are well known to those of skill in the art. 
     Similarly, Security Profile # 3 ,  34  permits access to Service C  40  if and only if the requestor seeking access is an employee and therefore a member of employee category  26 . Security Profile # 2 ,  32  permits access to Service B  38  to requestors from either customer category  24  or employee category  26 , upon receipt of a customer identification code or an employee identification code. A more detailed description of the security system of the preferred mode of the present invention is found below. 
       FIG. 3  is a pictorial diagram of hardware suite  44  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The client interfaces with the system via Internet terminal  46 . Terminal  46  is an industry compatible, personalized computer having a suitable web browser, all being readily available commercial products. Internet terminal  46  communicates over world wide web access  48  using standardized HTML and XML protocol. 
     The Cool ICE system is resident in web server  50 , which is coupled to Internet terminal  46  via world wide web access  48 . In the preferred mode, web server  50  is owned and operated by the enterprise owning and controlling the proprietary data base management system. Web server  50  may serve as the Internet access provider for Internet terminal  46 . Web server  50  may be a remote server site on the Internet if the shown client has a different Internet access provider. This would ordinarily occur if the shown client were a customer or guest. 
     In addition to being coupled to world wide web access  48 , web server  50 , containing the Cool ICE system, can be coupled to network  52  of the enterprise as shown. Network  52  provides the system with communication for additional enterprise business purposes. Thus, The Cool ICE application or web server  50  and others granted access may communicate via network  52  within the physical security provided by the enterprise. Also coupled to network  52  is departmental server  58  having departmental server storage facility  60 . Additional departmental servers (not shown) may be coupled to network  52 . The enterprise data and enterprise data base management service functionality typically resides within enterprise server  54 , departmental server  58 , and any other departmental servers (not shown). Normal operation in accordance with the prior art would provide access to this data and data base management functionality via network  52  to users directly coupled to network  52 . 
     In the preferred mode of the present invention, access to this data and data base management functionality is also provided to users (e.g., Internet terminal  46 ) not directly coupled to network  52 , but indirectly coupled to network  52  via web server  50  and the Cool ICE Server application components. As explained below in more detail, web server  50  provides this access utilizing the Cool ICE system resident in web server  50 . 
       FIG. 4  is pictographic view of the system of  FIG. 3  with particular detail showing the organization and operation of the Cool ICE system  62 , which is resident in the web server (see also  FIG. 3 ). In this view, the client accesses the data base management system within the enterprise via Internet terminal  54  which is coupled to the web server  68  by world wide web path  66 . Again, the Internet terminal  54  is preferably an industry standard computer utilizing a commercially available web browser. 
     The basic request/response format of the Cool ICE system involves a “service” (defined in greater detail below) which is an object of the Cool ICE system. The service is a predefined operation or related sequence of operations which provide the client with a desired static or dynamic result. The services are categorized by the language in which they were developed. Whereas all services are developed with client-side scripting which is compatible with Internet terminal  54  (e.g., XML), the server-side scripting defines the service category. Native services utilize Cool ICE script for all server-side scripting. On the other hand, open services may have server-side scripting in a variety of common commercial languages including Jscript, VBScript, ActiveX controls, and HTML. Because native services are developed in the Cool ICE script (run) language, greater development flexibility and variety are available with this technique. 
     Web server  68  provides processor  70  for Active Server Pages (ASP&#39;s) which have been developed as open services  72  and a Default ASP  73  for invoking native services. After the appropriate decoding within a native or open service, a call to the necessary Cool ICE object  74  is initiated as shown. The selected service is processed by the Cool ICE engine  76 . 
     Repository  80  is a storage resource for long term storage of the Cool ICE service scripts and short term storage of the state of a particular service. Further details concerning repository  80  may be found by consulting the above referenced, commonly-assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application. In the preferred mode of the present invention, the service scripts stored in repository  80  are typically very similar to MAPPER runs as described above. For a more detailed description of MAPPER runs, Classic MAPPER User Manual is available from Unisys Corporation and incorporated herein by reference. 
     Cool ICE engine  76  sequences these previously stored command statements and can use them to communicate via network  84  with other data base management system(s) (e.g., MAPPER) resident on enterprise server  86  and/or departmental server  88 . The storage capability of repository  80  is utilized by Cool ICE engine  76  to store the state and intermediate products of each service until the processing sequence has been completed. Following completion, Cool ICE engine  76  retrieves the intermediate products from repository  80  and formats the output response to the client, which is transferred to Internet terminal  54  via web server  68  and world wide web path  66 . 
     Cool ICE Administrator  82  is available for coordination of the operation of Cool ICE system  62  and thus can resolve conflicts, set run-time priorities, deal with security issues, and serve as a developmental resource. Graphing engine  78  is available to efficiently provide graphical representations of data to be a part of the response of a service. This tends to be a particularly useful utility, because many of the existing data base management systems have relatively sparse resources for graphical presentation of data. 
     The combination of Cool ICE object  74 , Cool ICE engine  76 , and repository  80  permits a rather simplistic service request from Internet terminal  54  in dialog format to initiate a rather complex series of data base management system functions. In doing so, Cool ICE engine  76  emulates an intranet user of the data base management system(s) resident on enterprise server  86  and/or departmental server  88 . This emulation is only made possible, because repository  80  stores sequences of command language statements (i.e., the logic of the service request) and intermediate products (i.e., the state of the service request). It is these functions which are not available in ordinary dialog on the world wide web and are therefore not even defined in that environment. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram  90  of the software components of the Cool ICE system and the software components to which it interfaces in the preferred mode of the present invention. The client user of the Cool ICE system interfaces directly with web browser  92  which is resident on Internet terminal  54  (see also  FIG. 4 ). Web browser  92  is a commercially available browser. The only special requirement of web browser  92  is that it be capable of supporting frames. 
     Web browser  92  communicates with web server software  96  via Internet standard protocol using XML language using world wide web path  94 . Web server software  96  is also commercially available software, which is, of course, appropriate for to the web server host hardware configuration. In the preferred mode of the present invention, web server software  96  is hosted on Windows ITS-based server available from Microsoft Corporation. 
     Cool ICE system software  98  consists of Cool ICE Object {the gateway)  100 , Cool ICE service handler  102 , Cool ICE administration  104 , Cool ICE repository  106 , and Cool ICE Scripting Engine  108 . It is these five software modules which establish and maintain an interface to web server software  96  using corn interfaces and interface to Cool ICE&#39;s internal and external data base management system. 
     Cool ICE object  100  is the interface between standard, commercially available, web server software  96  and the internal Cool ICE system scripting engine with its language and logic facilities. As such, Cool ICE object  100  translates the dialog format, incoming HTML service request into internal Cool ICE requests for service. Intrinsic in this translation is a determination of the service category (see also FIG.  4 )—that is whether the service request is a native service (i.e., with a default Cool ICE server-side scripting) or an open service (i.e., with server-side scripting in another commercial language using the Cool ICE object  100 ). 
     The service request, received from Cool ICE object  100 , is utilized by Cool ICE service handler  102  to request the corresponding service action script from Cool ICE repository  106  and to open temporary state storage using Cool ICE repository  106 . Cool ICE service handler  102  sequences through the service input variables of the object received from Cool ICE object  100  and transfers each to Cool ICE repository  106  for temporary storage until completion of the service request. Cool ICE service handler  102  retrieves the intermediate products from Cool ICE repository  106  upon completion of the service request and formulates the Cool ICE response for transfer to browser  92  via web server software  96  and world wide web path  94 . 
     Cool ICE administration  104  implements automatic and manual control of the process. It provides for record keeping, for resolution of certain security issues, and for development of further Cool ICE objects. Interconnect  110  and interconnect  112  are software interface modules for communicating over the enterprise network (see also  FIG. 4 ). These modules are dependent upon the remaining proprietary hardware and software elements coupled to the enterprise network system. In the preferred mode of the present invention, these are commercially available from Unisys Corporation. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram  116  showing the processing of a service request by the Cool ICE system. Screen  118  is the view as seen by the client or user at an Internet terminal (see also  FIG. 4 ). This screen is produced by the commercially available browser  120  selected by the user. Any such industry standard browser is suitable, if it has the capability to handle frames. The language of screen  118  is HTML  124 . Hyperlinks  126  is used in locating the URL of the Cool ICE resident server. The components of the URL are as follows. In many instances, this will simply be the Internet access provider of the Internet terminal, as when the Internet terminal is owned by the enterprise and the user is an employee. However, when the user is not an employee and the Internet terminal is not necessarily owned by the enterprise, it becomes more likely that hyperlinks  126  identifies a remotely located server. 
     Icon  122  is a means of expressly identifying a particular service request. Such use of an icon is deemed to be unique. Additional detail concerning this use of an icon is available in the above identified, commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application. Window area  128  provides for the entry of any necessary or helpful input parameters. Not shown are possible prompts for entry of this data, which may be defined at the time of service request development. Submit button provides the user with a convenient means to transmit the service request to the web server in which the Cool ICE system is resident. 
     Upon “clicking on” submit button  130 , screen  118  is transmitted to web server  136  via world wide web path  132 . As discussed above, world wide web path  132  may be a telephonic dial-up of web server  136  or it might be a long and complex path along the Internet if web server  136  is remote from the originating Internet terminal. Web server  136  is the software which performs the retrieval of screen  118  from world wide web path  132 . 
     Screen  118  is transferred from web server  136  to Cool ICE object  138 , wherein it is converted to the internal Cool ICE protocol and language. A browser input is opened at storage resource  166  via paths  150  and  151 . Thus the initial service request can be accessed from storage resource  166  during processing up until the final result is transferred back to the user. This access readily permits multi-step and iterative service request processing, even though the service request was transferred as a single Internet dialog element. This storage technique also provides initially received input parameters to later steps in the processing of the service request. 
     Cool ICE object  138  notifies Cool ICE service handler  156  through the Cool ICE Engine Interface  157  that a service request has been received and logged in. The service request itself is utilized by Cool ICE service handler  156  to retrieve a previously stored sequence of data base management system command statements from repository  166 . Thus, in the general case, a single service request will result in the execution of a number of ordered data base management system commands. The exact sequence of these commands is defined by the service request developer as explained in more detail below. 
     Service input parameters  170  is prepared from the service request itself and from the command sequence stored in repository  166  as shown by paths  164  and  165 . This list of input parameters is actually stored in a dedicated portion of repository  166  awaiting processing of the service request. 
     Each command statement from repository  166  identified with the service request object is sequentially presented to a Cool ICE service  168  for processing via path  160 . The corresponding input parameters  170  is coupled with each command statement via path  176  to produce an appropriate action of the enterprise data base management system at Cool ICE service  168 . After the enterprise data base management system has responded to a given query, the intermediate products are stored as entries in HTML document  172  which is also stored in a dedicated portion of repository  166 . 
     After all command statements corresponding to the service request have been processed by the enterprise data base management system and HTML document  172  has been completed, the result is provided via path  158  to Cool ICE Engine Interface  157 . Cool ICE object  138  receives the browser output via path  150 . The response is converted to HTML protocol and transferred by web server  136  and world wide web path  134  to be presented to the user as a modified screen (not shown). 
       FIG. 7  is a pictographic drawing  178  of the development process for creating a Cool ICE service. HTML document  180  is created utilizing any commercially available standard HTML authoring tool (e.g., Microsoft FrontPage). The resulting HTML document  180  is stored as a normal .HTM file. This file will be utilized as a template of the service to be developed. 
     The authoring process moves along path  182  to invoke the administration module of the Cool ICE system at element  184 . The new dynamic service is created using HTML document  180  stored as a normal .HTM file as a template. As HTML document  180  is imported into Cool ICE, sequences of script for the beginning and end of the HTML code are automatically appended to the service. Required images, if any, are also uploaded onto the web server (see also  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). The service is edited by inserting additional Cool ICE script, as required. A more detailed description of the editing process may be found in Cool ICE User&#39;s Guide, Revision 2.0, available from Unisys Corporation and incorporated herein by reference. 
     The completed service script is transferred along path  186  to element  188  for storage. The service is stored as a service object in the repository (see also  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). Storage is effected within the appropriate category  190  as discussed above, along with services  192 ,  194 , and  196  within the same category. 
     The process proceeds along path  198  to element  200  for testing. To perform the testing, the URL for the newly created service is entered into the browser of the Internet terminal, if known. The typical URL is as follows: 
     http://machine-name/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=Examples &amp; Service=FRME+01 
     If the URL for the new service is not known, a list of the available services may be determined from the Cool ICE system by specifying the Cool ICE URL as follows: 
     
         
         
           
             http;://machine-name/Cool-ICE
 
This call will result in a presentation of a menu containing the defined categories. Selecting a category from the list will result in a menu for the services defined within that category. The desired service can thus be selected for testing. Selection of the service by either means will result in presentation of the HTML page as shown at element  200 .
 
           
         
       
    
     The process proceeds to element  204  via path  202 , wherein the HTML page may be enhanced. This is accomplished by exporting the HTML document from the Cool ICE administration module to a directory for modification. By proceeding back to HTML document  180  via path  208 , the exported HTML template is available for modification using a standard HTML authoring tool. After satisfactory completion, the finished HTML document is saved for future use. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a comparison between dialog-based structure  210  and service-based structure  212 . Dialog-based structure  210  is the norm for the typical existing proprietary data base management system (e.g., Classic MAPPER). The user, normally sitting at a dedicated user terminal, transfers output screen  214  to the data base management system to request a service. The user terminal and its normally dedicated link are suspended at element  216  to permit transfer and operation of the data base management system. The input is validated at element  218 , while the user terminal and its normally dedicated link remains suspended. 
     The data base management system processes the service request at element  220  while the user terminal remains suspended. Output occurs at element  222  thereby releasing the suspension of the user terminal. Thus, a true dialog is effected, because one part of the dialog pair (i.e., the user terminal) is suspended awaiting response from the data base management system. This type of dialog is best accomplished in an environment wherein at least the user terminal (or data base management system) is dedicated to the dialog, along with the link between user terminal and data base management system. 
     Service-based structure  212  illustrates one of the basic constraints of the world wide web protocol. To ensure that each of the elements on the world wide web are sufficiently independent and to prevent one element from unduly delaying or “hanging-up” another element to which it is coupled awaiting a response, the communication protocol forces a termination after each transmission. As can be readily seen, even the simplest dialog requires at least separate and independent transactions or services. The first service, Service  224 , involves the transmissions of output form  228  from the Internet user terminal. This transmission is immediately and automatically followed by termination  230  to ensure independence of the sender and receiver. 
     The second service, Service  226 , enables the receiver of output form  228  to process the request and output an appropriate response. The validation of the input at element  232 , processing  234 , and output  236  all occur within the receiver of output form  228 . Immediately and automatically, termination  238  follows. Thus, if Internet transactions are to be linked into a true dialog to permit data base management functions, the state must be saved from one service to the next as taught herein. 
     In the preferred mode of the present invention, the state of a service is saved in the repository (see also  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) for use in the next or subsequent services. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram  240  of the preferred mode of the present invention showing normal data flow during operation, with special attention to the state saving feature. Work station  242  is an industry compatible personal computer operating under a commonly available operating system. Browser  244  is a standard, commercially available web browser having frames capability. Path  248  is the normal world wide web path between work station  242  and web server  254  for the transfer of service requests and input data. These transfers are converted by Cool ICE object  256  as explained above and sent to Cool ICE Engine Interface  259  for disposition. 
     The service request for data and/or another function is converted into the data base management language by reference to the service definition portion of repository  262  through reference along path  276 . The actual command language of the data base management system is utilized over path  286  to access data base  264 . The resultant data from data base  264  is transferred to Cool ICE object  256  via path  288 . State manager  260  determines whether the original service request requires additional queries to data base  264  for completion of the dialog. If yes, the resultant data just received from data base  264  is transferred via path  284  to repository  262  for temporary storage, and the next query is initiated over path  286 , and the process is repeated. This is the state saving pathway which is required to provide the user of the Cool ICE system to function in a dialog mode over the world wide web. 
     Upon receipt of the resultant data from the final query of data base  264 , state manager  260  determines that the service request is now complete. State manager  260  notifies repository  262  via path  280 , and the intermediate products are retrieved from temporary storage in repository  262  via path  278  and supplied to Cool ICE service handler  258  via path  272  for formatting. State manager  260  then clears the intermediate products from temporary storage in repository  262  via path  282 . The final response to the service request is sent to Cool ICE object  256  via path  270  for manipulation, if necessary, and to browser  244  via path  250 . 
       FIG. 10  is a detailed diagram  440  showing operation of the security system during the honoring of a service request. The user, operating industry compatible, personalized computer, workstation  442 , formats a service requests via commercially available web browser  444 . In the preferred mode of the present invention, this is accomplished by then making a call to the Cool ICE system. The user simply requests access to the Cool ICE home page by transferring web browser  444  to the URL of Cool ICE system. After the Cool ICE home page has been accessed, one of the buttons is clicked requesting a previously defined service request. For additional detail on the service request development process, see above and the above referenced commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent applications. 
     The service request is transferred to web server  454  via world wide web path  446 . The service request is received by Cool ICE object  462  and translated for use within the Cool ICE system. The request is referred to the Cool ICE Engine Interface  471  via path  464 . In the preferred mode of practicing the present invention, the Cool ICE Engine Interface  471  is equivalent to the MAPPER data base management system. The service request is passed to Cool ICE Service Handler  472  for retrieval of the command language script which describes the activities required of the data base management system to respond to the service request. 
     Cool ICE Service Handler  472  makes an access request of Cool ICE service portion  480  of repository  482  via path  478 . It is within Cool ICE service portion  480  of repository  482  that the command language script corresponding to the service request is stored. The command language script is obtained and transferred via path  466  to service handler  472  for execution. Along with the command language script, a security profile, if any, is stored for the service request. As explained in the above referenced, commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application, the security profile, if required, is added to the command language script file at the time of service request development by the service request developer. This security profile identifies which of the potential service requestors may actually be provided with a complete response. The security profile, if any, is similarly transferred to service handler  472  via path  476 . 
     If no security profile has been identified for the service request, service handler  472  allows the execution of the command language script received via path  476  through access of remote database  456  via paths  458  and  460 , as required. The response is transferred to Cool ICE object  462  via path  468  for conversion and transfer to workstation  442  via world wide web path  450 . 
     However, if a security profile has been identified for the service request, service handler  462  requests the user to provide a user-id via path  470 , Cool ICE object  462 , and world wide web path  452 . Service handler  472  awaits a response via world wide web path  448 , Cool ICE object  462 , and path  466 . Service handler  472  compares the user-id received to the security profile stored with the command language script. If the user matches the security profile, access is granted and service handler  472  proceeds as described above. If the user does not match with the stored security profile, the service request is not executed and the user is notified via an appropriate message. 
       FIG. 11  is a detailed flowchart  300  showing the process for authoring a Cool ICE service in SQL utilizing the data wizard. Entry is made at element  302 . This is accomplished by the user who enters from the data wizard request on the user&#39;s standard browser. The user actually clicks on the data wizard button of the Cool ICE home page, which appears if the user-id indicates that the user is to have service development access to Cool ICE. This causes an HTML page to be transmitted to the Cool ICE system requesting the initiation of the data wizard script writing tool. The HTML page also indicates whether the request is to create a new Cool ICE service or to review (and possibly modify, copy, etc.) an existing Cool ICE service. 
     If the request is to create a new Cool ICE service as determined by element  306 , control is given via path  308  to element  312  for selection of the data source. This data source may be co-located with the Cool ICE system or may reside at some remote location. Though it is transparent to the user whether the data is co-located, it involves additional scripting to fetch data from a remote location. Cool ICE supports local databases ODBC (CORE level, 32-bit), Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL, and Unisys MAPPER Query Language. Cool ICE supports remote databases Microsoft SQL, Informix, ODBC (CORE level, 32-bit drivers), Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Unisys MAPPER Query Language, Unisys Relational Database Management System (RDMS), and Unisys A Series Query Language (ASQL). Up to five different data bases may be utilized through the use of the JOIN TABLES option. 
     The security profile is checked and verified at element  334 . As discussed more fully in the above identified co-pending applications, this security profile can specify access to a database, a table, or even an individual column of data within a table (see also  FIG. 13 ). Element  338  refines the data base management system query to be used. At that point, the security profile may need to be reverified and control may be returned to element  334  via path  336 . This iterative verification of the security profile is necessary as the query is refined, because the refining process may indicate other data elements which must be accessed. Of course, this reverification is most likely if the governing security profile specifies access to only individual columns within a table. After the security has been completely verified, element  334  creates and displays a table from the specified data sources. A more complete description concerning the refining process is found below in reference to  FIG. 12 . 
     The completed query is a sequence of command statements scripted in the SQL language, Cool ICE script, or a combination involving Cool ICE reports stored in the repository. It defines all of the data base management system functions which must be executed to properly respond to the to service request made by the user at the Internet terminal. This completed query is saved in the repository (see above) by element  340 . The query may be saved as both a query definition service and as a dynamic HTML service along path  342  Thus the completed service may be easily called for subsequent use. 
     Following saving of the completed query definition, path  344  permits element  350  to set a security profile for the service just defined. This security profile specifies which user-id(s) may access this service. The service will not appear on the Cool ICE main menu or on the data wizard service list for any user-id not thus specified as a user of the service. The security profile for a given user may be changed subsequently as described below in more detail. 
     Path  346  permits execution of a selected query service at element  352 . The user may exit data wizard at element  354  via path  348 . 
     When element  306  determines that an initial user request is to view an existing query definition, path  310  provides control to element  314 . If the user-id of the requestor matches with the security profile of the exiting query definition, element  314  displays the query definition by formatting and transmitting an HTML screen to the user Internet terminal. As explained above, the security profile given to the existing query definition, if any, will determine whether it will even appear on the user menu. The user is then given the option via a menu selection of one of paths  316 ,  318 ,  320 ,  322 ,  324 , or  326 . 
     Path  316  permits creation of a new query definition. Path  318  provides for copying of an existing query definition. Path  320  produces opportunity to modify an existing query definition. In each of these three cases, path  328  gives control to element  312  for creation or modification of the query definition in accordance with the process described above. 
     Path  322  provides for removal of the query definition. In this instance, an obsolete query definition may be erased from the repository. 
     Path  324  is available to change the security profile for a given selected query definition. Control is given to element  350  via path  330  and the security profile is modified as discussed above. Path  326  gives the user the opportunity to execute an existing query definition. Element  352  receives control from path  332  and executes the existing query definition as discussed above. 
       FIG. 12  is a detailed diagram  356  of the query definition refining process wherein elements  358 ,  360 ,  376 , and  378  correspond to elements  334 ,  338 ,  340 , and  336 , respectively, of  FIG. 11  Upon presentation of the selected data sources table, the query definition may be refined at element  3608 . The options available are:
         1. add a where clause that defines up to five conditions for retrieving data from the report or table along path  362  or an order by clause along path  364 ;   2. Sort the table or report according to the data in up to five columns;   3. Analyze and summarize selected data in the report or table via path  366 . For each column a total value, average the data, select a minimum column value, or select a maximum column value may be computed.   4. Perform calculations on the data via path  368 . The data wizard can compute, compare, and replace numeric data, character strings, dates, and times in selected columns.   5. Reformat or define how the selected data appears when the Cool ICE service for this query definition is executed via path  370 . Using the reformat option enables definition of the column order, field size, and column headings.   6. Create a graph of the data via path  374 . The definition of the graph may be saved as part of the query definition.       
     Basically, refining a query definition is a three-step process. The three steps are: where and order by; analyze, calculate, and reformat; and create a graph or selectively view any or all columns. The user simply makes the selections on the user menu and clicks on the desired result. The data wizard applies the specific refining action and redisplays the resultant screen. 
       FIG. 13  is a detailed flow diagram  380  of the functions performed by the Cool ICE administration module (see also  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  9 ) for query definition. The primary responsibility of Cool ICE administration module  382  is to register with the required local and remote data bases needed for the query definition. Path  384  provides for such registration. 
     In order for registration to take place, Cool ICE administration prompts the user with one or more HTML screens for entry of the data needed to identify and register the data bases. For each data base to be utilized, the user must supply information such as the TCP/IP address, data base type (e.g., ODBC, MQL, etc.), user-id, user password, and logical name for this data source within Cool ICE. Access to a particular data base may be for the entire data base as with path  384 , only specified tables within the data base as with path  386 , or only with specified columns with specified tables within the data base as with path  388 . In each instance, the user-id and user password supplied must correspond to the access specified. 
     Path  390  permits the user to create a security profile for the query definition. It is axiomatic that the user can define a security profile which is more restrictive than the user&#39;s own security profile, but cannot define a less restrictive profile. As with all Cool ICE security profiles, access may be granted by entire data base, by select tables within the data base, or by select columns within select tables within the data base. 
     Security profiles are allocated to individual users via path  392 . In a typical application, certain employees might have access to the query definition and all of the resulting response, whereas others may have access to the query definition but have access to only a portion (by table and/or column) of the resulting response. Yet others would be denied any access. 
       FIG. 14  is a detailed schematic diagram  394  of query definition using the data wizard. The user, at Internet workstation  396 , activates commercially available world wide web browser  398  and accesses the Cool ICE homepage via world wide web paths  406 ,  408 , and  412  using the previously defined URL. The Cool ICE homepage has a button for calling data wizard  420  for query definition. 
     Cool ICE data wizard  420  determines the nature of the service request (see also  FIG. 11 ) and begins processing. Paths  414  and  416  enable Cool ICE administration module  432  to register the required data bases (see also  FIG. 13 ). The resulting SQL script generated by data wizard  420  is transferred to repository  438  via path  430  for storage at query definition storage area  436 . 
     Execution of an existing data wizard scripted query definition is accomplished by Cool ICE engine  428  which is essentially the MAPPER data base management system in the preferred mode of the present invention. The script is accessed from storage and transferred to Cool ICE engine  428  via path  434 . Accesses to remote database(s)  422  is via world wide web paths  424  and  426 . 
     The resultant report produced by execution of the query definition script is transferred to data wizard  420  via path  418  for formatting. The response is then transferred to service handler  402  via path  410  for transfer via world wide web path  412  as an HTML page which is presented to the user on workstation  396 . 
       FIG. 15  is a flow diagram showing operation of the Join Service within Cool ICE Data Wizard  500 . At element  504 , the developer specifies up to five tables, up to fifty fields, and a defining where clause. These definitions are provided to Cool ICE Data Wizard Join  506 . The joined resulting data is provided to element  508  to permit other data wizard operations. The output is produced at element  512 . The End user has the joined and formatted data available at element  514 . 
       FIG. 16  is a detailed flow chart showing the operation of the join service. Entry is via path  516  which corresponds to the output of select data source  312  (see also  FIG. 11 ). Up to five tables are selected by the user at element  518 . Element  520  checks and displays the selected tables. The join functions are performed at elements  522  and  524  as shown. Path  526  returns control to element  338  (see  FIG. 11 ). In accordance with the preferred mode of the present invention, the data bases in the following formats may be joined with the Cool ICE Data Wizard Join Service:
         ODBC;   RDMS (HMP/IX);   RDMS (HMP/IX) UniAccess ODBC;   DMS HMP/IX INFOAccess32 OCBC (level 3.2 or 3.3);   DMS II HMP/NX—InfoAccess32 ODBC (level 4.2);   Oracle;   Microsoft SQL Server;   Sybase Adaptive Server;   Informix; and   Ingres.       
       FIG. 17  is a detailed flow diagram of the Utrace Architecture. A client, such as Client A (Application  1 )  530 , Client B (Application  1 )  532 , and Client C (Application  2 )  534  requests tracing services through-UTRACER.DLL  542 . The client calls a method from CUTracer  536 , CUTracer  538 , or CUTracer  540  to explicitly turn on tracing, unless the tracing is implicitly turned on when the CUTracer object reads the trace registry settings for the component. 
     The activated CUTracer class instantiates an instance of the Utrace COM object, and based on information from the client, sets client specific properties in the component. The client also sets properties of the trace helper class to assist in automatic formatting trace messages. The client builds up a trace message using the CUTracer class, and then calls on a method to send the message. 
     The CUTracer class does formatting as determined by its properties, and then invokes one of the IUTrace interface methods (i.e., IUTrace  546 , IUTrace  548 , or IUTrace  550 ) from ULTRACE.EXE  544  to trace the message. The Utrace component then writes a line of trace information to the trace file (i.e., Application 1 Trace File  562  for application 1 or Application 2 Trace File  564  for application 2). The activities of the trace session (i.e., trace file open, information gathering, and trace file close) are under the direction of the application. 
       FIG. 18  is a table  565  showing the various registry settings in accordance with the preferred mode of the present invention. 
       FIG. 19  is a flow chart showing the generic trace process. Tracing may be initiated manually by client  566  or automatically by application  568 . In either situation, element  570  turns on the trace process. Parameters for the tracing process may be supplied by both the client, via element  572 , and by the application, via element  574 . 
     Element  576  initiates the UTrace COM object (see also  FIG. 17 ). The specific trace object is built at element  578 . Element  580  sends the method call message, and element  582  prepares the class generic formatting. The actual trace is performed at element  584 . The trace data is stored at element  586 . 
       FIG. 20A  is a table showing the definitions for policy trace flags which are stored in a registry value. In addition, the application may define its own set of policy flags that are more appropriate for that application. Through registry settings, the policy may apply to all components of the application. Alternatively, different policy settings may be applied to different components. These policy settings are stored in a corresponding registry key. 
       FIG. 20B  is a table showing a typical run-time call. Upon encountering this script, the policy for the component is queried for the CI_TRACE_DETAIL policy flag to see if the tracing should actually occur. 
       FIG. 21  is a detailed flow chart showing branching from the Data Wizard Main Menu. The user interface process begins with Data Wizard Main Menu  588 . A first possible user selection is branch  590  which is used to create a new query. The major division for new queries is via path  592  for a standard query or via path  594  for a transaction query. Element  598  of processor  596  selects the appropriate category. Whether the new query is based upon a previous query is determined by element  500 . If no, control is given to the Query Builder at element  606 . Otherwise, control is first given to element  602  for selection of the query, before element  606  sends the query request to the Query Builder. 
     Branch  608  corresponds to the request to edit an existing query. The category is selected at element  610 . The process continues by passing control to the query builder at element  612 . 
     Execution of a query cause branching to path  614 . Element  616  provides for selection of a category. Execution and display at element  618  follows. 
     Element  620  provides a path for adding security to a query. A category is selected at element  622 . The appropriate security profile(s) is added at element  626  and control is returned to Data Wizard  588  via element  628 . 
     Branch  630  provides the path to delete a query. The category is selected at element  632 . The user is given an opportunity to affirm the deletion decision at element  634 . If the user changes his/her mind, path  636  returns control to Data Wizard Main Menu  588 . Otherwise element  628  deletes the query before returning control to element  588 . 
     Help information is provided via path  640  which exits to help topics at element  642 . Branch  644  permits exiting the data wizard. Element  646  gives control to Cool ICE Main Menu. 
       FIG. 22  is a detailed flow chart of the process of building a query. Element  648  provides the entry to the query builder. Path  650  permits specification of the variables. Control is returned to query builder  648  via element  654 . Path  656  provides for selection of the source(s) of the components for construction of the customized user interface. Database selection is via element  658 . Element  664  provides for selection of columns via path  660  with source returned via path  662 . Return to Query Builder  648  is via element  666 . 
     Where is selected at element  672  and order is selected at element  686 . Paths  668  and  682  specify where and order, respectively. Source is returned via paths  670  and  684 . Elements  672  and  686  exchange where, order, and column information, as shown. Advanced where operations are transferred via path  674  to element  676  with simple where communicated via path  678 . Paths  680  and  688  return control to Query Builder  648 . Operations  690  are not applicable to transaction queries. 
     Manipulation of columns is accomplished via path  692 . Columns are added via element  694  with element  696  returning control to Query Builder  648 . Operations  698  are not applicable to transaction queries. Element  702  specifies partial columns. Control is returned to Query Builder  648  via element  700 . 
     Data manipulation is accomplished along path  704 . Element  706  provides for selection of tasks for calculation (via path  708 ), analysis (via path  714 ), and sorting (via path  716 ). The columns for calculation are selected via element  710 . Element  712  builds the equation (s) to accomplish the calculation before control is returned via element  728 . The remainder of the data manipulation functions (i.e., operations  726 ) are applicable only to standard queries. Horizontal and vertical analysis are via elements  722  and  724 , respectively, whereas element  720  sorts the records. Returns occur via paths  728  and  726 . 
     All of operations  728  involving display from path  730 , are applicable only to standard queries. Element  732  selects table (i.e., path  734 ), form (i.e., path  736 ), and graph (i.e., path  738 ). Specification of table, form, and graph are by elements  740 ,  742 , and  744 , respectively. Similarly, elements  746 ,  748 , and  750  actually display table, form, and graph, respectively. Return is via element  752 . 
     Operations  754  are applicable only to transaction queries. Path  756  provides for insertion, updating, and deletion of records. Element  758  makes the appropriate selection. Paths  760 ,  762 , and  764  direct control to elements  756 .  758 , and  760  for insertion, updating, and deletion. Paths  766  direct control to switch  768 , which directs tables via path  770  for display at element  774 , and which directs forms via path  772  to element  776  for display. 
       FIG. 23  is a detailed flow chart showing conclusion of the process. Entry is via path  786 . Element  788  examines the query. Comments are sent to display  792  with responses returned via path  794 . Path  796  continues. Element  798  saves the query definition. Element  800  deals only with transaction queries. Conclusion is via path  802 , with return to Data Wizard Main Menu via element  804 . 
       FIG. 24  is a detailed flow diagram showing the operation of the key components of the Component Builder of the present invention. Entry is via element  806 . Element  808  provides for building of the XML element to source mapping tree. Generally the overall tree structure is defined through iterative modifications. 
     A typical way of defining the XML element to source mapping tree structure is via loading a Document Type Definition (DTD). The DTD is loaded using element  822 . The tree structure built may be simply returned to XML tree build  808 , XML source build  816 , or mapping component save  810 . 
     Once the basic tree structure is in place, XML tree build  808  begins populating the tree. Selection of an existing source structure is performed via element  814 . XML source build is done via element  816 . 
     Element  810  provides the user with the opportunity to save the XML mapping component for further use. This is ordinarily accomplished before exit at element  812 , as shown. Element  818  permits the XML DTD to be displayed via a separate browser window. 
       FIG. 25  is a lead view of window  826  which is the entry to the Component Builder of the preferred mode of the present invention. The scroll down view of Window  826  is shown in  FIG. 26  and discussed below. Window  826  has the normal functionality of similar windows within the common operating environment. Window  826  is generally arranged with the XML mapping elements positioned in the left pane  830 . Sources occupy the center pane. Controls, Properties, and Actions are found in the right most pane. 
     Turning to the left pane  830 , containing the XML mapping tree, Newspaper  836  is at the highest level. The second level contains article  838 . At the third level are Author  840 , Editor  842 , Date  844 , and Edition  846 ; all of which are attributes. The last three of which are optional. The later portion of the second level contains Headline  848 , Byline  850 , Lead  852 , Body  854 , and Notes (see also  FIG. 26 ), all of which are elements. Column  858  contains an enablement “radio button” for each of the listed elements in the XML mapping tree. 
     The center pane contains sources. Shown is a table with a row and columns corresponding to the element tree for newspaper articles. 
     Controls, Properties, and Actions are shown in the right pane of the window. The main property selections are Name conversion  864 , Table mapping  866 , and Mapping type  868 . The Element Properties are Item Type  860 , Element Form  861 , Mapping  862 , and Value  863 . 
       FIG. 26  is the scroll down view of Window  826  of  FIG. 25 . All previously indicated elements are as discussed above. Actions Menu  865  are clearly seen in this view. 
     Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those of skill in the art will be readily able to adapt the teachings found herein to yet other embodiments within the scope of the claims hereto attached.