Patent NZ-565716-A (NZ)
Title: Web page rendering priority mechanism
Inventor: CALVERT SIMON
IPC: G06F15/00
Filed: 2006-07-27
Abstract: A method for a computing system generating a web page from a web page definition in a manner that a higher-priority theme and a lower-priority theme are applied to the web page without properties associated with the higher-priority and lower-priority themes being included in the web page definition is disclosed. The web page definition represents a middle priority and referencing at least one control object that is to be included in the corresponding web page. The computing system has one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method. The computing system utilizes a rendering priority mechanism when rendering the web page wherein properties associated with the control object in the lower-priority theme are applied to the control object only when not conflicting with properties associated with the control object in the higher-priority theme or the web page definition, and properties associated with control object in the web page definition are applied to the control object only when not conflicting with properties associated with the control object in the higher-priority theme. The method comprises determining that the web page corresponding to the web page definition is to have a higher-priority theme applied; accessing one or more higher-priority theme oriented text documents that collectively describe at least one higher-priority theme property that may be applied to a control object of the web page definition; generating a higher-priority theme class based on the one or more higher priority theme oriented text documents and compiling the higher-priority theme class into a higher-priority theme class that may be used to instantiate higher-priority theme objects; instantiating a higher-priority theme object using the compiled higher priority theme class. The higher-priority theme object includes at least a portion that, when executed, causes the at least one higher-priority theme property to be applied to the control object when called by a web page instance corresponding to the web page definition. The method further comprises determining that the web page corresponding to the web page definition is to have a lower-priority theme applied; accessing one or more lower-priority theme oriented text documents that collectively describe at least one lower-priority theme property that may be applied to a control object of the web page definition; generating a lower-priority theme class based on the one or more lower priority theme oriented text documents and compiling the lower-priority theme class into a lower-priority theme class that may be used to instantiate lower-priority theme objects; instantiating a lower-priority theme object using the compiled lower priority theme class. The lower-priority theme object includes at least a portion that, when executed, causes the at least one lower-priority theme property to be applied to the control object when called by a web page instance corresponding to the web page definition and when satisfying the rendering priority mechanism. The method further comprises generating a web page class upon which an instance of a web page object may be generated based on the web page definition; instantiating a web page object using the web page class. The web page object includes a function call to the portion of the higher-priority theme object that, when executed, causes the at least one higher-priority theme property to be applied to the control object, and the web page object includes a function call to the portion of the lower-priority theme object that, when executed, causes the at least one lower-priority theme property to be applied to the control object if no conflicting property to be applied to the control object exists in the first theme object or the web page object. The method further comprises rendering the web page with the control object by executing the web page object utilizing the web page rendering mechanism.