Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for converting documents. Source elements and corresponding target elements are identified. An initial target document derived from a source document is presented using the source elements and corresponding target elements. User input is received modifying presentation of the initial target document to form a final target document. Differences between the initial target document and the final target document are identified. A stylesheet is created to convert source documents into target documents using the identified source elements and corresponding target elements and the identified differences between the initial target document and the final target document.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable code for a technique with which files encoded according to the Extensible Markup Language (XML) notation can be marked up to indicate that the content of the file (or some portion thereof) is dynamic in nature and is to be updated automatically to reflect changing information. The proposed technique provides a novel way to specify that a data repository should be accessed as the source of the updates. Techniques are defined for specifying that this data repository access occurs once, and for specifying that it occurs when a set of conditions are satisfied (which may include periodically repeating the data repository access and content update). In one aspect, the data repository is a database; in another aspect, the data repository is a file system. Preferably, the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is used as an access method when the data repository being accessed is a database storing an LDAP directory.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable code for retrieving style sheets from a directory or other repository, based upon partial characteristic matching. Characteristics are associated with style sheets, and retrieval is accomplished by specifying a pattern which includes one or more of the characteristics. Preferably, the style sheet characteristics are stored as LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) objects in an LDAP directory. The style sheets may be encoded in Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL), Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL), or any other style sheet language having equivalent semantics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided whereby a person not familiar with programming or programming languages can create a wizard to interface between an application program and the user to guide the user through the interaction with the application program. This allows non-programmers to create intuitive and sensible user interfaces without the requirement of learning how to write software.