Abstract: A concept for providing hierarchical navigation information relative to one or more databases within a distributed computer system is described. In one aspect, this includes a process for hierarchically organizing bodies of information that includes: receiving a query from a user, abstracting a list of descriptors from one or more sources of information selected based on the query, organizing the list according to an hierarchy of nodes referenced in the one or more sources of information and providing information configured to facilitate displaying a graphical user interface illustrating the hierarchy and having user programmable server control classes for accession of nodes in the hierarchy.

Abstract: A web page rendering mechanism in which a computing system generating a web page from a web page definition. A web page class is compiled from the web page definition. The theme-specific properties are described separate from the web page definition in theme-oriented text documents that are compiled into a theme class. The web page is rendered by executing an instance of the web page class in conjunction with an instance of the theme class. The web page object may include an object for each control element to be rendered. In addition, the theme object may include an object for control elements of each control element type. When rendering a control element of a particular type, the object corresponding to that control element is executed from the web page object. In addition, the object corresponding to the control element type is executed from the theme object.