Abstract: A parser is generated for parsing a marked up document. A template of a sample marked up document chosen by a user is extracted. The template comprises elements of the structural markup of the sample document with their data contents removed. The parser for parsing a marked up document is generated. The parser is generated in the form of code based on the extracted template in such a manner that the parser is adapted to extract any elements and associated data content of the marked up document to be parsed corresponding to the elements of the extracted template.

Abstract: A text representation of a number is converted into a numeric representation of the number by converting the text representation of the number into a description of the number's format; mapping the description of the number's format to a sequence of conversion code; and converting the text representation of the number into the numeric representation of the number by use of the sequence of conversion code. Preferably, the description of the number's format is a picture string; the text representation of the number is converted into a description of the number's format by a translation instruction using a translate table; and the sequence of conversion code for converting the text representation of the number into the numeric representation of the number comprises an assignment statement.