XML client abstraction layer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention consists of using an XML page description as an abstraction of the HTML page at design time.
This XML description is used to define layout information, rater than data, as it is usually used for.
A style sheet XSLT translator is then used to derive the run time code from the XML page.
By doing this, development can be standardized.
Normally, HTML programmers tend to use their own special programming techniques to develop code.
By using the abstraction layer, you can bypass this step and enhance the maintainability of the code.
Additionally, by using the XML client abstraction layer, other features can be mixed into the generated HTML page without actually changing the templates.
Instead, the insertion or improvement of features can be done in the abstraction layer through an XML parser.
The technique of the present invention is usable with both new technologies and existing technologies.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a framework for creating and using a library of reusable elements in design time to generate HTML pages.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a framework for permitting central HTML template changes to web based applications.
As such, it is an object of the present invention to facilitate the creation and use in design time of a library of reusable elements to generate HTML pages.
It is a further object of the present invention to facilitate central HTML template changes to web-based applications.