Patent US3782857A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0394168A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0394168A2
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Shell document with variable document commands
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1990-03-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-03-13
Abstract
Abstract An improved technique for inserting variable text or images into shell documents (150) to produce complex reports and form letters. This technique greatly simplifies the control structure used to insert the variable data and makes the maintenance and updating of shell documents much easier. To accomplish this, shell documents have common text (20, 24) and at least one variable document command (152). Variable document commands are permitted to have variable fields (154, 156, 158). In this way, variable text or images may be inserted based upon reference to variables stored in variable fields without the need to use conditional instructions in the shell document.
Inventors
- 👤 Tina Louise Bratsch
- 👤 Paul Douglas Koeller
- 👤 Mitchell Scott Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/174
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents, comprising the steps of: a. defining a shell document having common text and a variable document command, said variable document command having a variable field; b. executing said variable document command; c. merging into said shell document variable data as indicated by said-executing step to create one of said plurality of documents; and, d. repeating said executing and said merging steps to create said plurality of documents.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents, comprising the steps of: a. defining a shell document having common text and a variable document command, said variable document command having a variable field; b. executing said variable document command; c. merging into said shell document variable data as indicated by said-executing step to create one of said plurality of documents; and, d. repeating said executing and said merging steps to create said plurality of documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents according to claim 1 wherein said variable document command further comprises a constant field.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents according to claim 1 wherein said variable field further comprises a first variable for specifying a table and a second variable for specifying a position within said table where variable data is located.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents according to claim 1 wherein said variable document command further comprises an include text command.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents according to claim 1 wherein said variable document command further comprises an include image command.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of creating a plurality of documents according to claim 1 wherein said shell document further comprises a fixed document command.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of composing a plurality of documents comprising the steps of: a. defining a shell document having such text as is common to all of said plurality of documents and having a variable field for the insertion of variable text in each of said plurality of documents wherein said variable field contains a first variable specifying a table and a second variable specifying a position within said table whereby said variable text may be located; b. drafting said variable text to be inserted; c. building said table containing locations of said variable text; and, d. forming a plurality of copies of said shell document wherein said variable text is accessed by said locations from said table and each of said copies of said shell document contains variable text corresponding to said first and second variables.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of composing a plurality of documents comprising the steps of: a. defining a shell document having such text as is common to all of said plurality of documents and having a variable field for the insertion of variable text in each of said plurality of documents wherein said variable field contains a first variable specifying a table and a second variable specifying a position within said table whereby said variable text may be located; b. drafting said variable text to be inserted; c. building said table containing locations of said variable text; and, d. forming a plurality of copies of said shell document wherein said variable text is accessed by said locations from said table and each of said copies of said shell document contains variable text corresponding to said first and second variables.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
A data processing system for composing a plurality of form documents having variable text comprising: a. a shell document common to each of said plurality of form documents having a command for the insertion of said variable text wherein said command contains a first variable specifying a table and a second variable specifying a position within said table whereby said variable text may be located; b. means for storing said variable text; c. means responsively coupled to said shell document and said containing means for storing said table; and, d. means responsively coupled to said shell document, said storing means, and said storing means for printing said plurality of form documents.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
A data processing system for composing a plurality of form documents having variable text comprising: a. a shell document common to each of said plurality of form documents having a command for the insertion of said variable text wherein said command contains a first variable specifying a table and a second variable specifying a position within said table whereby said variable text may be located; b. means for storing said variable text; c. means responsively coupled to said shell document and said containing means for storing said table; and, d. means responsively coupled to said shell document, said storing means, and said storing means for printing said plurality of form documents.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A data processing system according to claim 8 wherein said shell document further comprises an include image command.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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