Validator-driven architecture of an xml parsing and validating solution

Abstract

A method for parsing a document in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format includes identifying data via the XML format, defining a tag set including a plurality of tags, defining a tokenizer that produces one token at a time, parsing the XML document via a parser, validating the XML document via a validation engine, the validation engine driving the tokenizer, the validating being an integral part of the parsing, and permitting the validation engine to be written in a recursive-descent code-driven manner.

1 . A method for parsing a document, the document being in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, the method comprising:
 identifying data via the XML format;   defining a tag set including a plurality of tags;   defining a tokenizer that produces one token at a time;   parsing the XML document via a parser;   validating the XML document via a validation engine, the validation engine driving the tokenizer, and the validating being an integral part of the parsing; and   permitting the validation engine to be written in a recursive-descent code-driven manner.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parser maintains one or more datatypes in a buffer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the validation engine maintains control of the parser. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the validation engine activates the parser when the validation engine requires a next piece of information from the XML document. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the next piece of information is retrieved via a function GetNextTag( ). 
   
   
       6 . A system for parsing a document, the document being in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, the system comprising:
 a network; and   a host system in communication with the network, the host system including XML software to implement a method comprising:
 identifying data via the XML format; 
 defining a tag set including a plurality of tags; 
 defining a tokenizer that produces one token at a time; 
 parsing the XML document via a parser; 
 validating the XML document via a validation engine, the validation engine driving the tokenizer, and the validating being an integral part of the parsing; and 
 permitting the validation engine to be written in a recursive-descent code-driven manner. 
   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the parser maintains one or more datatypes in a buffer. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the validation engine maintains control of the parser. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the validation engine activates the parser when the validation engine requires a next piece of information from the XML document. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the next piece of information is retrieved via a function GetNextTag( ). 
   
   
       11 . A computer program product for parsing a document, the document being in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, the computer program product comprising:
 a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
 identifying data via the XML format; 
 defining a tag set including a plurality of tags; 
 defining a tokenizer that produces one token at a time; 
 parsing the XML document via a parser; 
 validating the XML document via a validation engine, the validation engine driving the tokenizer, and the validating being an integral part of the parsing; and 
 permitting the validation engine to be written in a recursive-descent code-driven manner. 
   
   
   
       12 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the parser maintains one or more datatypes in a buffer. 
   
   
       13 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the validation engine maintains control of the parser. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the validation engine activates the parser when the validation engine requires a next piece of information from the XML document. 
   
   
       15 . The computer program of  claim 14 , wherein the next piece of information is retrieved via a function GetNextTag( ).