Forms conversion and deployment system for mobile devices

Abstract

A method and system for automatically converting forms generated using a desktop forms development tool to be compatible with mobile devices, for deploying the converted forms to the mobile devices, and for running converted forms on the mobile devices is provided. A forms system provides a conversion component, a deployment component, and a device component. A forms file is generated to be processed by a forms display program on a variety of devices. The forms system transforms the forms file to a target form file designed for execution by a target forms display program on a device of the target device type.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system for converting a forms definition file designed for execution by a forms display program on a variety of devices to a target form definition file designed for execution by a target forms display program on a device of the target device type, comprising:
 providing the form definition file for execution by the forms display program on a variety of devices, the form definition file including a manifest file, a schema file, and a view file, the view file for being applied to data to generate a view of the data and being tailored to characteristics of the device of the target device type;   transforming the view file to create a transformed view file that is compatible with the target forms display program;   generating an information file that records information extracted from the manifest file; and   creating a forms package with the transformed view file, the schema file, and the information file for distribution to a device of the target device type that executes the target forms display program.   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the information file includes mappings of controls to data, web services information, rules information, and custom validation information. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the transforming transforms body elements and textbox elements. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the transforming transforms elements of the view file that are not supported by the forms display program to elements supported by the target forms display program. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the transforming adds elements within control elements for highlighting the control upon occurrence of an error. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the transforming adds an identifier and name attribute to controls to identify the data of the control. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the transforming adds onchange attributes to controls for handling custom validation and rules. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the provided forms definition file is compatible with InfoPath. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the target forms display program includes a web browser of a device of the target device type. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the target device type is selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant and a cell phone. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for controlling a computer system to generate a target form definition file designed for execution by a target forms display program on a device of the target device type, by a method comprising:
 providing a generic form definition file for execution by the target forms display program on a variety of devices, the generic form definition file including a view file and other forms data, the view file for being applied to data to generate a view of the data and tailored to characteristics of the device of the target device type;   applying a transform to the view file to create a transformed view file that is compatible with the target forms display program;   generating an information file that records information extracted from the other forms data; and   packaging the transformed view file with the information file into a forms package for distribution to a device of the target device type that executes the target forms display program.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the information file includes menu items, mappings of controls to data, web services information, rules information, and custom validation information. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the transform applied to the view file transforms body elements and textbox elements. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the transform applied to the view file converts elements of the view file that are not supported by the target forms display program to elements supported by the target forms display program. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the transform applied to the view file adds elements within control elements for highlighting the control upon occurrence of an error. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the transform applied to the view file adds an identifier and name attribute to controls to identify the data of the controls. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the transform applied to the view file ensures that whenever data of the form is modified, the modified data is persistently stored in the device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the packaging includes packaging a launch executable for distribution, the launch executable for launching a runtime component to process a form defined by the forms package. 
     
     
         19 . A method in a computing system for converting a form definition file designed for execution by a forms display program on a variety of devices to a target form definition file designed for execution by a target forms display program on a device of the target device type, comprising:
 providing the form definition file for execution by the forms display program on a variety of devices, the form definition file including a manifest file, a schema file, and a view file, the view file for being applied to data to generate a view of the data and tailored to characteristics of the device of the target device type;   applying a transform to the view file to create a transformed view file that is compatible with the target forms display program;   generating an information file that records information extracted from the manifest file and the schema file; and   packaging the transformed view file, the schema file, and the information file for distribution to a device of the target device type that executes the target forms display program.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein an information file includes mappings of controls to data, web services information, rules information, and custom validation information and
 wherein the transform applied to the view file transforms body elements and textbox elements, transforms elements of the view file that are not supported by the target forms display program to elements supported by the target forms display program, adds elements within control elements for highlighting the controls upon occurrence of an error, and adds an identifier and name attribute to controls to identify the data of the controls.