Importing and exporting markup language data in a spreadsheet application document

A method of exporting markup language data from a spreadsheet application, comprising:

• selecting a spreadsheet document containing markup language data for exporting;
• selecting a data mapping for relating markup language data in the document with a schema file associated with the document;
• matching the selected data mapping to an instance structure of the associated schema file;
• comparing the instance structure and the data mapping to determine what markup language elements or attributes have been applied to the document from the associated schema file;
• parsing through each node of the data mapping to find the location and content of markup language elements or attributes applied to the document;
• populating the instance structure with elements or attributes applied to the document;
• extracting the elements or attributes and any associated user data from the instance structure;
• arranging the extracted elements or attributes and any associated user data into a data file according to the instance structure of the schema file;
• and
• writing the data file to memory for exporting.

A method of importing eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting XML data from a spreadsheet document, comprising:

• selecting a data file containing XML data for importing into a spreadsheet document;
• rendering the XML data in the spreadsheet document according to a previously defined mapping of selected XML data to selected target locations in the document;
• modifying the XML data rendered in the spreadsheet document;
• updating the mapping to include modifications to the XML data;
• exporting the modified XML data and updated mapping for subsequent rendering in a second spreadsheet document according to the updated mapping.

A method of importing eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting XML data from a spreadsheet document, comprising:

• selecting a data file containing XML data for importing into a spreadsheet document whereby the data file has applied XML data mapped to a spreadsheet document;
• identifying an XML data mapping whereby each element or attribute of the XML applied to the data file is mapped to an associated schema file for defining data definitions for the elements or attributes applied to the document;
• parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers associated with XML elements and attributes applied to the data file pointing to the applied elements and attributes of the associated schema file;
• executing each pointer to find locations of elements or attributes applied to the data file;
• executing each pointer to the schema file to obtain XML data definitions applicable to the elements or attributes according to the schema file;
• determining a layout for rendering the data file to a spreadsheet document based on the locations of each of the elements or attributes applied to the data file;
• rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document whereby the elements or attributes in any user data associated with the elements or attributes are positioned in the document according to the layout;
• after rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document, modifying the data file in the spreadsheet document;
• updating the data mapping to include modifications to any elements or attributes applied to the data file and to include modifications to any user data applied to the data file
• selecting the modified data file for exporting to a memory location;
• selecting the updated data mapping for relating XML data in the document with a schema file associated with the document;
• matching the selected updated data mapping to an instance structure of the associated schema file;
• comparing the instance structure and the updated data mapping to determine what XML elements or attributes have been applied to the document from the associated schema file;
• parsing through each node of the updated data mapping to find the location and content of XML elements or attributes applied to the document;
• populating the instance structure with elements or attributes applied to the document;
• extracting the elements or:attributes and any associated user data from the instance structure;
• arranging the extracted elements or attributes and any associated user data into a data file according to the instance structure of the schema file;
• and
• writing the data file to memory.

A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions contained thereon which when executed by a computer perform the following steps for utilizing markup language data in a spreadsheet document:

• selecting a data file containing markup language data for importing into a spreadsheet document whereby the data file has applied markup language data mapped to a spreadsheet document;
• identifying a markup language data mapping whereby each element or attribute of the markup language applied to the data file is mapped to an associated schema file for defining data definitions for the elements or attributes applied to the document;
• parsing the data mapping to obtain pointers associated with markup language elements and attributes applied to the data file pointing to the applied elements and attributes of the associated schema file;
• executing each pointer to find locations of elements or attributes applied to the data file;
• executing each pointer to the schema file to obtain markup language data definitions applicable to the elements or attributes according to the schema file;
• determining a layout for rendering the data file to a spreadsheet document based on the locations of each of the elements or attributes applied to the data file;
• and
• rendering the data file in a spreadsheet document whereby the elements or attributes in any user data associated with the elements or attributes are positioned in the document according to the layout.

A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions contained thereon which when executed by a computer perform the following steps for exporting markup language data from a spreadsheet application:

• selecting a spreadsheet document containing markup language data for exporting;
• selecting a data mapping for relating markup language data in the document with a schema file associated with the document;
• matching the selected data mapping to an instance structure of the associated schema file;
• comparing the instance structure and the data mapping to determine what markup language elements or attributes have been applied to the document from the associated schema file;
• parsing through each node of the data mapping to find the location and content of markup language elements or attributes applied to the document;
• populating the instance structure with elements or attributes applied to the document;
• extracting the elements or attributes and any associated user data from the instance structure;
• arranging the extracted elements or attributes and any associated user data into a data file according to the instance structure of the schema file;
• and
• writing the data file to memory for exporting.

A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions contained thereon which when executed by a computer perform the following steps for importing eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting XML data from a spreadsheet document, comprising:

• selecting a data file containing XML data for importing into a spreadsheet document;
• rendering the XML data in the spreadsheet document according to a previously defined mapping of selected XML data to selected target locations in the document;
• modifying the XML data rendered in the spreadsheet document;
• updating the mapping to include modifications to the XML data;
• exporting the modified XML data and updated mapping for subsequent rendering in a second spreadsheet document according to the updated mapping.