Method and system to handle context of interpretation in a document processing language

A computer implemented method for processing a hierarchically structured document, comprising the steps of:

• creating a first data structure having a first set of information;
• creating a first reference to the first data structure, said first reference to the first data structure being associated with a structure portion of a predetermined hierarchical level of the document;
• creating, for said predetermined hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level is processed, a second data structure having a second reference thereto and copying the first set of information to a second set of information of the second data structure;
• processing a structure portion of a subsequent hierarchical level, wherein said subsequent hierarchical level is lower in the hierarchical structure of the document than the predetermined hierarchical level;
• determining if processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is in process;
• copying the second reference to a third reference associated with structure of the subsequent hierarchical level, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined to be in process;
• copying the first reference to the first data structure to the third reference associated with the structure of the subsequent hierarchical level, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined not to be in process;
• creating, for said subsequent hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level is processed, a third data structure referenced by a fourth reference and copying the set of information referred to by the third reference to a third set of information of the third data structure;
• and
• processing said content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level using said third set of information;
• and
• continuing processing of said content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level after processing of said content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level is complete, using said second reference to said second data structure containing said second set of information, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined to be in process.

An apparatus for processing a hierarchically structured document, comprising:

• means for creating a first data structure having a first set of information;
• means for creating a first reference to the first data structure, said first reference to the first data structure being associated with a structure portion of a predetermined hierarchical level of the document;
• means for creating, for said predetermined hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level is processed, a second data structure which has a second reference thereto and copying the first set of information to a second set of information of the second data structure;
• means for processing said content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level using the second reference to said second set of information;
• means for determining if processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is finished;
• means for processing a structure portion of a first subsequent hierarchical level, wherein said first subsequent hierarchical level is lower in the hierarchical structure of the document than the predetermined hierarchical level;
• means for copying the first reference to a third reference associated with the structure portion of the first subsequent hierarchical level;
• means for processing a structure portion of a second subsequent hierarchical level, wherein said second subsequent hierarchical level is lower in the hierarchical structure of the document than the first subsequent hierarchical level;
• means for creating, for said second subsequent hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said second subsequent hierarchical level is processed, a third data structure referenced by a fourth reference and copying the set of information referred to by the third reference to a third set of information of the third data structure;
• means for processing said content portion of said second subsequent hierarchical level using said third set of information;
• means for determining if processing of said content portion of said second subsequent hierarchical level is finished;
• and
• means for copying the fourth reference to the third reference, when said processing of said content portion of said second subsequent hierarchical level is determined to be finished.

An apparatus for processing a hierarchically structured document, comprising:

• means for creating a first data structure having a first set of information;
• means for creating a first reference to the first data structure, said first reference to the first data structure being associated with a structure portion of a predetermined hierarchical level of the document;
• means for creating, for said predetermined hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level is processed, a second data structure having a second reference thereto and copying the first set of information to a second set of information of the second data structure;
• means for processing a structure portion of a subsequent hierarchical level, wherein said subsequent hierarchical level is lower in the hierarchical structure of the document than the predetermined hierarchical level;
• means for determining if processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is in process;
• means for copying the second reference to a third reference associated with structure of the subsequent hierarchical level, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined to be in process;
• means for copying the first reference to the first data structure to the third reference associated with the structure of the subsequent hierarchical level, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined not to be in process;
• means for creating, for said subsequent hierarchical level of the document when a content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level is processed, a third data structure referenced by a fourth reference and copying the set of information referred to by the third reference to a third set of information of the third data structure;
• means for processing said content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level using said third set of information;
• and
• means for continuing processing of said content portion of said predetermined hierarchical level after processing of said content portion of said subsequent hierarchical level is complete, using said second reference to said second data structure containing said second set of information, when said processing of content for said predetermined hierarchical level is determined to be in process.