Data processing system and method for representing, generating a representation of and random access rendering of electronic documents

A computer-implemented method for randomly accessing and formatting a portion of an electronically published document having fixed text content and fixed structure defined by descriptive markup defining a plurality of hierarchical elements, wherein each element except a root element has an ancestor element and a type name, and at least one element has text content, the method using a memory storing a format specification for each type name utilized for elements in the electronically published document, wherein the format specification for a type name defines appearance of the text content of the elements in the electronically published document having the type name, and wherein the memory separately stores the electronically published document, the method comprising the steps, performed by the computer, of:

• receiving an indication of a starting point within the electronically published document;
• selecting a starting point element within the electronically published document according to the received indication of the starting point;
• selecting elements of the electronically published document beginning with the selected starting point element;
• identifying ancestor elements of the selected elements;
• and
• formatting the text content of each selected element according to a combination of format specification for the type names of ancestor elements identified for the selected element and for the type name of the selected element.

A method for randomly accessing and formatting a portion of an electronically published document having fixed content and fixed structure defined by descriptive markup defining a plurality of hierarchical elements, wherein each element has a type name, wherein each element except a root element has an ancestor element and wherein at least one element has content, the electronically published document having a format specification for each type name utilized for elements in the electronically published document, wherein the format specification for a type name defines appearance of content of the elements in the electronically published document having the type name, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a starting point element within the electronically published document;
• selecting elements of the document beginning with the starting point element;
• identifying any ancestor elements of the selected elements;
• and
• formatting the content of each selected element according to a combination of format specifications for the type names of ancestor elements identified for the selected element and for the type name of the selected element beginning with the starting point element.

A data processing system for randomly accessing and formatting content of an electronically published document having fixed content and fixed structure defined by descriptive markup defining a plurality of hierarchical elements, wherein each element has a unique identifier and a type name, wherein each element except a root element has an ancestor element and at least one element has content, comprising:

• means for storing the electronically published document;
• means for storing a format specification for each type name utilized for elements in the electronically published document, wherein the format specification for a type name defines appearance of the text content of the elements in the electronically published document having the type name;
• means for storing an element directory including means for storing the unique identifier of any parent element of each element having a parent element, in a manner accessible using the unique identifier of the element;
• means for receiving an indication of a selected element within the electronically published document;
• means for accessing the element directory to identify any ancestor elements of the selected element;
• and
• means for formatting the content of the selected element according to a combination of format specifications for the type names of ancestor elements identified for the selected element and for the type name of the selected element beginning with the selected element thereby formatting the content of the selected element.

A data processing system for randomly accessing and formatting a portion of an electronically published document having fixed text content and fixed structure deflated by descriptive markup defining a plurality of hierarchical elements, wherein each element except a root element has an ancestor element, wherein each element has a type name and at least one element has text content, the data processing system comprising:

• means for storing, for each element, an indication of any ancestor element;
• means for storing a format specification for each type name utilized for elements in the electronically published document, wherein the format specification for a type name defines appearance of the text content of the elements in the electronically published document having the type name, and wherein the means for storing is separate from the electronically published document;
• means for receiving an indication of a starting point within the electronically published document;
• means for selecting at least one element within the electronically published document according to the received indication of the starting point;
• and
• means for formatting the text content of each selected element according to a combination of format specifications for the type names of ancestor elements for the selected element and for the type name of the selected element, including means for accessing the means for storing to identify any ancestor elements.