Method and system for generating and storing multiple representations of a source object in object storage

A method in a computer system for displaying multiple representations of an object having storage, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating presentation data in a plurality of presentation formats, each presentation format indicating a context specification;
• storing the generated presentation data in the plurality of presentation formats in the object storage;
• receiving a request for rendering presentation data in a first presentation format of the plurality of presentation formats, the first presentation format indicating a first context specification;
• retrieving the stored presentation data that corresponds to the first context specification indicated in the first presentation format;
• displaying the retrieved presentation data in the first presentation format;
• receiving a request for rendering presentation data in a second presentation format of the plurality of presentation formats, the second presentation format indicating a second context specification;
• retrieving the stored presentation data that corresponds to the second context specification indicated in the second presentation format;
• and
• displaying the retrieved presentation data in the second presentation format.

A method in a computer system for generating requested representations of an object for performing operations on the object, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating data in a plurality of formats, each format compatible with an operation on the object;
• storing the generated data as data members of the object;
• in response to receiving a request to perform a first operation on the object,
• retrieving the stored data in the format compatible with the first operation;
• and
• returning an indication of the retrieved data in the format compatible with the first operation;
• and
• in response to receiving a request to perform a second operation on the object,
• retrieving the stored data in the format compatible with the second operation;
• and
• returning an indication of the retrieved data in the format compatible with the second operation.

A computer-readable memory medium for instructing a computer processor to generate multiple representations of a server object having object storage by performing the steps of:

• under control of the server object,
• generating data in a plurality of formats, each format specifying a context specification;
• storing the generated data in the object storage;
• receiving a request for data in a requested format of the plurality of formats, the requested format specifying a requested context specification;
• retrieving the stored data in a format that corresponds to the requested context specification;
• and
• returning the retrieved data in response to the request;
• wherein the context specification of each of the plurality of formats indicates a data format for the generated data and view information that indicates which portion of the object is to be used for generating data, and wherein the step of retrieving the stored data retrieves data that corresponds to a data format and view information specified in the requested context specification;
• wherein the context specification of each of the plurality of formats indicates a data format for the generated data and a target device that indicates a device for which the generated data is to be arranged, and wherein the step of retrieving the stored data retrieves data that corresponds to a data format and a target device indicated in the requested context specification.