Sever-based method and apparatus for enabling client systems on a network to present results of software execution in any of multiple selectable render modes

A method of enabling software to be executed in any of a plurality of render modes, the method comprising:

• maintaining a plurality of render modules in the server system, each of the render modules corresponding to a different one of a plurality of render modes for presenting output of the software on a client system on the network;
• selecting one of the render modes in response to a signal from the client system;
• and
• using a single logic definition of the software and one of the render modules corresponding to the selected render mode to provide information to the client system, to enable the client system to present output of the software to a user in an appropriate render mode, wherein said using further includes:
• retrieving a hypermedia page specified by the signal in response to the signal;
• identifying applet tags included in the hypermedia page which identify predetermined executable software components;
• removing from the hypermedia page the applet tags which identify predetermined executable software components;
• and
• inserting into the hypermedia page said information to enable the client system to render the software application in the appropriate render.

A method of enabling a software application to be presented to a user in any of a plurality of render modes, the method comprising:

• maintaining a plurality of render modules on a server processing system, each of the render modules corresponding to a different one of a plurality of render modes for presenting the software application on a remote client processing system, the plurality of render modes including an interactive render mode and a non-interactive render mode, all of the plurality of render modules for use with a single application definition of the software application;
• receiving a signal from the client processing system, the signal representing selection of a hyperlink by a user of the client processing system;
• selecting one of the render modules based on the signal;
• executing the selected one of the render modules to provide information to the client processing system tailored for a particular render mode, the information for use by the client to enable the client to present the software application in the render mode corresponding to the selected one of the render modules;
• retrieving a hypermedia page specified by the signal in response to the signal;
• parsing the hypermedia page to identify any applet tags included therein which correspond to executable software components;
• removing said applet tags corresponding to executable software components from the hypermedia page;
• and
• inserting into the hypermedia page said information tailored for the particular render mode in place of said applet tags.

An apparatus for enabling software to be executed in any of a plurality of render modes, the apparatus comprising:

• a logic definition of the software adapted for use with any of a plurality of render modes of the software;
• means for selecting one of the plurality of render modes for presenting output of the software based on, and in response to, a request to execute the software from a client system on a network;
• means for causing the output of the software to be rendered to the client system, using said logic definition, in the selected render mode in response to the request, wherein said means for causing includes:
• means for retrieving a hypermedia page specified by the request in response to the request;
• means for identifying applet tags included in the hypermedia page which identify predetermined executable software components;
• means for removing from the hypermedia page the applet tags which identify predetermined executable software components;
• and
• means for inserting into the hypermedia page said information to enable the client system to render the software application in the appropriate render.

A server system comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface coupled to the processor and providing the server system with an interface to a network;
• a plurality of render modules, each of the render modules corresponding to a different one of a plurality of render modes for presenting a software application on a remote client processing system on the network, the plurality of render modes including an interactive render mode and a non-interactive render mode;
• a first storage facility coupled to the processor and storing a definition of the software application;
• and
• a second storage facility coupled to the processor and storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the server system to:
• select one of the render modules based on a signal received from the remote client processing system, the signal in response to, and representative of, a selection of a hyperlink by a user of the remote client processing system, the selection of the hyperlink representing a request to execute said software,
• invoke the selected render module in conjunction with the definition of the software application, such that information tailored for a particular render mode is provided to the remote client processing system based on the selection, the information for use by the remote client processing system to enable the client to present the software application in the particular render mode,
• retrieve a hypermedia page specified by the signal in response to the signal,
• identify tags included in the hypermedia page which identify predetermined executable software components,
• remove from the hypermedia page the tags which identify predetermined executable software components, and
• insert into the hypermedia page said information to enable the client system to render the software application in the appropriate render.