Exception markup documents

A system including a processor for providing exceptions for markup language documents comprising:

• A portal exception markup document configured to specify at least one restricted structure, wherein each restricted structure defines a structure having a non-allowable format or data type in a predefined context, wherein said portal exception markup document is generated by combining a plurality of exception markup documents, wherein said plurality of combined exception markup documents are selected from documents specifying browser-related restricted structures, documents specifying hardware restricted structures, documents specifying portal-defined restricted structures, documents specifying content provider restricted structures, and documents specifying user-defined restricted structures, wherein the portal exception markup document is not restricted to a particular markup language;
• a container disposed within a portal, wherein said container is configured to receive content from a content source external to said portal, wherein said portal, said content, and said portal exception markup document are specified in a same markup language;
• a comparison engine for comparing structures contained within said content with restricted structures specified within said portal exception markup document;
• and,
• a restricted structure handler configured to perform at least one handling action in response to said comparison engine identifying a restricted structure within said content, wherein in response to identifying said restricted structure within said content said at least one handling action comprises displaying a message indicating that said restricted structure exists within said content and presenting one or more user selectable handling choices for said restricted structure, wherein said handling choices prevent restricted structures specified within said portal exception markup document from being inserted within said container.

A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

• identifying within a first markup document section having a predefined format and data type into which at least a portion of a second markup document is to be inserted;
• combining a plurality of exception markup documents into a portal exception markup document specifying restricted structures within said first markup document section and specifying handling instructions for actions performed if at least one restricted structure is detected within said portion of said second markup document, wherein each restricted structure defines a format or data type incompatible with the predefined format or data type of said first markup document section, wherein said first markup document, said second markup document, and said exception markup document are specified in a same markup language, wherein said plurality of combined exception markup documents are selected from documents specifying browser-related restricted structures, documents specifying hardware restricted structures, documents specifying portal-defined restricted structures, documents specifying content provider restricted structures, and documents specifying user-defined restricted structures, wherein the portal exception markup document is not restricted to a particular markup language;
• comparing said portion of said second markup document with the restricted structures associated with said first markup document section specified within said portal exception markup document, wherein said portion of said second markup document is compared with said restricted structures specified in said portal exception markup document according to a priority order, wherein said priority order is associated with a priority specified for each of said plurality of combined exception markup documents;
• if no restricted structure is found by said comparing step, inserting said portion of said second markup document into said first markup document section;
• and,
• if at least one restricted structure is found by said comparing step, performing at least one action based on said handling instructions, said at least one action comprising displaying a message indicating that restricted structures exist within said portion of said second markup document and presenting one or more user selectable handling choices for said restricted structure.