Merging XML documents automatically using attributes based comparison

A digital processing system for comparing a first XML document with a second XML document, said digital processing system comprising:

• at least a memory and a processor and capable of executing software instructions performing the operations of:
• receiving from a client system across a network, a request to compare the first XML document with the second XML document;
• parsing the first XML document and the second XML document;
• generating a list of attributes in the first XML document and the second XML document;
• identifying from the list of attributes, one merge attribute which is an XML attribute that exists in both the first XML document and the second XML document;
• performing a set of comparisons, each comparison of the set of comparisons comparing an element of a set of elements of the first XML document with an element of a set of elements of the second XML document;
• wherein the comparison is based on the merge attribute, the merge attribute being contained in each of the elements of the set of elements of the first XML document and the second XML document,
• wherein a first comparison of the set of comparisons involves comparing the value of the merge attribute of a first element of the set of elements of the first XML document with that of the merge attribute of each element of the set of elements of the second XML document;
• determining data from the first XML document and data from the second XML document to be included in a merged XML document, wherein said determining is based on the results of the set of comparisons, including said first comparison;
• and
• generating a merged XML document based on the determining, wherein said merged XML document contains only one of said first element and a second element of said XML document if the value of the merge attribute of said first element is equal to the value of the merge attribute of the second element of said second XML document.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor cause the processor to automatically merge data contained in a first XML document and data contained in a second XML document, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• identify a merge attribute, wherein said merger attribute is an XML attribute that exists in both the first XML document and the second XML document;
• perform a set of comparisons, each comparison of the set of comparisons comparing an element of a set of elements of the first XML document with an element of a set of elements of the second XML document,
• wherein the comparison is based on the merge attribute, the merge attribute being contained in each of the elements of the set of elements of the first XML document and the second XML document,
• wherein a first comparison of the set of comparisons involves comparing the value of the merge attribute of a first element of the set of elements of the first XML document with that of the merge attribute of each element of the set of elements of the second XML document;
• and
• determine data from the first XML document and data from the second XML document to be included in a merged XML document, wherein said determining is based on the results of the set of comparisons, including said first comparison;
• and
• generate a merged XML document based on the determining, wherein said merged XML document contains only one of said first element and a second element of said XML document if the value of the merge attribute of said first element is equal to the value of the merge attribute of the second element of said second XML document.

A method of merging data containing XML documents, said method comprising:

• receiving a first XML document and a second XML document, said first XML document containing a first plurality of elements and said second XML document containing a second plurality of elements,
• wherein each of said first plurality of elements and said second plurality of elements have a same identifier,
• each of said first plurality of elements and said second plurality of elements having a corresponding set of attributes, with each attribute having an associated value;
• receiving a merge attribute for merging said first plurality of elements with said second plurality of elements,
• wherein said merge attribute is an XML attribute and is present in the set of attributes corresponding to all of said first plurality of elements and said second plurality of elements;
• comparing a first element of said first plurality of elements with a second element of a second plurality of elements, wherein said comparing checks whether a first value of said merge attribute in said first element equals a second value of said merge attribute in said second element;
• forming a merged XML document of said first XML document and said second XML document,
• wherein if said comparing determines that said first value equals said second value, said forming includes in said merged XML document a single element as a result of processing of said first element and said second element, and
• otherwise, said forming to include two elements corresponding respectively to said first element and said second element.