System and method for XML subdocument selection

A data processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• an accessible memory, the data processing system particularly configured to receive a document having fragments with attribute/value pairs;
• receive logical expressions that define relationships between fragments of the document;
• analyze the logical expressions to identify fragment names and attributes;
• create an index based on the analysis that includes names of the fragments to be candidates for selection into subdocuments;
• extract, from the document, all fragments named in the index;
• create, in the index, an entry for each attribute/value pair;
• create a plurality of subdocuments corresponding to the document, which includes finding top-level fragments in the index, finding second-level fragments related to each top-level fragment, and finding third-level fragments related to each second-level fragment;
• and
• store the subdocuments, including the respective related fragments.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to:

• receive a document having fragments with attribute/value pairs;
• receive logical expressions that define relationships between fragments of the document;
• analyze the logical expressions to identify fragment names and attributes;
• create an index based on the analysis that includes names of the fragments to be candidates for selection into subdocuments;
• extract, from the document, all fragments named in the index;
• create, in the index, an entry for each attribute/value pair;
• create a plurality of subdocuments corresponding to the document, which includes finding top-level fragments in the index, finding second-level fragments related to each top-level fragment, and finding third-level fragments related to each second-level fragment;
• and
• store the subdocuments, including the respective related fragments.