User interface based modeling of web services and batch input templates

摘要

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating a data input template. A system captures data objects and event objects communicated between a client and an application program, stores a copy of the captured objects, and generates a template based on the stored objects. The client interface has a hierarchical structure. Each data object includes an address identifier specifying a location within this hierarchical structure with which it is associated, and metadata is generated based on this address identifier. Each event object includes a record of one or more actions performed by a user, and metadata is generated based on this record. The metadata is used in structuring the template, enabling the template to correspond to the hierarchical structure of the client interface. The template can be used to generate a web services description language document, which can be provided to third party users over a network.