Method for extending the hypertext markup language (HTML) to support a graphical user interface control presentation

摘要

A method useful in a computing system that has at least one server and a multiplicity of clients coupled thereto by means of a network. The server has a repository coupled to it for storing SCL of a legacy Form and at least one of the clients executes a Web browser program. The method operates in the same client that the Web browser operates and is invoked by the Web browser program for supporting the exact reproduction of the legacy Form. SCL Text is parsed to obtain a sequence of SCL Constructs, some of which contain information relating to GUI Controls of the legacy Form. For each SCL Construct with a GUI Control to be displayed, a GUI Control is painted by using type and positioning information derived from each of the SCL Constructs, respectively. Font information from the SCL Construct is used to set font characteristics of the GUI Control and user inputs are interpreted to navigate from GUI Control to GUI Control. Finally, the user inputs are interpreted to invoke a process that sends contents of the GUI Controls to the host application.