Method, apparatus, and computer program product for automatic page suppression in forms

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for reducing the number of “pages”, e.g. HTML, JavaScript/ECMA Script, or XML documents or the like, in forms-based transaction applications. One disclosed method involves using dynamic contents documents such as JavaServer pages that include a list of required fields for completion of a transaction. When the transaction initiates the dynamic contents document interacts with a server process to determine if sufficient values for the required form fields are already available, for instance, from a user profile or previous transaction. If so, these values can be used. If, for one or more pages, a form field value is not available, these and only these pages are provided to the user; the others are suppressed. In another aspect, rather than having an ordered set of predetermined pages some of which can be suppressed, just in time pagination is obtained by determining which fields lack sufficient field values, a priori. These field values are placed in pages as they are located and the pages provided to the user when they reach a suitable size. With just in time pagination, those and only those form fields for which user data input is needed can be split into pages suitable for viewing on the user's client platform and provided to the user.